Thirty nine things I'm thankful for on my thirty ninth birthday.

This isn't a new idea, but I did think it up today for my own benefit. Like I said on my Facebook status this morning, I'm 365 days away from turning forty, and while turning forty isn't a bad thing, it can sneak up on you if you let it. I'll probably be setting some personal goals, some of which I'll share with friends, and some of which I'll keep to myself, but one of the first things I'm doing is taking stock of my current lot in life, and reminding myself how much I have to be thankful for.

I know I will have left many out. These are not in any order, nor any priority, and their order should not be taken as any kind of precedence... except maybe numbers 1 and 39. Okay, and 38.

1. My salvation. I know, it's the Sunday School answer, but it defines me. I'm nothing without Jesus Christ.
2. My job, which allows me to minister alongside some of the most amazing, talented people in the world to some of the most talented, amazing people in the world.
3. My church that chooses to be unique among churches in many ways, not the least of which is our incredible pastor and his Biblical integrity, the love that our friends there extend, an incomparable group of children and students who support and minister to each other, and the fact that they entrust me in many different leadership roles.
4. Parents who knew just how to turn a precocious kid into a reasonably well-adjusted adult, and allowed me to "leave and cleave," exporting me half a country away and becoming closer in the process.
5. Nintendo Wii games with friends making fools of ourselves.
6. Two well-running vehicles, one of which gets insanely good gas mileage, and the other of which does when you drive it with kid gloves.
7. Running water.
8. Working on something so hard and long that you forget to eat.
9. Top Gear on BBC America.
10. A brother and sister-in-law who, despite being on the northern edge of the United States, keep us connected, especially with my two precious nieces.
11. The Exxon station on Broadway and their on-tap Caffeine Free Diet Coke with crushed ice.
12. My in-laws, who shower my family with love every chance they get... and not just Lydia and Adam and me... they love our extended family too.
13. A sister and brother-in-law living the brilliantly cool Atlanta dream, and like my parents, have only become closer with distance.
14. Flo's Filet at Longhorn Steakhouse.
15. My extended family, including grandparents, both living and deceased, who considered it their duty to bathe me in prayer.
16. Music.
17. First Presbyterian Early Preschool and the way they love on my son.
18. Something else my job connects me with: our membership at the YMCA and what it does and will do for my future health.
19. The thrill of the deal. Essex Retail Outlet in Berry Hill, fatwallet.com and faithfulprovisions.com are good sources of these.
20. Living in fashionable far north Brentwood.
21. Miss Sherry. She has stood in the gap for us several times in the last nineteen and a half months.
22. This Week in Tech with Leo Laporte.
23. Free Google apps, which save me some Microsoft tax every couple of years now.
24. Driving through downtown Nashville and seeing the cross-section of capital city government, tourism and country music history that makes up such a unique place.
25. Every breath of every day.
26. Shuffle on our 80GB fifth generation iPod.
27. Forgiveness for my golfing ineptitude... something I intend to work on this year.
28. My tiny MSI Wind notebook computer.
29. Faithful friends who are as close to us as family.
    
30. Being able to talk geek with geeks. I want to preserve that ability so I'll be able to communicate with Adam in the future (not prophesying or anything there...)
31. The gift of prayer, and the knowledge that the Creator of the universe wants to spend time with me. I need to take advantage of that more often.
32. Ikea napkins.
33. The experience of working for Word Music, and all the great people that I got to work with and rub shoulders with.
34. Taking on the challenge of Christmas lights.
35. Disney parks, especially when shared with family.
36. Facebook friends from all corners of the earth who continually redefine the meaning of "friend" with unexpected blessings, memories and other shared experiences.
37. Special K Chocolatey Delight.
38. The feeling of Adam snuggling up to me as I get ready to lay him down in his bed.
39. A wonderful wife who loves me and lets me love her back.