It seems like yesterday it was February and we were coming home from the hospital with our third little boy Tyler. Now he is pulling up on things and crawling everywhere but mostly chasing after his two big brothers. Where does time go? This year has been a blink of an eye for me and now the Holidays are staring us right in the face. I’ve not been home much lately so I only catch bits and pieces of what ridiculous things the boys are asking for Santa to bring them! I’m sure come Christmas Eve I will find myself getting frustrated because of some part that has been left out. That has happened about three times now and I can tell you this, I’m no McGyver but I’m getting better and more creative about adapting and overcoming.
You know just thinking about “Adapt and Overcome” brings to mind how many of our military are not going to be home for the Holidays. I know I’m gone a lot now and it works on me sometimes but I can’t imagine having to move to another country and be away from my family for a year or more at a time! To go through what those men and women are going through is an incredible sacrifice! I hope everyone takes the time to thank our servicemen and women! Even if you see one in passing, tell them that you appreciate what they are doing for YOU! Whether you agree with the war or not they are sacrificing their time and families and putting their lives on the line for you and your country! So the next time you see a soldier think about that, think about the children that they might have at home or the sick mother or father that they are having to leave to go fight for this country! Then take a look at what you have and the family that is around you and be thankful for what you have!
Are we truly thankful for what we have? I can honestly say that I’m truly thankful for everything God has blessed my family with! But there are times when I let my emotions or my worldly thinking get in the way of that true feeling of being THANKFUL! Oh come on you know what I mean. Instead of being happy with the truck or trailer you have you find a reason to run it down and want to go buy a new one. Or you might throw that saddle down that you just “had to have” a few years ago but now you want a new one so you don’t care where you put it! Or it could be your relationship with your wife or husband that you used to deeply love but is now on the down slope because you didn’t take the time to really appreciate and be thankful for you relationship!
Thankfulness shouldn’t just come once a year and be centered on the dinner table! All of us have so much to be thankful for but we spend so much time wanting something else or wishing something was different that we don’t ever get the true blessing from what we have right in front of us! Maybe instead of wishing you had a steak to eat you should give thanks for the Mayonnaise and Tomato sandwich that you have in front of you! I know it sounds like I’m preaching here but I’m talking to myself as well! It is not wrong to try to be goal oriented and have nice things. In fact God wants the best for us and He tells us that throughout the Bible but the best isn’t always material things. I encourage you to look around you and all that you have to be thankful for; chances are there will be quite a few.
We at the Roping Pen have a lot to be thankful for! As I look back at this year, which is quickly coming to an end, I’m filled with an overwhelming feeling of thanks. I first want to thank you all for the encouragement and comments, good or bad, which you have given us over the past year. We are truly blessed and we are deeply appreciative for all your support. We want to do so many things to continue to improve this magazine and I hope everyone can see that we are striving to do so. It is with your help and support we will reach this goal! Have a happy Holidays.
God Bless,
JD