Thanksgiving

As my family and I drive across the country today, our car is just one of many on interstate 80. The reporters on the radio are still covering the recent atrocities in Paris, the massive dislocation of over 1 million refugees, and the recent downing of a Russian fighter jet on the border of Syria and Turkey. It wasn’t long before we turned off the radio and just watched the countryside roll by instead. As one field turned into another, I began to think about the things for which I am thankful. Here are a few of them:

I am thankful for privilege and joy of having a family: for love in our home, shelter, and meaningful work to do.

I am thankful for friends: for people who enrich our lives, and who enrich the world around them with their presence.

I am thankful for the privilege of living in this country: for the men and woman who serve to keep us free and safe, and for the opportunities that this great country gives to its citizens.

I am thankful for my Christian faith: for its message of implausible hope, and for its perpetual drive towards reconciliation.

Finally, I am thankful for you, the readers of this blog. I am grateful for your comments, your critique, your encouragement and your insight. Your engagement with the topic of leadership has made me a better leader, and I hope that something in the blog has helped you think about the way you influence the world around you.

Happy Thanksgiving!