The Ice Floe

I’ve had a hard time with thanksgiving lately. This is the second year in a row that I’ll be alone. I could have gone to the other coast to spend it with family, but I can’t afford it–both financially and in terms of vacation days. At least this time, I know what to expect. Tomorrow, I’ll go rent or buy a bunch of movies.  (Never turn the TV on if you are forced to spend the holiday alone, BTW—you can pretend it’s NOT thanksgiving so long as you don’t have TV telling you that you’re wrong.) Tonight I bought some chicken breasts, and I’m going to make a cranberry-chicken recipe that I found in a magazine while waiting to get my eyes examined.  I’ll also make cranberry-apple pie. That’s it. Good food, lots of movies, and mindless receipt processing. 

But, I like to think that thanksgiving is an experience not a day, so here are the things I am thankful for this week: 

* that I have a place to go for Christmas to look forward to. 

* that I have enough money to buy chicken and pie and movies. 

* that I have two very exciting opportunities ahead of me for the year–neither are sure things, but both are very likely. 

* that I have a pretty girl kitty and a goofy boy kitty who love me, and who are healthy. 

* that I joined a gym. that’s a weird thanksgiving, I know. I hate working out. But I’m grateful that when there’s something less than optimal about my health, I have enough resources to do something about it. 

* my computer and internet connection: my passport to the world outside my door. 

* camp 

* Diet Coke.

* music

* getting to go to Scotland last spring. 

* my family. 

* my friends. 

* young ministers that inspire me, and old ones that motivate me. A great cloud of witnesses that surrounds me. 

* you.