Thankfulness

I am always grateful to God for allowing me to live past what should have been the end of my days in my thirties. Yet, God knows not every morning am I thankful for the bountiful blessings He has bestowed upon me. Sometimes, it seems a secular event such as Thanksgiving even with it focus on food and cheer can make life's blessing clearer for me.

This Thanksgiving, this morning, I am thankful to have my mother at home with me. I am thankful for my sisters and brother. My friends for life, who have provided me with love and encouragement for years, it seems that thanking them is such a small thing for such an important gift. Mostly though, I thank God for showing us that He is still faithful. He has brought us a Joshua in the form of Barack Obama who is human but full of blessings from the Lord and will change this country with us to become better, stronger and more cooperative.

I am also thankful to live in a state that sincerely looks out after its people..." the least of thee" of which we were them. I have lived in several states and I can fairly compare the support services of them to Massachusetts and can say that although the area is expensive in comparison to the other states there are services and even work available for those who seek it. No one state is doing a flawless job of meeting the needs of every citizen in it but, Massachusetts comes pretty close. I am grateful for that.

Thankfulness extends to my birth state for we know how to treat people. While the government there is stingy and sometimes corrupt the people are generous and kind. New Orleans is the greatest city in the country. It has heart and resilience. What it needs is like almost all of the country's cities are good paying jobs. It also needs a serious infusion of money to rebuild its infrastructure. The beautiful WPA parks and buildings are due for repairs, upgrades, or replacement. Also, the city's power-holders need to relinquish enough of their hold on the economy as to encourage and nurture entrepreneurs who create the new jobs that power economic development.

Finally, I am thankful for my health and access to health care. If but only one thing I would want accomplished by the Obama administration it would be the reality of the United States of America having universal health care. We need health care to be considered a right of citizens rather than being forced to purchase insurance products that are less than we need or to have to forgo medical insurance because we simply cannot afford it. We need to focus on preventative care, fair priced drugs, dental heath coverage and making mental health and therapy less of an after thought and instead being a necessary component of good health care.

God, family, friends, health care, food, clothing and shelter are what I am deeply thankful for today on Thanksgiving Day. Why are you thankful?

When did you cry?

I cried the next morning on my way to work as the air seemed different, the people kinder, and the world even with its many problems seem lighter. God Please bless this man Barack Obama. He is our Joshua, You remember the story of Joshua? When it was time for the children of Abraham who had been wandering in the wilderness as punishment for their disobedience and unbelief, there was needed a leader to lead them the way to the promised land. Moses would not be allowed to go to the promised land. There was a need for a new leader. Young Joshua fit the bill. He was brave, level headed and was called to encourage the people and battle their enemies until they arrived in the promised land.

Barack Obama is America's Joshua, brave, level headed, and strong of character. Like the Israelites we have to follow him to lead us out of the mess we are in now. He is not Jesus, he is not infallible. He is though like Joshua with heart and vision. My prayer is that he stays safe, maintains clear vision and stay courageous. We need him. The world needs him.