My salvation, which was freely given by a God who knows how imperfect I am and still wanted me with Him.

My husband, who works harder than anyone I know. He treats company resources as if they were his own. He is concerned about his employees and his family.

My children. My son is safely out of the Marines and establishing his own life. I am thankful that he did not have to go to Iraq, and I am thankful to know that his country means enough to him that he would have. My daughter works hard and is getting her life together after a bad marriage. About this time last year, her dad and I were worried about her mental health. Things are better.

I am thankful for my daughter-in-law, who is not the stereotypical daughter-in-law. There is an old saying,"A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter's a daughter all of her life." My daughter-in-law has called me for advice and trusts me to take care of her sons. We have had words, but I think that she hasn't said anything about me to others that she hasn't said to me. And I am thankful that she loves my son.

RJ. I didn't think it was possible to forget the wondrous discoveries of toddlerhood, but I am having a blast seeing them again through his eyes. The other day he was talking to me on the phone and wanted to know if I was in there. How can you not be thankful for a boy who runs to you, arms outstretched, saying, "Hold me, Grandma."?

Tony, who is as good-natured a baby as I have ever seen. I am thankful that he made it here safely, that he is hitting milestones at a really fast rate, and that God allowed me the privilege of holding him and attending his baptism.

My dad, who will be eighty next month. He's not perfect, but he loves me and he loves the Lord.

My little sister, who finally got to get away without her kids for her 20th anniversary. She cares enough to call me, and she never forgets a birthday.

And while we are on birthdays, I am thankful for the mother I had who never forgot mine, who called me every birthday as an adult and sang to me, a tradition my sister struggles to uphold. My mom was one of the most gentle people I have ever met and a model of what a Christian woman should be.

My niece, Lillie. She cares enough to come to family events, which has not always been the case with her family. She is trying to live out her Christianity, and she too works hard. At eighteen, she has two years of college behind her. She cares enough about her mother to hang around and check on her.

I am thankful for how God works through doctors and medicines to sometimes make our lives better. I would rather not have RA, but since I do, I am thankful to have found a doctor who listens to me and has found a combination of medicines that make me feel, if not like my old self, a whole lot better than I did.

I am thankful for my job teaching visually impaired students, although I wasn't always. Dealing with the handicapped has given me new insight into humanity and a gentleness that I do not think I possessed before.

My dishwasher. I didn't have one until I had been married for more than twenty years. I was shy about using it at first, but I'm not now!

This blog. I have a venting outlet, and it is always there for me. I am a nicer person when I write.

This country, which I think is the most free in the world; the people who fight for it; my church; my friends; and my life.

Lord willing, I will use it wisely.

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