Giving Thanks

When asked on Sunday by pastor Greg to write down what we are thankful for, I had a writingfest of all the awesome gifts that I have been given by God. These things included my faith, my awesome family, noting prominently my husband and children, my good health and capacity to work, a happy life and other specific topics relating to the above.
Today, however, as I took a walk in the beautiful neighborhood in which I live, taking in my vitamin D in lovely 75 degree weather, I noted something that I had forgotten to be thankful for. My Life.
Almost 19 years ago, I was told that I had a very dangerous, golf ball sized tumor in my brain. It was totally surrounding my carotid artery and my optic nerve. I was young and carefree at the time and admit that it really didn't concern me that much. I was unmarried, had no children and had lived a good life. I didn't need any more than that.
The second thing that I forgot to write down that I was thankful for was prayer. Had my extended family and their friends, and their friends not been praying in earnest for me, I would not have felt the calmness and serenity that came over me as they stuck the first needles into me and wheeled me off into surgery. I seriously never had any lack of confidence or fear that things wouldn't turn out as successfully as they did.
Fast forward to 2010, where my faith in Jesus Christ and his love is stronger than ever. I have not only the supportive family that was there for me in March 1992, but also a family of my own with a husband and two precious daughters. This family would not be here if I hadn't listened to my sister Melanie and her husband's advice to go see a doctor about the little "episode" I had while on the phone with her.
This experience taught me that while we want to concentrate on the small, everyday things that we are thankful for, it is important to also remember the big "WOW" gifts that we take for granted.