Because it is the day after Thanksgiving, I'm going to list seven things I'm thankful for. Not very original, but still, it's important to note these things sometimes.
1. I'm thankful for my parents, who have raised me a loving home, given me an enormous amount of support when I'm hard on my luck, and have shown me a great example of marriage. And I'm grateful that they are supportive/at least tolerant of my decisions.
2. I'm thankful for two of my friends (one even a Presbyterian minister), who when I told them I was becoming Catholic answered in some form of "That makes sense." That was seriously the most affirming response I could get from someone, as if they understand that I belonged in the Church and my seeking would lead me there for honest reasons.
3. I'm thankful to live in a country where I can practice my faith openly and where is doesn't make a difference that I'm Catholic, Protestant, or a Christian at all. I feel marginalized and misunderstood for being something-other-than-evangelical here in the Bible Belt, but I am well aware it's not real persecution.
4. I'm thankful that my family and I don't live with any debt. Our house and cars are paid for, and credit cards are paid in full each month. I graduated without any college loans, and I have enough money to pay for most of my second degree. When I think about buying something, it's always something I don't need, and the choice I have to make isn't "Can I afford this?" but "Do I want to spend that much for this?"
5. I'm thankful I'm unfamiliar with death. People in my family tend to live long and live healthy, so I haven't experienced a lot of deaths in the family. I don't experience hunger or war or gang/domestic violence or pandemics. I wake up with every expectation of being alive and safe at the end of the day.
6. I'm thankful for the opportunity of education and the education I've received. I can't imagine not being able to read or write. Knowledge is everything.
7. And mostly, I'm thankful for the amazing awakening I've experienced this year that has led me to the Catholic Church. I don't feel like I'm converting/changing, but that my faith is deepening and expanding. My mind is open to so much more understanding, and my heart is open to so many spiritual experiences. I didn't even know I was seeking, but God brought me to where the answers were anyway.
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