In today's world, people spend much time complaining rather than feeling grateful for the many blessings God has showered them with. So in this time as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let's remind ourselves of the many things we have to be thankful for.

1. Jesus Christ....because without Him, we would be living without purpose.

2. Family...whether it's family by blood or family by choice, either way you're blessed to have them.

3. Hope...because without hope, life would seem futile.

4. Friends...because the world would be lonely without them.

5.Joy...while it is among the most underrated qualities, joy brings liveliness and strength to our lives.

6. Love...it makes the world go round.

7. Shelter...so many in our world do not have a place to lay their heads at night, be grateful you do.

8. Education...while you're complaining about classes, someone out there is dreaming of having the opportunity to take them.

9. Freedom of Speech...many people have to be cautious of what they say so they may keep their lives.

10. Health...someone out there is wishing they had the health you have.

11. Peace...many search, but few find this treasure.

12. Kindness...it restores faith in humanity and can be the difference between a good and bad day.

13. Food...while you're pigging out on your Thanksgiving buffet, some are scrounging dumpsters for survival.

14. Clean Water...many in third-world countries do not even know what this looks like.

15. Accountability Partners...for helping you become the person you wish to be.

16. Freedom of Religion...in many places of the world, "underground churches" are the only way one may freely worship.

17. Air Conditioning/Heaters...because here in the South, both are needed in one day.

18. Vehicles...though we take them for granted many times, they make daily activity much easier.

19. Compassion...even though little of it is seen in our broken world, the bit that is makes the world a better place.

20. Faith...it feels good to know you're not going through life alone.

Now some of these probably seem silly, just because they're not normal things we think about when we think about things to be grateful for, but they deserve just as much gratitude as anything else. So remember during this Thanksgiving season that there is so much to be thankful for; sometimes it just takes stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. As one of my favorite quotes says, "God dwells in two places: Heaven and a grateful heart." Remember the reason for the holiday this week, and enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!