Thanksgiving is rolling around, and in the spirit of the season and
keeping with a tradition we started last year, here is a list of things we are
especially thankful for this year.
- We mentioned this in a previous post, but it stands repeating: we love state and national parks.
- How about the President that started the concept of national parks? While certainly not a perfect man, I’ve always found Teddy Roosevelt’s example of hard work and fortitude inspiring, and he left us with some wonderful speeches and anecdotes I find myself thinking of often.
- Law enforcement officers. I certainly don’t mean to be political, but recent national events have really put in perspective what a dangerous and often thankless job they perform.
- The right to assemble, and the fact that in our country the vast majority of those assemblies occur peacefully.
- Our healthcare infrastructure. This could quite justifiably get some scoffs, and I could easily scoff at someone else typing the same thing, but the ebola epidemic has really put into contrast our healthcare system versus what our healthcare system could be. We wouldn’t complain about it if it wasn’t valuable.
- Well, this is getting very nationalistic, so let’s move to another genre: materialistic. I am thankful for the 42 inch flatscreen television we purchased this past year. That may come across as shallow, but purchasing anything you’re not thankful for is rather stupid.
- The semicolon. I am told that I structure my compounded sentences with an inordinate amount of this oft-neglected character; I believe it give my writing a distinctive flair.
- On the subject of punctuation, I learned this past year year that the comma between a noun and the word "and" when listing items is called an Oxford comma. I'm thankful that there is always new an interesting things to learn even in subjects like grammar. To show my feelings on the use of this punctuation,
- Microsoft Excel, the finest piece of software ever created by man.
- The 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs. I got so much enjoyment out of watching them turn basketball into high art.
- Bill Snyder football teams. They aren’t always (perhaps not even often) the most talented teams, but their dedication to doing things right always makes me proud.
- Well, let’s see; I suppose I should transition into some more serious items or our readers might begin to think that I’m just a materialist patriot who watches too many sports. I’ll start with my in-laws. I’m told that relations with the in-laws can be awkward, but that has not been my experience. I have two brothers-in-law who I can debate philosophy and politics with, a two year old niece who always makes me smile, and strong friendships with parents and aunts and uncles and their families. (3 alternating and’s in a sentence that is grammatically correct. I didn’t know that was possible).
- Of course, I am also extremely thankful for my immediate family. I have been the beneficiary of an extraordinary amount of love my entire life and that has molded me into the person I now am.
- Above all else, let us all give thanks to God for His gift of salvation through Jesus and for the council of the Holy Spirit.
