My Positivity Challenge

So, I'm sure you all know about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge floating around.  Around the same time, I noticed a smaller, but also very commendable challenge out there - The Positivity Challenge.  The concept is simple:

• 5 days
• 3 things you're thankful for each day
• nominate 3 different people each day

A few weeks ago, my dear Mother nominated me.

I blacked out my Mother's nominator as I did not seek permission to post,
but my Mom, Dad and Wife have no choice!

I wanted to accept, but because I creep and troll on Facebook more than I actually post, I missed the boat.  I still think it's a great idea though, and I thought it was noble of her to nominate me, so I wanted to follow through.  Since there's no way I'll post 5 days in a row and find 15 total people I feel comfortable challenging (Mom nominated most of our immediate family), I thought I'd use this blog to blast out 15 things I'm thankful for all at once (I'm about due for a serious post anyways, as the last 2 were me ranting about pumpkins and my wife judging people who chase foul balls).

So here goes:

1. Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made so I can have the honor of following Him
2. The Bible - more specifically, the privilege of having the very Word of God
3. My wife - I don't know how I did the first 29 years of my life without her, but thankful I get to do the rest of it with her
4. My family - wouldn't be where or who I am today without them
5. My friends - for laughing with me, challenging me and being there for me
6. My health - my body's not perfect, but I'm able to walk and breath, easily taken for granted
7. My education - 3 great schools that taught me how to "do life"
8. My job, especially one I genuinely enjoy going to each day
9. Being in America - there's a lot to complain about, but it could be worse
10. My daily bread - my wife and I have a roof over our head, clothes to wear, and we never miss a meal
11. My Church - not just the one I attend now, but the ones I've been to in the past, and the collective Church worldwide
12. Kung-Fu - it's shaped me, not only as a fighter, but even more so my character
13. Coffee - admit it, you are too
14. Fall - football, weather, pumpkins, beautiful leaves (when I'm up north)
15. Jokes - I enjoy laughing, so I'm glad there's plenty of them

Now this is where I'm supposed to challenge someone, and I nominate you.  No, don't look over your shoulder, you read it right, I want you to think about what you're thankful for.  Not just for five days.  You don't have to make a list.  I don't want it to be some ambiguous ideal like "be thankful every day..."

So here's what I want you to do: between now and Thanksgiving, take some time to every now and again to think about what you're thankful for.  Talk to someone about it.  Say "thank you" when someone does something for you.  Then, when Thanksgiving rolls around, you won't be hard-pressed to name things you're thankful for (I'll admit, I had to think a little about 11-15).

Above all, let's make it a habit to be consciously thankful for what we have so we don't take them for granted.

Thanks Mom!