I am Thankful

   It is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada, a day for celebration and reflection. Like many of my fellow Canadians, I cannot help but think of the blessings of friends and family,  shelter and provisions, health and happiness. Still, today, I think I would like to be a bit more specific in my thanks.

  I am thankful for quiet mornings and active days, sitting in front of a fire on a crisp night under a starry sky, dinners on the deck in the summer,  a decaf cappuccino or latte with a friend. 
  I am thankful for the feel of a good book in my hands and the time to read it, an afternoon in my favourite green chair in the world of that book,  a classic movie that brings me to tears or makes me laugh.
   I am thankful for music that leaves an ache within me, lyrics that speak truth,  stories that never grow old,  art in all its forms that adds colour and hope and encouragement to life.
   I am thankful for the sound of birds in my backyard, the howl of a wolf, the purring of a cat.
   I am thankful for the pressure of my dog Tara's head on my feet while I sleep.
   I am thankful for hot summer days, gentle rains, the way the world looks after a new-fallen snow. I am thankful for Kent's garden and its changing appearance through the seasons.
   I am thankful for a crisp white wine,  a gluten free fondue, something hot and comforting on a cold day.
    I am thankful for time spent just with my grown up girls, and for the opportunity of getting to know and love their chosen partners in life.
    I am thankful for time spent with Kent, my husband and chosen partner in life, enjoying the little things that come our way.

   And most of all, I am thankful for the never-changing mercy and love of God and His Truth, and the way it has forever changed my life.

Happy Thanksgiving Day, Canada! May today be a reminder to us to be thankful all year long.