Allison's Book Bag

So much to be thankful for!

I had intended to post last weekend in honor of Thanksgiving, but time got away from me. Every day, there are two types of prayers I offer to God. One is of all the things I feel appreciation for; the other is of all the requests I have. This post, I’m going to focus on the blessings.

Most of all, I thank God for my family here and in Canada. My family here consists of my husband, whose main goal in life is to make me happy, and our four pets. There are also my in-laws, who welcomed me into their home even before Andy and I married. In Canada, there is my dad who raised me to love God, books, and words. There’s also my step-mom and my siblings. When I moved to the Midwest, neither of my siblings had started school. Now they’re in college.

I also thank God for my two part-time jobs. My teaching one helps pays the bills and I sometimes enjoy it. As for writing, it rarely brings in money and I sometimes enjoy it. 😉 Of late, the latter has allowed me to meet lots of people and to speak on what I believe. Besides reading my posts here, you could check out Lincoln Animal Ambassadors, a group for whom I blog.

Speaking of, I thank God for animal groups. Almost twenty years ago, I moved to the Midwest but it’s only in the past few years I have started to feel at home here. About half of my friends on Facebook are contacts through our dog club and other animal groups. Definitely, my feeds reflect that interest.

Of course, I’m also thankful for friends. One of them I’ve known since my first job in Lincoln and she served as my maid-of-honor at my wedding. Others have come and gone. This fall our pastor encouraged members to get to know others in the church by inviting them out. I’ve met a few of my recent friends this way, along with through a writing group.

If I were to keep going, I’d also list books, libraries, fireflies, the wild outdoors, and…. many more things. What are you most thankful for?

Reasons to thank God year round

• my husband who is perfect for me
• my family (including in-laws)
• our three pets who make for a full house
• my friends who accept me as I am
• a home (even if it’s a rental)
• health despite hormonal imbalances
• jobs my husband and I both like
• time to write, a luxury not everyone has
• a car which keeps on starting
• more books than my husband or I will ever read
• opportunities or challenges, whichever you call them
• memories (often in the form of photos and journals)
  AND
• holidays 🙂

That’s my week. What about yours?