As We Gather Together- a Thanksgiving Message to All
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
In a world which so often seems turned upside down, it may be difficult for some to find reason for giving thanks, but there are, indeed, reasons aplenty for us to give thanks to our God, for the many blessings which He has so generously bestowed upon us…
By sheer and random coincidence, we just happened to be born in the United States of America, which despite her many problems and shortcomings, remains the greatest nation on earth, and the greatest gift to individual freedom that the world has ever seen. While our political leaders are certainly suspect, and very much need to be held to account, Americans themselves are a largely good, and decent, and charitable people, who treasure the personal freedom and spirit of independence achieved by our founding fathers, and righteously defended by their progeny, during the two and one half centuries which followed.
By the labor of our parents, we were provided a good education, and were the first male descendant in our parents’ lineage to receive a Bachelor’s degree, begun at Virginia Wesleyan College and completed at James Madison University, that opened our mind to that which had previously remained unknown, and we were particularly blessed to have spent four months studying in London, for an unforgettable semester, and seeing much of Europe in the weeks that followed.
By a most unusual and circumstantial opportunity, we are thankful to have re-met and, at long last pursued, a relationship with a woman with whom, unbeknownst to her, we had a deep crush thirty-eight years ago- one Mary Ella Douglas. Mary Ella generously forgives us our shortcomings, and provides us with much happiness in our home, and in our life. A future with her looks to be very promising, as we both look forward to spending many years together.
By very good fortune, we are thankful for the many friends with whom we have been blessed over the years, and for the many friends we would not have come to know otherwise, were it not for the enigmatic venue we all know to be Facebook.
By unexpected, but nevertheless great fortune, our own webpage has been read in thirty-three countries, on six continents, and has attracted upwards of two thousand registrants, many of whom are friends of ours on Facebook. Amazingly, this has happened over the last few months. To these friends, who have done much to spread the word on our essays, we certainly give our heartfelt thanks and owe a debt which can never be repaid, nor ever forgotten, in the years to come.
For all of these things, and for so very much more, we are
Very appreciatively, yours always,
-Drew Nickell, 19 November 2015
©2015 by Drew Nickell, all rights reserved.