Sydney - happy thanksgiving

As incongrous as it may seem - for someone who does not celebrate Thanksgiving with any sort of regularly, I'm being bombarded with "Happy Thanksgiving" wishes, reminders of thankfulness and holiday recipes.

Thanksgiving is a holiday which I don't celebrate when I'm living in Australia. Did it while in the US.

Still, it's a good time to just take a few minutes to count our blessings, as the first pilgrims did.

Isn't that a wonderful scene? It's a picture from the Smithsonian website talking about Thanksgiving.

I posted a note a few days ago on my Facebook page, listing all the things that I'm thankful for. Since today is actually Thanksgiving, I thought I'd re-post it here. Mostly, it was an excuse for a post so that I could use that lovely painting above.

Here's what I said:

It’s coming onto November 25th 2010 which is the American holiday for Thanksgiving.

Not a holiday we celebrate as much here is Australia but one of Steve’s favourite holidays because it always falls just the day before, on or after his birthday. This year it’s the day before his birthday.

I’m going to take this opportunity to list some things that I am thankful for.

1.       I am thankful for my wonderful husband, who continues to love me unconditionally and is willing to support me in whatever I choose to do and whomever I choose to be. You’re one in a million, darling, and I love you.

2.       I am thankful that yet another year has passed and we remain in Australia and more importantly in Sydney. Steve has moved onto his next role and Praise God! it is in Sydney. We had thought there was a possibility of yet another move – Melbourne or the UK, based on his opportunities, but fortunately we are in Sydney for at least the next 18 months.

3.       I am thankful for all the friends who have remained friends upon our return from Qatar and for the new friends we have made. Thank you for being in our lives, for making it richer and for all the wonderful moments we share together. You are all greatly appreciated, each and every one of you. You know who you are!

4.       I am thankful for my family who all continue to be healthy and thriving. This year added a wonderful bonus, my gorgeous nephew, Jenson, who is just a delight. I thank God for the fact that we continue to be a close family and we continue to share in each other’s lives.

5.       I am thankful for my health. There was a long period this year when I was very unwell and not only am I thankful for getting better but also thankful that I could take the time and the opportunity to improve. A big thank you to my darling husband for supporting this endeavour and also for all my health care providers (including the Nazi) who helped along the way. The health is much improved though there is a ways to go yet.

6.       I am thankful of not working right now. You cannot imagine how thankful I am for that, especially when I was really ill earlier this year. I am thankful that we can afford for me to not work for a little while though I don’t expect it to last indefinitely. If not for being able to take the time off, I don’t think I could be thankful for #5 above.

7.       Last but certainly not least, I am thankful to my ever-loving, ever-present, ever-gracious God. His grace and his mercy sustain me. His love encompasses me. His providence supports me. My life would be so much poorer if not for You.

There are of course, lots of other things that I am thankful for that are more of life’s everyday (and simple) pleasures like:

• That wonderful glass of wine – a bottle which Steve has just opened
• The authors and their wonderful books that enrich my life whom I have gotten to know through blogs, Facebooks, etc.
• That wonderful device called a Kindle that keeps me in reading
• Amazon.com for actually selling books that I want to read (believe it or not, there are times when it is actually frustrating to find a book I want to read and then not be able to buy it for whatever reason) and books are an important part of my life
• The PC that continues to work (and will continue to do with the recent upgrade)
• That amazing Decaffeinato Lungo from Nespresso which was the reason for a previous note rambling about my love affair for it
• An incredible hairdresser who knows exactly how to do my hair just the way I like it (see I told you some of it was everyday)
• For now – this wonderful apartment that we are living in, which will give us the opportunity to host a New Year’s Eve party and be able to watch the fireworks off the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House
• The beautiful music that very talented artists make so that people like me can enjoy them