Take them NOT for granted

This may be a little lengthy, but I wanted to share it.

In church last night we had a Thanksgiving eve service of sorts. It was very poignant for me as Pastor Kerry led us in a responsive reading, listening to several songs of thanks and prayers of thankfulness.

During one of the songs he asked us to list, just privately, the things we would not want to take for granted. Here is my list. After the first 3 or 4 that all began with the letter F, I continued with the theme and this is the result.

Things I Don’t Want to Take for Granted

Family: Family is a gift. Family is a treasure. Family is precious. No matter where we go in life we can never change the family we were brought into the world in, or replace them entirely.

Family Extended: Family extended includes my two beautiful and precious daughters in law, and my three precious granddaughters. Without them now I would be very incomplete.

Friends: Precious to me as well are my friends. It has been said there are friends who come into our lives to bring joy for a season and then move on. And there are friends who come into our lives to remain until the end. Both are sweet to me.

Fellowship: Fellowship not only with those of my social and spiritual status, but those of other cultures and ethnicity whose lives I can’t even begin to understand.

Faith: Faith has been the surest anchor of my entire life. It has seen me through good times and not so good times. And now in my latter years it has become the passion of my life.

Fatherhood: Through the process of watching Georgiann carry my three children to birth, through their birth, through their young years and now into their adult years, I have been blessed by being a father to the three of them.

Fine Food: From burgers to filets, from crayfish to lobster, from snickers to fudge royal cheesecake I am thankful for fine food. Fine food does not, however, include liver or injera bread.
Fun times: Vacations at Cape May and Williamsburg. Weddings in Bemus and Annapolis. Walks in the woods. Bike rides. Football at the Talbots. Sledding in the I-77 exit ramp ditch and ice skating on Back River.

Finances: Those times when we had enough money to do what we wanted, both times. Those times, all the rest, when we didn’t have enough to pay attention.

Finality of Life: Knowing I will not be here for ever. Knowing that this life is not all there is. Knowing that my end is closer than it has ever been and not being unhappy or afraid.

Future Home: Going to a place of no pain, no fear, no parting, no sadness. And staying there forever.

All of these things I do not want to take for granted.

Thanksgiving 2008.