Give thanks.

"Tis better to give than to receive."

Last night, I forced my student staff to participate in a fundatory activity to ease the tension and stress that bubbles up during finals and celebrate one another. We did a Dirty Santa/White Elephant gift exchange and I asked them to go around and share exciting things that were happening in their lives and things they were thankful for this holiday season. So that in the hustle and bustle of the season, finals, the end of the year, closing the building, etc. etc. we could spend at least a few minutes giving thanks for our lives and for each other.

A few weeks back, I saw the post below on facebook: "What if you woke up tomorrow and all you had was what you thanked God for the night before?" It hit me more than any homily has in the last several months in Church. And frankly, it isn't that the phrase is that profound but it did get me thinking about what I give thanks for on a nightly basis. Give thanks. Give.

So in this final week (plus a few) before Christmas, here are some things I'm giving thanks for...

1. Good health
   
2. Loving family
   
3. Great friends to share this journey with
   
4. An education that cannot ever be taken away
   
5. A career/vocation that fills me with passion and purpose
   
6. Colleagues who challenge and support me
   
7. Students who impact me more than I could ever hope to impact them
8. An open heart patiently and excitedly waiting for the day to find someone to share this adventure with

Cheers.