[blockquote author=”Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cities”]It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.[/blockquote]
[I] think Charles Dickens had it right. This has been one crazy year. I’ve had some significate unexpected victories, but I have also shed more tears in prayer through hardship. As my pastor friend always says, “To reach new levels, you tackle new devils.” Thank the LORD we set aside one day a year, Thanksgiving, to pause the noise and reflect on what and why we are thankful. Happy Thanksgiving! Be Blessed! – Fred
25 Reasons I am Thankful this Crazy Year 2015
1. I Have Faith in God. Frankly, I have no idea how a human being on this planet functions without know the awesome Creator personally. Life without a relationship with God, is no life at all.
2. I Married Way Up the Food Chain. I married my best friend Karen. But more than that, I have someone to do life with. I can face my worst days or any battles knowing I don’t face anything alone. Karen is my muse, my life, my lover. I thank God for her more than any other blessing in my life.
3. The Back and Forth of the Blended Child Has Ended. For 17 years, I have been in a high conflict blended family situation which has been really hard on my daughter, Caitlyn. Every situation is different, but my daughter craves structure and stability. Caitlyn’s mother has agreed to a sabbatical in her life and wow what a difference it has made for Caitlyn! Wow, is the only word I can say. Wow, wow, wow!
4. The War of the Roses is Finally Over. I extended grace and forgave years of jail time and 45k of child support debt to my Ex, in exchange for 19 months of peace and stability. What an enormous weight to be lifted for Caitlyn, myself, Karen and my family. A wave of peace has settle on my household.
5. My Kids are the Center of My Life. I love my kids, I play with my kids. I’m surrounded by kids. I serve kids in my district. I really enjoy children, all children.
6. I Have These Friends. “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future,” holds a lot of truth. I have the best friends I could ever ask for in life.
7. My Family Supports Me. I eat lunch with my dad several times a month. My folks support me and my kids in their activities. I have a great working relationship with my parents. I feel loved by them.
8. I Have a HomeTeam. I have a group of Christian friends who meet and share life together regularly. Again, I don’t know how others survive without support teams around them.
9. I Have Fellowship Church. I am involved and serve in the best church in the world. Enough said!
10. I Serve My Community. I serve a public office that allows me to give back and volunteer in the community. I serve 24,000 kids in Hurst, Euless, Bedford ISD public school system. I am a school board trustee.
11. At Least 2500 People Believe in Me and Counting. I am an elected official and at least 2500 people like me and voted for me over another. I work to serve others.
12. My Kids Have Faith in God. My kids are choosing God. Life is a choice, a relationship with God is one of them. Nothing brings more joy to a parent’s heart than to watch their children figure out that life isn’t random, it is created by Designer that desires a relationship with us.
13. I Live in America. I’ve been around the world. As an American, I feel I have won the lotto. There is no other place in the world as great as America. I state this with good authority. We’re a blessed nation. I am an American!
14. I Have Purpose in Life. Dispute hardships, I believe I am here for a purpose. A purpose to make a difference and serve others. I have reason to get out of bed each day.
15. I Can Read. The power to read is a gift that opens doors. It must be shared with others and taught to our children. It is powerful.
16. I Can Pray in Public. I have the freedom to worship and pray as I please. I can pray in public.
17. I Got to Go to China. This year I got to stand on one of the Seven Wonders of the World–the Great Wall. I spent 11 days in China. It was life changing.
18. I Live in North Texas. I’ve travel the US. There is no place friendlier, exploding with opportunity, with a lower cost of living, no state tax, great weather–it’s call North Texas.
19. I Can Speak. I have the ability, without fear, to speak to audiences. With my voice. I can pursued change, influence, share, invoke humor, and verbalize effectively to motivate or instruct. I am a speaker.
20. I Have at Least One Skill. I can code.
21. I Look in the Mirror at My Boss Every Morning. A blessing and a curse, but for now, I am my own boss. Unless I am looking at my wife, Karen. She is THE BOSS!
22. I Have Hope for the Future. Even in the worst of times, I believe the future of mankind is improving. I believe in technology, I am hopeful for a better tomorrow. The world is getting better and will continue to do so. Love will win out.
23. I Own a Laptop. I can do anything and everything with a laptop. I can work anywhere. I can conduce business. I can change the world with a few pixel on a screen. I can build software, websites, and commerce. It is amazing.
24. I’m Ok with Failure, I Try. I try everything and fail often. The fear of failure keeps most from accomplishing greatness. I don’t know what is really possible unless I try. Success is repeated failure without quitting.
25. I Am Alive. Someone once said, “Any day above ground is a good day.” A day of life is a gift from God. How will you spend yours? Today, I am thankful. How about you?
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
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