The companion piece

Been thinking about a companion to yesterday's blog on thoughtfulness. I was talking with a group of guys last night and I kept coming back to the work "thankful" in my mind as we talked about our lives. Those two words seem to go together to me. I think being intentionally thoughtful, or even when it is spontaneous, is the overflow of our thankfulness. When I stop and realize the things I have to be thankful for, then it motivates me to share the generosity that I've been given with others. If I am focused on my shortcomings, the things I don't have, me, me, me... then it is hard to be thoughtful of others. But when I realize how incredibly fortunate I am, then it is easy to share that with others. I want them to experience the same type of things that I am thankful for.

What am I thankful for? Here are few things that I thought about. Some serious, some not as much, but still things that I am thankful for.

• Talking last night highlighted for me how incredible my family was growing up. I had a consistency and love that few people have. Lisa and I often talk about the fact the we were both blessed to grow up in such strong homes and that we want to pass that on to our boys. Our extended family means a ton to us.
• Similarly our friendships are amazing. They are our chosen family and community. We have friends that we know love us and will do anything for us that they can. Because of our thankfulness for that, we can intentionally try to be that same type of friends to others.
• I am thankful for friends who give my wife awesome birthday presents. Best birthday present that I never received, but have loved.
• I am thankful for creativity. I love being around people who are creative. It is so encouraging and refreshing for me. I think that creativity has impacted me in multiple ways and helped me pass it on to others.
• I am thankful for Lisa. Can't imagine a better wife. She completes me in areas where I am lacking. That allows me to invest in high school guys and tell them the type of non-negotiables to look for in a wife.
• I am thankful that some of my friends that share a similar warped mind as mine. The fun we have allows that joy to spill over to other areas of my life.

So what are you thankful for? How does that make you more thoughtful?