I'm so rich!

No, I'm not flying around in my own private jet and I don't have millions in the bank. But, like George Bailey in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, I sometimes feel like the richest woman in town.
Coming off Thanksgiving, it's hard not to feel rich. This time of year turns our focus in the directions of our blessings. Yes, Gerhardt and I have possessions and enjoy them. Yes, we both are gainfully employed. But the biggest blessings of all that I'm counting are  - you guessed it - all those non-material things. Here's what I'm most grateful for:
Family, the ones who, growing up, build your character (you know, teach you how to share whether you want to or not, teach you patience, teach you to not take forever in the bathroom cuz someone else wants to use it.) Hopefully, for most of you reading this, you enjoy the blessing of a family that gets along. I sure do. I have a fabulous family! (By the way, if you don't have that kind of super family, I hope this year you can build yourself one. Find some cool grandparent or parent figures and adopt 'em!)
Then there are friends. Our family builds our character. The friends we chose reveal it. Come to think of it, maybe they also help build it. I am so thankful for my friends who are both fun and loyal. And who are not afraid to tell me, "Yes, that does make your butt look big."
And how about health? Oh, my, is it easy to take it for granted... until you don't have it. I am so immensely thankful that I've reached the five year mark of being cancer free. Woohoo!
If I lost family, friends, all my possessions and even my health, I'd still have something to be thankful for, and that's the fact that God loves me. We've finished Thanksgiving and now we're headed for Christmas, the biggest birthday party of them all. I'm going to go into that season with gratitude.
And I hope I'll go into the New Year with the same attitude. Blessings are blessings, whether big or small!
Happy Thanksgiving.