HAVING JUST PASSED THANKSGIVING, I CAME ACROSS A SAYING ON PINTEREST THAT REALLY BLEW ME AWAY. "WHAT IF YOU WOKE UP TOMORROW WITH ONLY THE THINGS THAT YOU GAVE THANKS FOR TODAY?" THINK ABOUT THAT! ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED COULD BE GONE IS A BLINK OF AN EYE. WHAT COULD YOU DO WITHOUT?

I REALLY HAD TO GIVE THIS SOME SOLID THOUGHT. I AM THANKFUL FOR SOME OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS, A PLACE TO LIVE, FOOD TO EAT, CLOTHES TO KEEP ME COVERED, HEAT AND AIR (SINCE I CAN'T CONTROL MY BODY TEMPERATURE), A JOB FOR MY HUSBAND, THE ABILITY TO MAKE DO WITH LITTLE, THE ABILITY TO COOK WELL SINCE NO ONE TAUGHT ME. ELECTRICITY WOULD BE ESSENTIAL FOR THE HEAT AND AIR BUT COULD YOU LIVE WITHOUT IT? THE REST OF IT IS NOT REALLY ESSENTIAL.

I DON'T NEED TV, 18 DIFFERENT KITCHEN APPLIANCES, A BLU-RAY DVD PLAYER OR THE VCR. A RADIO WOULD BE NICE BUT NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. ELECTRICITY WOULD BE NICE BUT CAN YOU SURVIVE WITHOUT IT? I DID WHEN I HAD TO LIVE IN MY CAR FOR THREE MONTHS, IN THE WINTER, IN WISCONSIN. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED WHAT YOU CAN DO WITHOUT.

WHAT ABOUT WATER? THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR BOTH COOKING AND CLEANING - BOTH YOUR OWN BODY AND WHATEVER YOU COOK WITH AND WHATEVER YOU WEAR AND EAT. IF IT IS HOME GROWN, IT STILL NEEDS TO BE WASHED OFF BEFORE YOU EAT IT. AND WHAT ABOUT THAT? DO YOU HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GROW YOUR OWN FOOD F YOU HAD TO? COULD YOU TRADE FOOD FOR A SERVICE THAT YOU CAN PERFORM FOR SOMEONE?

WE ARE A VERY, VERY SPOILED SOCIETY. MOST OF US COULD NOT SURVIVE IF WE HAD TO GO BACK TO PRIMITIVE TIMES. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS THAT I CANNOT DO WITHOUT? I THANK GOD EVERY NIGHT NOW, FOR THE GIFTS HE HAS INSTILLED IN OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAKE MY LIFE MORE ENJOYABLE. I THANK HIM FOR THE AUTHORS, THE ENTERTAINERS THAT CAN SING AND DANCE; THE ARTISTS AND GIFTED CRAFTSMEN. THEM I CANNOT DO WITHOUT.

BUT MORE THAN ALL OF THESE, I THANK GOD THAT I LIVE IN A COUNTRY THAT STILL ALLOWS ME TO WORSHIP FREELY, THE GOD OF MY CHOICE. IF YOU ARE NOT A BELIEVER, THIS BLOG WILL MEAN NOTHING TO YOU. BUT I BELIEVE THAT GOD CONTROLS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THIS UNIVERSE. WHAT HE ALLOWS IS ANOTHER THING ALTOGETHER. BUT HOW LONG WILL HE LET MAN DESTROY HIS EARTH, LET US KILL EACH OTHER, AND LET US WASTE SO VERY, VERY MUCH? MAYBE WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT JUST WHAT WE ARE REALLY THANKFUL FOR AND WHERE IT ALL CAME FROM.

ERIN