It seems to be an easy mark this time of year. Thankful social media posts are everywhere. #Thankful … 30 Days of Thankful … #ThankfulFor … all prompted by Thanksgiving. While it seems like an easy thing to jump on the bandwagon – the kind of thing I normally avoid – it actually got me thinking this year. The last year has been an amazing year full of too many reasons to be thankful. In fact, it’s been quite a great 4 years for me. So I thought I’d put fingers to keyboard and write a little something about my personal thankful list. And yes, it’s pretty personal.
I’m thankful for a supportive family – immediate and extended – that encourages me, doesn’t hold back their support and lets me know how proud they are of me. Thank you Sonya and my daughters for lifting me up. Thank you mom and dad for providing such a great base on which to build. The compliments I receive are passed on to you. And thank you to my grandparents – the legacy you all started is flourishing and it’s a beautiful sight to behold.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than me in Talons Out Honor Flight. With this, I’m grateful to my sister-in-law Bobbie for asking me to be a part of showing Honor Flight the Movie, and letting me help launch this local hub. I’m thankful for the volunteers who help us at every event.
I’m proud to serve next to some amazing people on our board. I’m beyond thankful to the community (personal friends, strangers, businesses) that has stepped up to honor our Greatest Generation. This has afforded me the chance to meet some amazing men and women and hear their stories…the history of our country. I’ve been fortunate to speak in front of some terrific groups and meet some of our lawmakers, local state & federal.
In all of this though, is the chance to surround myself with heroes. Military and civilian alike, who give of their time, talents and treasure. From World War II Veterans to currently serving military, I am blessed to know our men and women who serve their country. Families of service members, supporters and others all have come together and continue to amaze me. Thank you.
My gratitude extends to my professional life. I enjoy where I work and what I do. When you love what you do, you never work, right? While it’s hard work, I certainly enjoy it. The support of the leadership team at AmeriFirst Home Mortgage means the world to me. Not only do I get the tools to ensure success, I’ve been able to build a team around me to take our efforts to an even higher level of success.
To top it all off, our successes get noticed. I have the privilege of sharing our story and the inbound marketing strategy & philosophy with people from around the world. From presentations at the INBOUND conference in Boston to a continuing education course at the Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORS… from interviews on podcasts to regular contributions in seriously cool marketing websites, I am thankful for the opportunity to spread the inbound message.
Finally, I’m thankful that all of this is possible through my faith in our Creator. I love my & Sonya’s church – Riverside Church – but it’s even bigger than that. My relationship with Jesus Christ has deepened over the last few years. After a divorce, I could have slid into depression or a destructive lifestyle. Instead I began to strengthen my faith. It’s not always an easy life – God doesn’t promise us that. In fact He promises us trials and tribulations. But I’m still blessed well beyond what I deserve. I only hope I can continue to pay it forward and bless others, and give God the glory when things go well. Without Him, it wouldn’t be possible.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. This holiday season, I hope your Christmas is blessed, your Hanukkah is joyous and your winter is filled with fun. Cheers.
[This article was originally published on The Inbound Evangelist November 26, 2014]
Thankful photo by Jessica Castro on Unsplash