Our Stories
Thankful
By Aaron Soderlund | posted 11/25/2009
"With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord; and in the midst of many, I will praise Him." (Psalm 109:30)
My wife. My sons. My mom. My dad. My sister. Brother and sister-in-laws. My nephews and nieces. My aunts and uncles. My friends that live here. My friends far away. Jesus. Washington State University. The Washington State University Athletic Department. A roof over my head. A car to get around in. A job in a tough economy. The ability to afford gas when I need it. A bed to sleep on. A coffee-maker in my kitchen. A church family that cares for each other. The free country. Jesus. The ability to read my Bible in public. Baseball. Football. A television to watch them on. Shoes on my feet. Clothes on my back. Books to read. Schools to learn from. Especially the one in Pullman. No chronic health problems for me or my family. Extended family that live nearby. Jesus. Grandparents getting to meet my children before they died. Music. Laughter. Smiles on my children’s faces. Kleenex to wipe the boogers off their faces. Dick’s Drive-In. Running water in my house. Hot water whenever I want it. Jesus. Food in the refrigerator. The color crimson. Birthdays. The sun coming up each morning. The sun setting each night. Heating inside my house. The iPhone. Dave Niehaus. A radio to listen to him on. Beautiful green trees. Hills. Mountains. Valleys. Rivers. Lakes. The ocean. The sound of the ocean inside a seashell. The beauty of waves. Wind. Lightning. Jesus. Thunder. Rain. Sun. Snow. Especially snow. Snowballs. Sleds. Hot chocolate. Christmas. Easter. Groundhog’s Day (because it means my birthday was yesterday). Being able to send a letter across the country. Getting Christmas letters from friends around the country. Children. Babies. Jesus. Cows. Sheep. Meat. ATMs. Sunsets. Ferries. The San Juan Islands. My wife. My children. Jesus. Healthy family. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. A mind that is able to learn and remember. Smoke detectors. Firemen. Policemen. Santa. Being able to pray. Religious freedom. Not being persecuted for my faith or for writing this. Jesus. The cross. The manger. Bethlehem. Mary. Joseph. The Inn Keeper. Angels. Jesus. A dishwasher. A sink. Safety. Luxuries that I don’t even realize are luxuries. Pictures to remember events by. My wife. My children. My family. Jesus. My neighbors. Husky fans (because without them, I couldn’t be as passionate of a Cougar fan). Turkeys on Thanksgiving. But mostly the mashed potatoes. And Jesus.
There are SO MANY things to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. For me, it’s easier to remember the big things that I’m thankful for. However, it’s the little tiny every day things that I typically forget because I take them for granted. So while some of these things may seem small and trivial or materialistic, and some may seem bigger, these are all things that I’m thankful for. And in the middle of all of them... is Jesus. Without Jesus, these things mean nothing. I know that Thanksgiving is an American holiday and not one that Hallmark has deemed a "religious holiday". But I think the most important thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving is Jesus. And when you’re done being thankful for Jesus, be thankful for Him again. And after that time, be thankful for the Cougars. And then Jesus again. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I’m thankful for you. I’m thankful for Creekside. Jesus.
Aaron can be reached via email here.
