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I woke up to a clear, frosty Thanksgiving morning – which made this Thanksgiving whiter than last Christmas! It’s perfectly still outside, and perfectly peaceful inside thanks to Kelly’s [brilliant] insistence on getting everything done ahead of time. Our table is set, our contributions to the Thanksgiving meal are nearly all prepared, and we’re ready to celebrate our very first Thanksgiving in the “new” house.

Lately, I’ve been thinking of Thanksgiving a lot like I think of Valentine’s day: You shouldn’t need a special day to remind your Other that you love them – and we shouldn’t need a special day to be thankful for all the blessings we’re surrounded with. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to do some special things for Kelly on valentine’s day, and it won’t stop me from taking a few minutes out this Thanksgiving to think about what I’m thankful for…

And there are so many things to be thankful for. Of course, there are the basics: our warm and happy home, our families and friends, our jobs and the talents we’ve been blessed with. We certainly couldn’t forget the abundance that surrounds us – the fact that today, while we’re eating the turkey that we didn’t have to raise, kill and clean ourselves, there will be countless others who have never heard of Thanksgiving, and couldn’t even imagine the feast we’ll enjoy today. I’m thankful to live in a place, and be blessed with a life, in which such a celebration is possible.

God has blessed Kelly and I with ambition, abilities and dreams – and I’m thankful that those blessings combine to give us purpose while so many wander, directionless, through their lives. I’m thankful every day that He brought the two of us together, and gave us a wonderful marriage and a meaningful path to walk together.

This year, I don’t think there’ll be a “most of all, I’m thankful for” section. All of our blessings – even the smallest ones – deserve equal gratitude from us. So whatever good in your life you’re celebrating this year, Kelly and I wish you a warm and happy Thanksgiving.