Tried & True

Lots of people do it on their blog pages. When they're in the funk, they take some time and list what they're thankful for. So, here goes:

...so great a salvation.
...the fact that the coolest girl I ever knew said "I do" and well, is still around. Lesser women would've been long gone. She still makes me smile inwardly just by walking into a room...and I think that's a good thing.
...two daughters who are interesting people I'd probably choose to hang out with even if I wasn't related to them. And the fact that thus far, they've made my job terribly easy.
...Lloyd, who, against all odds and my distinct predisposition to dislike what he stood for (a...ahem...change of the guard in our household from late-in-life Buford, The Greatest of All Dogs), rose to "great dog" status.
...a church family that still seems to want me around, warts and all, after all this time.
...the incredible friendships that nearly two decades of student ministry can bring about, and the possibility of doing the same thing with grownups in the next two decades of life.
...good relationships with my in-laws. They may not have understood the stuff going on in our lives & my work, but they always supported the stuff going on in our lives & my work. It's my understanding that many folks have a decidedly different experience.
...my brother-in-law Shane, who seems to have wrangled true happiness in my sister, Jilly, who I'm also thankful that we have the kind of relationship most people just look at and wonder how something so cool happened with their sibling.
...my sister-in-law Jodie, who, even though we're markedly different in some areas, we're discovering how similar we are in others an awful lot lately--which leads to an awful lot of laughing.
...the neices & nephews. Margaux, who has recently gotten extensive P.R. here at The Diner lately, who has been able to cause me to be quite smitten and I've only seen her digitally at present (so I can't imagine what actually holding her will do). Peyton, who recently ran a reverse in his middle school football game, picking up a first-down. And Katelyn, my partner in crime & comedy.
...parents who loved me. Enough said.
...a home in Flower Mound that has central air, a dishwasher and a fireplace. Tracy and I never thought we'd ever have those things--our first home certainly didn't.
...our new teaching pastor.
...our "old" (and by that I mean by comparison to the new guy) pastors--who've shown so much to our congregation publicly, many in that group have no idea that they've shown so much more integrity privately.
...Dr. Suess, Sesame Street, & Legos.
...my relatively crime-free existence. It's nice to not really worry about that...and Tracy and I used to have to worry about that early in our marriage.
...great opportunities I can give my kids and also giving them thought processes and realizations that living in a big city can give.
...the good old U.S. of A. Listening to that crack-pot Iranian leader yesterday got me all "love it or leave it, holmes." But I love that he can say that stuff and all the ideals we're founded on make this a pretty cool place all-in-all. Even if politicians try to wreck them at almost every turn.
...positive high school and university experiences. Watching others who didn't have those struggle even in mid-life makes me realize the value of that.
...that every day for me is "casual Friday." Even more descriptive would be "Jeans & T-shirt Day."
...a love of reading & learning that, even if it didn't pop up until my junior year at university (I manipulated systems until that time) I'm glad it came around.
...that somehow, we graduated from grad school debt-free, and even to this day we can't make the numbers add up.
...a good wine with dinner, even if others have to tell me that it's a good wine with dinner.

...and, you know, I'm not really a complicated guy. I love my God. My family & friends. And I guess I don't have a lot of "stuff" I'm thankful for...

...which makes me thankful.