Christmas Song of Thanks

What a gloriously amazing year! The tunnel has curved from blackness into a luminous sunshine color land. Peace comes down like rain... only it's not the kind of water that makes one shiver. The best news about this year is that all of the wasteful progressions of bitter opinions are as far back removed as preschool memories. Speaking of which my Dad reminded me of the best southern birthday party I ever had, just this past night.

I was turning three years young and they invited my applesauce, finger painting cronies to our 400 square foot deck in the forests of North Carolina. We had us a gutter cream sunday extravaganza. Imagine a 20 foot rain gutter filled with 20 feet worth of neapolitan ice cream then topped with bananas, hot fudge, cherries, sprinkles, and enough caramel to make 300 lattes. At age 3 hands down and belly's up 1987 was the best birthday party I've ever had! (However, the Trev and Kev slip and slide summer birthday of 2001 was a close second). I don't understand it but Christmas somehow brings out these kind of memories. Thank you Jesus for being born and for giving Mark Carrier the idea of inventing the 'slip n slide.'

Like the pilgrims I have too much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for all of the Indians who have taught me how to make corn this year. I'm thankful for hush puppies which are made out of corn. I'm thankful for dreams. I'm thankful for centers focused on incubating and positioning dreams. I'm thankful for rivers and streams... especially the Nile River. I'm thankful for expressions. I like the number 58. I'm thankful for angels especially ones that sing. I'm thankful for snow and pine cones. I'm thankful for black furry puppies. I'm thankful for Julius Caesar taking the big step and crossing the Rubican in 49BC thus changing the entire future of a little town some call Rome. I'm grateful for people who don't give up on their dreams... for people that invest in up and coming dreamers. I'm thankful for Smokey days because it's smoke that points us to the fire. Thankful for momma and dad and their incredible story of what passionate love looks like after 30 years of dedication. I'm thankful for drowning in the blessings of a faithful God. It's undeserved yet rightly given. Most importantly I'm thankful for you!