One year ago I was in Lakeshore, Mississippi, eagerly anticipating a phenomenal Thanksgiving meal shared with people from the community and volunteers from across the country.  The people of Lakeshore taught me a lot about thankfulness.  They are humble people who have survived losing basically everything except their lives.  And, like Job, even through adversity they continue to praise their Creator for His many blessings.

Many of us who have never lived through anything even remotely like Katrina often take many things for granted, and whine about inconsequential things.  My prayer for all of us this Thanksgiving is that each one will take time - maybe fifteen minutes or so, longer if possible - and enumerate all the things we are or should be grateful for.  List people by name.  List material and financial blessings.  List anything which evokes gratitude in your heart. Most importantly, include our Heavenly Father and His love for us.  Because all the other stuff is an outpouring of His blessings upon us.

I want to say I am grateful for all of you who have walked with me over this last year since my return from the South.  And what a year it's been!  I thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me through your words, your acts of kindness, your listening to me when I start freaking about school assignments, your shoulders to cry on when I get overwhelmed, and for your prayers.  I love all of you, and I thank God for each one of you.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful time with family and friends.