America… the United States that is, has changed greatly since I was a small boy. I am not sure that many in our country really get it. We have been one of the most blessed nations in the history of the world. We have had freedoms most of the world has never enjoyed. We still have most of those freedoms, but they are disappearing as we have become more like the rest of the world. A little of that isn’t bad, but we have come to a place that many do not remember or understand… and that is the value of being an individual and taking responsibility for ourselves. The changes have only caused my desire to remain free to become stronger, especially for my grandchildrens’ sake.
Those of you who call me friend know that I love my country and understand the values we hold on to and the hope for the future. I want to share some of what I am thankful for today.
I am thankful that I can still worship God in my own way. I am thankful for the relationship I have with Jesus that has given me the courage and faith to continue on through life’s difficulties as we journey through it all.
I am thankful for my family. Susan, my wife, is the most wonderful person I have ever known. She is always giving of herself to anyone who has a need that she can help with. I am thankful for my daughter and her family, Wendy, Steve, Tristan and little Jaycee, as well as my new stepdaughter Kelly. There are other family members as well as wonderful friends to be thankful for.
I am thankful that I have found the place in life that my journey has taken me. My work is fulfilling, exciting and allows me to express the passions of my heart. From a little boy, my imagination has always been on a creative path. Over the last ten years, I have seen dreams come true that have covered a lifetime, where other dreams were shut off. As the old saying goes, “when one door closes, another one opens.” I have learned to walk one step at a time within my life’s journey. That I am thankful for.
I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family and that you count your blessings today and acknowledge how thankful you are for each person in your life. Thank you all for your friendship and to my family for putting up with me.
I love you all! May you all know the height, width, depth and length of God’s love for you.
God bless,