by David Melton
Up here in New England we tend to think we invented Thanksgiving. I know that true-ists will point out it was a Midwesterner, Abe Lincoln, who created the holiday. Historians won’t let turkey and stuffing be a Plymouth creation, either. Still though, Thanksgiving feels like a part of who we are in New England. So please indulge me the opportunity to “go local” and share some of my thanks. Beyond even giving us Himself, the Lord has poured good and perfect gifts into our lives. Here are some at the forefront of my mind right now.
- My wife, Kim, and I just celebrated our first 25 years of marriage. I am thankful for a wife who is my best friend, my trusted advisor, my most helpful critic, my tireless coworker, an amazing mom, and the patient life-partner that a guy like me so desperately needs.
- The Melton guys. David, Sam, Matt and Josh. As we get older it seems what our sons think of us becomes more and more important — just when it seems we have so little control over that! Guys — your Mom and I are thankful we have you. We pray every day (as we have since before you were born) that you would grow to be godly men. We’re thankful we are beginning to see the answer to all those prayers.
- I’m thankful for a church that lets me preach to them. “Hi” to everybody at MetroWest. I’m thankful for you more than you know.
- My college family … the Boston family! I will not hide that leading a Baptist ministry college at this point in history — in a place like New England — has plenty of challenges. But I’m very thankful I get to do it, and I’m thankful for everybody in the Boston picture.
- I’m thankful the Lord has seen fit to raise up Chairman of the Board Tim Robertson from a fearful bout of cancer. Last Thanksgiving we didn’t know what was coming.
- I’m thankful the Lord would not let a massive brain aneurysm take Steve Dillard, our chairman of our regents, from us. Just yesterday I talked with Steve again … doctors, physical therapists, and we ourselves are a bit “shocked” at what God has done in the past two months!
- I’m thankful for the team of leaders, professors, and staff in Boston. Don’t tell them what we are doing “can’t be done.” I don’t want them to know that. I want them to just carry on!
- I’m thankful for the students I get to work with. I’m not just an administrator; I am a teacher — in my heart and soul. I just left the classroom minutes ago. Few things fuel me more than locking minds with curious students, studying hard together, and then “getting it.” I see in our students the future of our churches.
So, find a great turkey dinner, heap on the cranberry sauce (probably from New England!), spend time with loved ones, and make your own list of blessings. Thanks for letting me start my list in front of you.