Hello World!
Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!! As you know, tomorrow is the day that we Americans have set aside to give thanks for our many blessings!!!
“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; Give thanks to Him and praise His name!”
Psalm 100: 4-5
My dad, Dr. Holness, preached on Psalm 100 on Sunday. (Yes dad, I was listening! 🙂 ) I don’t know about you but I am prone to having pity parties every now and then. Usually these parties are prompted by my comparing my insides to someone else’s outsides – it never works! But what does work – what helps me regain my equilibrium – is writing a gratitude list! So in this post, I will simply list 101 things I’m thankful for this year. Why 101? Why not? 🙂 …101 just sounds better than 100 to me anyway.
1. For my Lord and Savior, who is none other than Jesus Christ – my best friend. If you see my mouth moving in car, sometimes I am singing along with a song and sometimes, I am talking with Him!
2. For my Mom and Dad. They have taught me to be a person of character even when it is unpopular. (I am trying to be as service-oriented as they are, but I’ve got a ways to go.)
3. For my brothers D and D. They have brought a lot of joy and pain to my life..as Frankie Beverly so sweetly croons, they are “one in the same.”
4. For my niece and nephew. My 7-year-old nephew’s mischievousness is both maddening and hilarious at the same time! My baby niece is just learning to walk. The wonder of it…
5. My church in the SWATS. I’ve been attending there since I was 6 years old, and I always feel safe when I walk in it’s doors.
6. My church family. You’ve watched me grow up and you still love me!
7. My girl J, who freely opened up her home in North Carolina to me.
8. My health. According to my doctor, the only thing wrong with me, at least physically, is that I have low iron. That’s a blessing for sure!
9. All my girls (you know who you are) who help me navigate this single life.
10. My job! No more needs to be said!
11. My Bible Study class led by our fearless and mouthy Bible warrior!
12. My blog. I love it!
13. My girl Tess, who designed this blog.
14. The cruise I went on in October! Wish I were in the islands now…it’s so cold!!!
15. Turning 35…I still look good!
16. For my home. I can afford it!
17. For my car. I can afford it!
18. For my spiritual community. Y’all have taught me more than I can say…
19. For Barack and Michelle…
20. For this year’s election process, it was heady in every way…I think I have a crush on Anderson Cooper!
21. Black talk radio – it gets me through the day!
22. My cherry red locks…I think they are pretty.
23. All of my extended family, particularly my aunt, who I run with from time to time 🙂
25. The Internet – You are never far from me 🙂
26. RH, my friend who came in at the last minute and designed my church’s Homecoming Service magazine, to my mother’s delight! You saved us!
27. For Beyonce and Jay-Z, who show me that being “equally yoked” is entirely possible. Can y’all say, “mo money, mo money mo money?”
28. For QT – love those taquitos!
29. For U, who doesn’t mind crying with me every now then! Love you girl
30. For my freelance writing opportunities…
31. Books. I couldn’t live without them.
32. My mechanic- See my post on Joe, the mechanic!
33. My girl Renee’s wedding – Your were lovely in your wedding dress! And I hope I get a ring like yours one day. Ballin’!!!
34. “The Young and the Restless.” One of my favorite shows since I was six years old!
35. My girl C, who doesn’t think I’m weird when I tell her about my spiritual dreams and nudgings…
36. My neighbor’s little son who says, “Hello Miss Jackie,” when I get home from work nearly every day at least when it’s warm outside. At least someone is glad to see me come home…
37. My laugh. Thankfully, God has gifted me with the ability to find humor in most things!
38. The A, shawty. For all of its ups and downs, it is still my city!
39. Idris Elba. How fine is he?
40. Chastain Park – Jill Scott turned it out there this summer.
41. My mentor, Ms. B. Your relationship with God is inspiring!
42. For A aka SD, I didn’t feel so alone the other day because of you! You are a true friend!
43. For all the support I have received on this blog. Y’all encourage me to keep expressing myself!
44. My classes at L.A. Fitness. I feel like I’m a video dancer when I’m teaching. No matter what anyone says it is a not-so-secret dream of mine to be a dancer in a video. Am I the only one that LOVES the video for “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)?”
45. My bank account…touch (go head and touch the computer screen) and agree with me that it will get bigger in 2009, but of course, I’m thankful for how God has already blessed me because y’all know in this economy, it could be much worse!
46. Candles…they make me feel like I’m having a romantic evening when I am dating no one 🙁
47. My other mentor, also a Ms. B, who is the real “straight talk express!”
48. My journals…you lead me back to my best self and remind me of how God really does love me…
49. Romance – although you have left my life at the moment, I sense that you will be back in 2009!
50. Life itself – ever an adventure…
Yeah, I know I’ve only reached 50, but I can’t write anymore…
What are you thankful for?
Any thoughts!
Wonderful entry! So often we focus on what we don’t have – new house, new car, husband, etc., but if we focus instead on what we do have and are thankful for it, God will bring the other things into our lives in His time.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
D.J.
You too D.J.!!! And thanks for your consistent support of my blog! It means sooo much:) I’m thankful for U 2!