giving thanks: baseball, chicken, and moody teens

Periodically, I like to take note of the items that merit praise to God. Should this be more common? Certainly. Consider this an exercise in recognizing my Creator through mountain or valley...

* I have a job. Not only this, but I have been given an awesome team of co-workers that do their job well. I may need to be checked for signs of dementia, but I enjoy working with teenage girls. Being switched to other units the past two nights has been eye-opening. Yes, my unit has plenty of drama, but these girls give me reason to hope. Despite the odds against them, they are working through it -- by it, I mean the kind of abuse that those of us with stable childhoods cannot imagine exists.

Our director is on medical leave. The woman who has stepped in as the interim (my old director) told my supervisor that she only accepted our unit because we already run ourselves without her help. And she's right. I've been to three staff meetings since joining this team; we get to business and go home. I'm very blessed.

* Sporting my beard (and my rugged, grey knit cap), I look homeless. For whatever reason, the coffee consumer doesn't only tolerate this, they consider it an indication of credibility. Working last Saturday, I received two pinnacle compliments about my latte skills. For a compliment to qualify as pinnacle, the customer has to order a "big boy" drink and reside in a large metro.

* BK chicken sandwiches are 2 for the price of 1. Enough said.

* I have a "good" distraction. This morning, I remembered that my fantasy baseball forecaster should be arriving in the mail shortly. This will begin a long season of preparation, in defense of my first championship. Am I a nerd? Yes. A month ago, I considered opting out, since my life was full of new and fantastic things; I didn't consider another distraction feasible. Now...well, I think I have to welcome one meaningless hobby. Some people fish, hunt, exercise, or do sudoku. I analyze statistics. And it keeps my brain busy.

(And it's healthier than gambling, overeating, or premarital sex...I think.)

* I am healthy and insured. My family is also healthy. Considering my aforementioned excitement towards a 39-fat-gram sandwich, this is nothing short of a miracle.

* He loves me still....an everyday reason to praise.