My Attitude of Gratitude

We had a family night activity not long ago talking about being grateful and counting our blessings. We wrote blessings on paper turkey feather and attached them to a turkey picture as we counted each blessing one by one. By the time the acitvity was over, that turkey looked more like a peacock. This is the perfect month to remember how blessed I am, so I am going to post my "attitudes of gratitude" this month to acknowlege how many blessings I enjoy.

Tuesday was Veteran's Day. I would be totally remiss if I did not offer my thanks to all those wonderful men and women, and their families, who served our country and who now continue to serve the cause of freedom in many divers places. Regardless of your political beliefs, our soldiers and sailors throughout the world deserve our vote of confidence and our thanks for being there. Their families deserve our thanks and our honor for all their sacrifices.

Many of our friends know that my brother Wade serves in the Navy. I have watched that service shape him from the boy I knew into the man I can see him becoming more and more each day. I am truly proud of him. This is what I wrote him earlier today. I'd like to share it so the whole world knows how grateful I am for the sacrifice that he puts forth, as he now stands as a representative of all those heroes before him. I am grateful to them for giving me the freedom I have to exercise my voice, vote, faith and beliefs.

Wade, I wanted you to know a few things.
I wanted to thank you for your service to our country.
I wanted to tell you that I have your picture in a place of honor in my home so that I can see your face each day and so I can teach my children about how brave you are.
I wanted to thank you for taking these years of your life and giving your time and service to this great nation.
I wanted to thank you for being brave enough to be the watchman on the tower and to answer the call of duty.
I wanted to thank you for standing up and being counted and for doing what I could never do.
I wanted to thank you for being braver than I am.
I wanted to thank you for saying that you would go where no one else wants to go, that you would represent America and show the rest of the world how good she is, and how good of a man you have become.

I wanted to tell you that I am so very proud of you for being where you are, and that you are an inspiration to me. I watch profiles of military families on the news and it touches me deeply because of your example to me. The plight of the military service men and women are near and dear to me because I know that every man and woman serving this country is someone's mother or father, son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, friend.

Sometimes I miss you so much my teeth hurt.
Sometimes I lie awake and fear for you and what situation you may find yourself in out there.

You are always in my prayers.
I pray that you are safe.
I pray that God walks with you where ever you go.
I pray that you will come home safe and whole.
I pray that you can feel me hugging you from miles away like I am now.

You are always in my heart.
You are always loved by me.

Thank you.
Thank you for your choice to be a part of something larger that yourself.
Thank you for your sacrifices.
And thank you for being not only my brother, but also my friend.
I love you.

Sarah

Blessings: freedom, family, faith, love.