50 Things I'm Thankful For

As the day goes by, I'm going to make a list of 50 things I'm thankful for. I just woke up, so I'll get started:

1. that I got to sleep in this morning
2. that I woke up beside my favorite person
3. that I had some nice emails in my inbox this morning
4. that my friend is putting a turkey in the oven about now and I get to eat some of it later
5. that my other friend's son stayed up late to bake pumpkin and apple pies, and since I lent him some pie pans, I bet I'll get them back full instead of empty
6. I just ate my first meal of the day--I'm thankful I can have green salad for breakfast.
7. that a friend just called me to say Happy Thanksgiving and to ask: should I give the turkey giblets to the cat raw or should I cook them first?
8. that my daughter woke up in a good mood
9. that my husband is practicing Christmas music on the piano
10. that he is also practicing Beethoven
11. for my first cup of tea of the day
12. for a washing machine. And bleach.
13. that I can read pretty well (according the the paper I'm editing, 44 million Americans cannot).
14. that there are books on tape for people who either cannot see well enough to read or who have reading disabilities.
15. OK, it is almost time to leave for our friends' house, but I'm thankful the neighbor boy showed up with pumpkin pie. Don't tell--I snuck a little piece already--mmmmm!
16. that the sun has come out so we have cool but sunny weather.
17. I'm thankful for global telecommunications. We just called Andrew in Ethiopia. It is cool to get the globe out during the conversation and observe how far away he is, but it sounds like he is just next door.
18. I'm thankful for Andrew's job in Ethiopia.
19. I'm thankful that Andrew likes his job.
20. I'm thankful that he seems to be doing a good job--his main job is to schmooze (in the nicest sense of the word). He is a networker, a global thinker, and he knows how to apologize when appropriate.
21. I'm thankful that Rachel knows how to make green bean casserole.
22. I'm thankful that my attempt to make a child's puzzle using a color printer and a photocopier worked on the first try.
23. OK, we're back from Thanksgiving dinner. I'm thankful for good food.
24. I'm thankful I didn't have to cook it all.
25. I'm thankful for good friends. We live far away from family, but friends are a good substitute.
26. I'm thankful for some new online friends I've made this past year too, even if I've never met them.
27. I'm thankful for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
28. I'm thankful for a digital camera to borrow.
29. some new photos for my website.
30. the chance to talk to David today. He declined all invitations to Tgiving dinner and ate Campbell's vegetable soup instead. :-/
31. a good job
32. a meaningful job
33. a job with lots of flexibility
34. a good boss
35. great coworkers
36. another cup of tea
37. a safe neighborhood to live in
38. a house that is paid for
39. friends to walk with
40. friends to talk with
41. I'm down to the last 10, three more hours of Thanksgiving left. I'm thankful for yet another cup of tea. This one prepared and served by my best friend.
42. I'm thankful for God's love.
43. for God's love shown to me by family
44. for God's love shown to me by friends
45. for God's love declared to me in the Bible which I can read in my mother tongue
46. for a great group of financial supporters who have kept food on our table for over 25 years
47. for a great group of prayer supporters who have kept us going for over 25 years
48. for an old Bible study group where I am helped
49. for a new Bible study group where I can help
50. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.