Thankful

Thanksgiving Day. There's much to be thankful for, regardless of external circumstances. Really.

A loving family. Supportive friends. God-fearing church.
Eyes to see. Ears to hear. Mouth to taste. Nose to smell. Hands to feel. Legs to walk.
A roof over my head. Food on the table. Money in the wallet. Clothes for the body.
Higher education. College education. Heck, ANY education.
Clean water. Hot water. Running water. Electricity. Heat.
A vision to pursue. A call to obey. A mission to fulfill.
Faith. Hope. Love. Grace. Mercy. Inspiration. Dreams. Goals.
Children frolicking without a care in the world. Friends and family tying the knot. Friends and family in love.
Hearty laughs. Deep talks. Powerful prayers. Good fellowship.
Timely convictions. Much needed rebukes. More needed encouragement.
A pat on the back. An arm around the shoulder.
And so much more.

As I write this, at least 101 are dead and hundreds more injured/missing in coordinated terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. As I write this, the economy is tanking with virtually no end in sight with the housing market continuing to slide, unemployment continuing to rise, stock market continuing to rise and fall. As I write this, terrorist insurgencies continue to hamper development of Afghanistan and Iraq. As I write this, malaria, tuberculosis, smallpox, and other curable diseases ravage sub-Saharan Africa with inaccessibility to cheap medicine. As I write this, AIDS is killing off an entire generation of Africans, leaving orphans to fend for themselves. As I write this, modern day pirates board ships as a multimillion dollar enterprise conducted by a lawless society in Somalia. As I write this, modern day slave traders traffick men, women, and children to become forced laborers and prostitutes in the developing world. As I write this, food prices continue to rise and bread riots continue to be a global threat. As I write this, genocide continues in Darfur with little international action being taken while words like "not on our watch" become meaningless. As I write this, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are locked away in concentration camps for life and millions more are starving while its leader gets fat off of choicest selection of food the world can offer, drives any one of his hundreds of exotic cars, drinks the most expensive liquor found on earth.

As I write this, I realize how ungrateful I've become. All the luxuries afforded to me by the grace of God I take for granted. But on this Thanksgiving Day, may I realize how blessed I am and how I am blessed to be a blessing to others.