Happy Thanksgiving

When I woke up this morning I was so sick and out of it, I felt something like a Thanksgiving Scrooge, bah humbug... I quickly checked my attitude at the keyboard as I logged into Twitter and FaceBook to see all my friends posting how thankful and grateful they were for various things in their lives... So I thought, what am I MOST thankful for and why?
I am MOST thankful for God sending his Holy and perfect son Jesus Christ to live on earth as a man to be an example of how WE should live our lives, allowing Him to be a ransom for the forgiveness of OUR sins, and allowing Him to conquer hell and the grave by raising Him 3 days later to sit at His right hand so that His Spirit may reside in ME to lead me and guide me in the ways of righteousness... Out of all the the love I've experienced in this world, that has to be the greatest!
I am thankful for the breath of life God allowed for me to breathe this morning and fully realize that the ONLY reason I am able to rise and breathe is because it is for HIS glory. It is in His plan for my life to continue to be a Godly example and fulfill His will and the purpose he has for my life...
I am thankful the unconditional love that flows through my family and that as we live and grow together we gain a better understanding of each other and who we are in Christ.
I am thankful for the numerous connections I've made in my life... whether they be for a reason, season, or lifetime...
I am thankful for every experience, test, trial, and victory... they teach me to talk to God, trust in God, lean on God, depend on God, believe in God, and mostly, to continue to grow in God and deepen my relationship with Him...
However, In everything we are supposed to give thanks... everyday!! So these are things I am thankful for everyday, not just on today!! So today, on this Thanksgiving, instead of focusing on all that I have received, I shall focus on what I can GIVE! Not in a material sense, but in an encouraging inspirational way... So my next question is what can i give you??
I can be kind and help a person when I see they have a need...
I can be gentle and sensitive towards ones emotions...
I can share my wisdom and experiences to help someone going through the same issues that I have successfully conquered...
I can hold my Peace and not get all puffed up about the minor things in life and give a living example of grace and mercy...
I can give Patience when people get all puffed up with me and let the Peace of a Holy God residing on the inside of me to prevail...
I can give Unconditional Love and love a person for the person God called them to be regardless of their situation, their actions, and if its reciprocated...
I can demonstrate self-control when faced with temptations so that I don't kill my witness, knowing that for some people I AM the bible that they read...
When I have the power to tear someone down and have every right to do so I will operate in Meekness and show them the love of a Holy God...
When I glance back over the last few years of my life, I'm looking to see how I have grown. Has MY tree of life beared any fruit or harvest? My pastor said "YOU CAN'T LOVE GOD AND NOT GROW!" That is really deep when you sit and think about it... So as I sit and think, YES, I see growth, I see fruit, and I see a harvest... I have grown, I have matured, after 8 years of no conception for no apparent reason, God blessed us with not 1 but 2 pregnancies, God blessed us with a house, and HE has stabilized our jobs and schedules to maintain our family dynamics, just to name a few things...
The things that I am thankful for and the things I have to give reflect who I am in Christ and the relationship I have with HIM! No, I'm not rockin a 4 carat ring, I don't live in a big fancy house, I'm not rollin the flyest whip for 2010, I'm not rich, and I don't wear the latest trends because I don't identify with materialistic things! They have nothing to do with a Holy God...
I am who I am... a child of God... Thankful for my life...
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours =)