thankful for things big and small

- bumping into a familiar face in the most serendipitous of ways
- looking out my bedroom window to catch a glimpse of the risen sun
- the forty or so minutes of magic that is "pushing daisies" every wednesday (more on this the next post)
- the word "bliss"
- the book of psalms
- almost any food product with cranberry in it
- playing in the keys of E, Eb, or F
- hugs and kisses
- unspoken bond of family
- friends who can be silent with you
- God's revelation of strength in my weakness
- teens who challenge me with questions about their faith
- celluloid
- a place to call home
- people's desire to make the world a better place even if it doesn't benefit you directly

and most of all i'm thankful for all the people I've met who are, in their own way, the embodiment of God's compassion. the following are just a few I can think of on the top of my head:

- a city worker who chooses to bear Vancouver's homelessness crisis on her shoulders (and everytime I see her, I'm reminded that she must be exactly what angels in heaven are like)
- a pharmacist who goes out of his way to make sure his patients take the anti-retroviral drugs he prescribes for them...who cooks meals for his clients even though that is nowhere near his job description
- a doctor who has not only changed the way addiction is understood by mainstream society, but who is dedicating his life to seeing the humanity in his patients rather than judging them for their mistakes
- a social justice movement that is teaching me to never underestimate a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens