Being Thankful

I am blessed. I have a devoted wife that I have been married to for twenty-two years, two children that are healthy and independent. And I live in a nation where we celebrate Thanksgiving, a faith-grounded holiday in which Americans thank God with public expressions.

But what else do I have to be thankful for?

I am thankful to my Lord for I live in a nation where I have many freedoms. I have the freedom to write what I believe on my blogs. I have opportunities that arise, and the option to choose as I please. I am thankful that I have a family that I love, and who loves me. I am thankful for my faith, and that I have the allowance to worship as I choose. I am thankful to the farmers that labor to provide food that I may purchase, and for the meals from this food that I am able to provide for me and my family. I am thankful for the job that I have, and my home, and my automobiles. I am thankful for my life in America.

And there are so many in the world that do not have what we have. In Egypt a fifteen year old girl was kidnapped by Muslims trying to force her to deny Christ and accept Islam. The kidnappers drugged her and threatened to rape her if she refused Islam. She managed to escape while her abductors were taking a break from a Ramadan fast.

In Muslim countries people are jailed for supporting Israel or Christianity, and condemning Muslim violence. Examples include an editor of a magazine in Bangladesh facing a trial for doing just these things in his magazine. He has been imprisoned, harassed, beaten, and condemned. He faces the possibility of execution. Read the full story on Michelle Malkin's site here.

In Egypt bloggers are being detained by the government for criticizing Islam and exposing the apathy of Cairo police to sexual harassment of women. One of those detained was beaten in prison over several weeks. Read that story here.

In Sudan editors were beheaded insulting Islam, questioning Muslim history, and questioning the roots of Mohammed. Story is here.

China is the world's leading jailer of journalists and internet critics. One individual was jailed for five months because he reported corruption among local officials in his province. Read the article here.

In Lebanon outspoken writers pay with their lives. Read about it here.

Russian journalists also routinely wind up dead. Read about it here, here, and here.

In Denmark cartoonists who dare caricature Mohammed and challenge creeping sharia are still in hiding and fearing for their lives. Read here.

In Italy judges bow to jihadists. Read about it here.

I am thankful I live in America, the land of the free, despite the fact that there exists elements in this nation determined to undermine our freedom, leak top-secret information to our enemies, insult our leaders, broadcast enemy propaganda, and turn a blind eye to the victims of the jihad.

Oh, and one more thing, I am thankful to the American soldier for placing his/her life on the line for our freedom, liberty, and safety.

God Bless America.

note: thanks to Jim Stewart, www.geocities.com/militarypoliceofvietnam, for the links to the articles and the idea for this post.