This is the season to be thankful. I see a lot of my facebook friends are doing a thankfulness journal each day of November until Thanksgiving.

A lot of people, including myself, are thankful for family, friends, my work and feeling like they have a purpose.

 It is fun to see so many of the posts about things that are kind of funny.  Like my daughter being thankful for her dogs.  She doesn’t give two minutes attention to our dog, but she appreciates her.  I wonder if I could get her to be thankful for her in the evening during our now a little chilly walk times? 

I also see a lot of posts that really make me stop and think.  Since they are friends, I know a lot of the posts are coming from the heart of people that are experiencing very deep hurt in their lives.  Pain from a loss.  It could be illness, death or economic.  There are many different kinds of loss in our community.

It hurts my heart to think of the loss that some are experiencing and know that there are no words that will ever make it okay.  Because of their loss, they are forced to find a new normal.  A new way to go on, but with a missing piece. 

It makes me think about a movie I saw not long ago.  It is called The Grace Card.  There are no name actors in it, difficult to watch and not one you can just pick up, but an intentional gift to yourself.

The story is about a family that suffers the loss of a child and how their future was so different and the pain that they experience.  The anger that accumulates because of that loss seems insurmountable and overwhelming.  Just when you think there is no hope, there is the grace card. 

It reads “I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same and be your friend always.”

Think of how it would feel to have someone give that to you.   What an incredible gift that would be and something for which to be thankful!

As a counseling technique, I will sometimes ask people that are hurting to start a “thankfulness journal.”  It is healing to list your blessings and gifts.  It causes a shift in thinking.  Why not give yourself and those around you a grace card this season.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to feed my soul and meet with a group of women who want to make a difference in our community through faith.  A group that started around an event, but now are hoping to do so much more for a hurting community. 

 Our leader is a very caring and nurturing person who just wants to “love on” people.  It could be a warm meal or some thought provoking discussion around scripture.  Whatever the need is, I find it being met within this group of women for me.  It could be a need that I didn’t even know that I had or a pain that I didn’t even know I felt, but my soul is fed. 

On Friday, November 30^th, this group is hosting an event for your entire family.  Women of Faith Christmas Simulcast will be from 7:00-9:30 p.m. at the Beatrice Mennonite Church at 1220 Summit.  Please call Delores Botz at 402-806-8335 for ticket information.  It is just $10 for individuals or $15 for families. If you can’t afford a ticket, just tell her you are requesting a grace card.  A gift of hope. 

My son is in the middle of a serious quandary.  Serious to him anyway!  Just before bed one night he said to me, “Mom, I can’t decide what I should be for Halloween.  Spiderman or one of the Avengers?”

Later my husband told me that Luke had decided he was going to be a werewolf – vampire – alien – superhero.  “Well, that is an option, but what would that costume look like?” is how I responded.  

 At five, Luke is still developing his decision making skills and the world is full of choices. 

 At forty-one, I like to examine all of my options and spend a lot of time thinking about my choices.  It’s my natural tendency, but I understand that not everyone thinks the same way. 

 I work with people every day that have made poor choices and in my role as the diversion coordinator I have to wonder if they considered the consequences before making the choice.  I see the stress that it has caused and the problems that they created when they made that poor choice. 

 One of my rules in teaching my middle school youth is to “think”.  I believe that if you can teach youth to think they will be more successful in their choices.  I also believe that you must be intentional about giving youth the opportunity to practice making choices. 

 I saw this quote and it seemed to speak to me. “The amazing thing about life is that you choose what you allow into it.  You choose how things affect you.  You choose how you react.  Happiness is choice.  Make it.  It’s up to you!” 

 I can think of many examples of when I could have made better choices, but I choose to learn from those mistakes and be happy.

 I also recognize that choice is a freedom that not everyone in our world has as a privilege.  Voting, for example, is a freedom of choice, as well as free speech. 

 It is not often that I get on a soap box about anything political, but I am encouraging you to exercise your freedom of choice and vote in the upcoming election.  Even your one vote can make a difference for future generations and you are modeling responsibility in the community to our youth. 

 All forms of media have become a sounding board for the political agendas during this last month before the election and I understand that some people are so turned off by the mud slinging and the drama that they don’t want to vote.  However, as one of my friends so elegantly posted on facebook:  “If you choose to not vote on November 6, I do not want to hear you complain about the results of the election.  You have been given the freedom to elect who you see fit.  Use it!”

 The nation and our community will not improve until people exercise their rights and take responsibility in making informed choices by voting. 

 Please also remember that there are soldiers that, for whatever reason, have made the choice to enlist in our military.  Maybe they wanted assistance in paying for college or wanted to travel, but they are all prepared to fight and die for our country and for the freedoms we have been given. 

 Okay, I am off my soap box now and the choices that you are making in this election are much more important than what costume to wear for Halloween, but again, please make an informed choice.  Exercise your freedoms and take responsibility. 

 By the way, watch for a very handsome vampire during trick or treat time.