Hmm… last night’s blog seemed to work out fairly well so I’m going to roll with it and type as I think. Most often I have a general idea of the direction of my blog, tonight, not so much yet. I’ve got a handful of interlocking ideas that haven’t quite connected yet. Maybe as I blog they’ll come together into one cohesive whole… or this will be a bit of a rambler 😉 Either way, I am thankful for taking the time to pause and think in stillness.

Between the cold temperatures, the high humidity, and the stiff wind in my face I almost turned back within the first few moments of our morning run today. Instead I took a deep breath, shivered for a second, and then kept going. By the time we were on our way back home I ended up losing my jacket and t-shirt with well over a mile to go. I’d heated up by then and already was sweating. I’m thankful for sticking with it and pushing past the discomfort.

A friend texted me late last night after I was already in bed (I think it was at 8:30pm or so). He provided some pretty awesome insight into a concept I’ve been spending much time contemplating. It was spontaneous, out of the blue, and reminded me of the importance of maintaining a certain level of connectedness with the world. Interestingly, he texted me as I’ve dropped off of social media. By disconnecting I was still connected and able to have a conversation about connectedness. Kind of funny 😉

Gavin finally saw one of his dreams realized today… he got a cellphone. Becky upgraded her phone so we figured it was about time to get him rolling with one for contacting his friends. In almost no time he was online texting friends and using it to set up his Discord conversations with friends. There are drawbacks and things that make me nervous about it, but I’m grateful for the connection with his friends that he’s already enjoying less than 12 hours in.

In getting his phone set up I had a wonderful conversation with the customer service rep in the Philippines. His oldest son is Gavin’s age and before we got off the call we’d gotten to know each other well. His upbeat nature was great and he was very helpful. One of those conversations that remind me of how many wonderful people there are in the world.

Work was pretty awesome today. The biggest reason I was thankful for it are all of my teammates. We had some crazy conversations while also accomplishing a lot. I am so blessed to be surrounded by the awesome personalities on my teams!

I’m very thankful for the coaching and mentoring I received early in my Express career 20+ years ago. When I pause to think about how I’ve gotten to where I am I can’t help but pause and be thankful for the many gracious and encouraging leaders, coaches and mentors who were there for me. I’m so blessed to have had as much time with each of them as I did.

Family game nights happen quite often in our house. Once in a while I think back to all the craziness that would normally be going on during a usual Friday night. I wouldn’t change that for the world. Spending time chilling with my family, playing games and relaxing, and heading to bed well before 10pm sound amazing and exactly what I would like.

So what specifically am I thankful for today? Perseverance, connectedness, disconnectedness leading to connectedness, excellent customer service, wonderful teammates, great mentors, and family chill time… Doesn’t quite roll of the tongue but that doesn’t stop me from being thankful for it.

Thanks!!!