Thirty Days of Thanks

Even before Laura made her appearance 0n Thanksgiving Day, it was one of my favorite holidays. I love the family-orientation of the day, the spirituality of thanking God for all of the blessings I enjoy, and of course leftover turkey and pumpkin pie.

I am participating in Thirty Days of Thanks on Facebook. I did so last year as well, and looked forward to coming up with something new for each day. This year I plan to add a photograph to accompany my thought for each day.

I hope to come up with mostly new gratitude items, so I am listing last November’s posts here to refresh my memory.

1 – I am thankful for my family – a loving husband, Phil Hartman, and three wonderful and fascinating children: Hanna Faith Ogawa Hartman, Laura Beth Hartman and Joseph Hartman. (I suppose I could have listed each person on a separate date, but I’m afraid November does not have enough days for everything I am thankful for.)

2 – I am thankful for our superhero pets, Epileptic Dog and Psychotic Cat.

3 – I am thankful for a lovely home in a nice neighborhood with good neighbors.

4 – I am thankful for my church family that values and supports Christian education and provides a vibrant youth program.

5 – I am thankful for opportunities to travel. This week’s web log: Part I of a series on our trip to Vietnam.

6 – I am thankful, so very thankful, so very extremely thankful, that it is Election Day in the United States. Not only is the secret ballot a cornerstone of our democratic republic, but the robo calls will stop as well. Be sure to vote today if you are eligible and able!

7 – I am thankful for my HFS and AN friends who have provided invaluable support and encouragement over the past 4.5 years. I can’t list everyone, but you know who you are. Thanks and God bless.

8 – I am thankful for the beautiful autumn weather we are having here. I am keeping my friends and others on the east coast who aren’t so fortunate in my prayers.

9 – I am thankful for the excellent educational opportunities we have been able to provide for our children. Trinity Lutheran School, Helias High School, Jefferson City Public Schools, and Truman State University have all been blessings to us.

Jefferson City has so many excellent options. Calvary Lutheran High School and Lighthouse Preparatory Academy are also top-notch schools and there is a strong home school association.

I also neglected to mention all of the dual credit through Lincoln University. SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

In the interest of full disclosure, thanks for St. Louis Downtown Children’s Center, Jefferson City Day Care Center, JCPS Preschool and Presbyterian Preschool as well.

10 – I am thankful that my super tall and skinny boy finally fits (at least for the present) in an off-the-shelf size. I am further thankful that Orscheln had jeans on sale this week for $11.99. How often does that happen?

11 – I am thankful for service and sacrifice of the United States armed forces: past, present and future.

12 – I am thankful to have never experienced real hunger. A post for fellow foodies this week – Vietnamese cuisine.

13 – I am grateful for my publisher and editor. I am further thankful that after five years, my Arch Book story is still featured in the CPH Christmas catalog.

14 – I am thankful that my adult siblings and I get along so well. I know that is not the case in all families.

15 – I am thankful for the public library. Also that Missouri has such a great interlibrary loan system, MOBIUS.

16 – I am very thankful this morning that I was able to nurse our pathetic puppy dog through a bout of gastric distress without a three-digit visit to the veterinarian.

17 – I follow a number of heartbreaking stories on Caring Bridge. I keep each one of them in my thoughts and prayers. I am thankful that my children are healthy and happy.

18 – I am thankful for the flame of a vivid sunset, the flamboyant tint of the flamingo, the blush of a rosebud and every shade in between. I am thankful for slobbery dog kisses and baby cheeks and handmade knit hats and all of the other little things that make pink my favorite color.

19 – I am thankful for eighteen years of wedded bliss. Happy Anniversary, Phil!

20 – I ♥ GIRLS BBALL! Today (although sorely disappointed to miss tonight’s season opener for the Helias Lady Crusaders) I am thankful that basketball season is underway. Having endured my share of frigid soccer matches and sweltering tee ball games, I am thankful that basketball is an indoor sport.

I am exceptionally grateful to Laura’s coaches for their dedication and sacrifices – Rodney Hart, Mark Murphy, Brent Fischer, Debbie Mo Rosslan, Thayne Barton, Alan Lepper, Sarah Kempker, Grant Berendt and Doug Light.

I am thankful for TLS Little Tigers Camp, Faith Lutheran and YMCA basketball leagues, Helias, Jefferson City High School, Mizzou and Jason Otter basketball camps, the Jefferson City PAL League, LSAM State Tournament and LBAA Lutheran National Tournament.

I wish successful and injury-free seasons for all of the former TLS Lady Tigers who still pound the court: Madison and the Lady Jays, Shelby and the Lady Wildcats, Kara and the Lady Lions and especially Laura and the Lady Crusaders.

21 – Two things today: first, i am thankful that the Lady Crusaders opened their season with wins for both junior varsity and varsity. Congratulations! Second, I am thankful that the steroid shot to my foot is working as advertised. Lots on the to-do list today. Wishing everyone a wonderful blessed day.

22 – “Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
(Revelation 7:12)

23 – I am thankful that Laura Beth Hartman joined our family seventeen years ago today, our very own Thanksgiving baby. Hanna had asked for a little brother but had to wait almost two more years for Joseph to show up.

24 – Here in the post-Thanksgiving weekend, I am grateful for appliances: for refrigerator, stove, roasters, washing machine, and especially dishwasher. They certainly facilitate living, much less feasting.

25 – I am thankful for technology. Old technology, like a radio to listen to the station championship football game even if one can’t attend. New technology, like the internet, which pretty much allows one to visit anywhere in the world without leaving home.

26 – I am thankful for digital photography. I remember limiting the number of photos I took with a film camera because film and processing were so expensive, and probably missed a lot of great shots. With a digital camera I can take as many photos as I would like, keep the best ones and delete the rest.

27 – As the weather progresses toward wintry, I am thankful for warmth – for furnaces, space heaters and wood-burning stoves; for down comforters, wool socks and flannel lined jeans; for heated leather car seats.

28 – I am thankful for the police and fire departments.

29- I am thankful for art and music and literature and poetry and humor and the entire spectrum of ways that human imagination and vision enrich our lives.

30 – On this final day of November thankfulness, I am grateful to God for all He provides, summed up nicely in Martin Luther”s explanation of the first article of the Apostle’s Creed: I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.