50 Things I'm Thankful For

1. The new Malcolm Gladwell book. Listening to it on my Thanksgiving drive is possibly going to be the highlight of my day.
2. Running. I hate it. But it's good.
3. Journaling. It forces me to think.
4. Movies. I really like movies.
5. My friend Rachel. She let's me talk a lot, and acts interested.
6. My health. Don't you have to say that on a list like this?
7. The values I picked up from my family. Things like: Loving Jesus, the Church and books.
8. My boss Steve. He's really gone to bat for me.
9. My roommates.
10. The Elders at Journey. We eat together a lot.
11. Don McLaughlin. Amazing mentor back in Atlanta who poured a ton into me.
12. Other pre-San Antonio mentors, like Marvin Crowson, Gailyn Van Rheenan, Barry Alexander, Glenn Robb and Lee Cole.
13. This American Life. Ira Glass is a high point every week.
14. Podcasts. Seriously, I don't remember life before them.
15. Twitter. I like following you people!
16. Traditional and non-Traditional theories of Atonement. It's just great to think about everything God's done for us.
17. A new friend who's given me some much needed hope.
18. Counseling. I am a better person today because of it.
19. Journey Fellowship. It's more than a job or a church for me. It's a home.
20. The dozens of writers of the Bible. Their humanity makes it seem real.
21. The Democratic process.
22. Fall weather.
23. Electricity.
24. My friend Daniel. The guy can talk a lot, but he still knows how to listen.
25. James Holston. Better friend now than when we lived in the same city.
26. Comic Books. Mainly Batman.
27. The Dark Knight movie. Amazing.
28. The swing towards social justice in the church.
29. Bad things that have happened to me in the past. I'm better off now.
30. The growing nation-wide interest in church planting.
31. Refrigerators. I'd make a terrible hunter.
32. Indoor plumbing.
33. Cell phones. I plan to make good use of mine during my two 3 hour drives today.
34. Blogs. Though they are dying off, they made me take my writing public.
35. My Community Group. They have been the people I fall back on, every week.
36. Abraham Lincoln.
37. Our big L-shaped couch. It's what makes our living room.
38. Falling gas prices.
39. My Uncle's desire to have, and fund, a big family Thanksgiving.
40. Being born in America. It's makes me one of the richest people in the world.
41. My Church of Christ heritage. Yeah, there's baggage, but I can harmonize like nobody's business.
42. Scented candles. Because a house full of dudes can smell.
43. The deer that live all around our apartment. They make this place seem wild.
44. Jared Eckman. He fixed my car for free.
45. Kevin Nations. He makes cool movies, and will hopefully make more!
46. The guys in Witness and Castle Rock. They were the first real friends I ever had. Wish I was with you today!
47. Being single. Yeah, it sucks most the time. But can you imagine me dragging a wife through the crap I've gone through the last 5 years?
48. Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Arminius, Wesley, Campbell, John Paul, and the other great leaders that have paved the road for the church to be what it is today.
49. YOU!
50. Thanksgiving Day.