Recently I posted a blog my son Josh, a junior at The College at Southeastern, wrote regarding his mission trip to NYC. The following is a little post Hannah, a junior in high school, wrote about Thanksgiving. Michelle and I are blessed with children who really love Jesus. No, they are not perfect, and sometimes it is a pain to be “Dr. Reid’s child.” That is why I was particularly blessed to see Hannah note her thankfulness for having that title (see below).
I confess that sometimes it is hard to raise children who love God and His gospel, not in the worldliness around us, but among so many Christians who settle for much less than what we want our children to give their lives for. Trying to teach wisdom in a culture of consumerism wearies me at times. But we have our own issues, and God is gracious to help us along the way. Enjoy Hannah’s thoughts on Thankfulness:
This week was Thanksgiving. i have realized lately how much i truly have to be thankful about. So here’s a list of just some things that I’m extremely thankful for::
-my loving Savior and the grace He has towards me
-family
-amazing friends
-Richland Creek Community Church
-having the title “Dr. Reid’s daughter”
-honesty
-small towns like good ole Wake Forest
-being a US citizen
-mercy
-forgiveness
-music
-freedom
-chocolate
-the smell of cologne
-encouragement from close friends
-opportunities to learn from mistakes
-things like twitter, facebook, cell phones, etc. that help keep in touch with friends from different/distant states
-ability to live and breath
-salvation
-the fact that i’ll go to heaven one day for all eternity and see my Jesus face to face forever and be able to see loved ones who are there already.
all these things i’m so blessed by and so thankful to have in my life. it’s crazy how i get so caught up in the current events of life and get so stressed out over little things, that i forget about all the many, many things that i can easily be thankful for. i’m such a complainer. but do know that i truly am thankful for sooo many different things in my life. i’m so blessed beyond imagination, yet i take it all for granted time and time again. anyways. i’m thankful for the life i have.
the end.
Hannah and Josh
I love this post, but I must raise one point:
“The smell of cologne”? C’mon! That stuff gives me a headache. I am thinking of beginning the “Society for the Prevention of the Use of Smelly Stuff” (SPUSS). Your daughter will not, evidently, want to join.
As to the rest of this, you must be VERY proud of her.
On a more serious note, I have a daughter who is a junior in high school, after raising three grown sons. Wow, is there either a greater joy or challenge in this world than trying to raise a teenage girl?
I feel like I’m on a roller coaster much of the time. Its scary, but lots of fun!
I know you are proud of your children Doc, as you should be, but if Hannah thanks Wake Forest is a small town I wonder what she would say about Ahoskie?
I am with you on the cologne Dave! I agree raising a girl has its own challenges compared to raising a boy. Both are awesome!