Counting blessings is a great reminder

There are a lot of good U.S. holidays, but there is something special about the celebration coming up this month centered on sharing and thankfulness.

We see opportunity in this Thanksgiving for Valley residents to pause and reflect on the richness of our blessings. We are so fortunate that at times it seems hard to truly count our blessings.

Food, shelter, a bed, heat, transportation, shoes, winter gear, friends, family, pets, being part of a community — we all have loads of blessings. Driving along the Parks Highway last week we saw a car with the driver’s side window broken out and a blanket billowing in the window for protection. Add a driver’s side window to your list of blessings.

Thursday, we saw a person pulling a wheeled suitcase along the roadway past Wasilla Lake. Add your whole car to your tally. Oh, and if it has a working heater, add that, too.

What about the door handles? One of our writers spent a few weeks getting in her Explorer through the back door after the driver’s side door handle broke off. Add that working door handle to your list. Also include the mechanic who agreed to drill out the rivets on the front and back door handles and move the rear handle to the front door. A trustworthy mechanic is truly one of life’s blessings.

We are so blessed that sometimes we forget to notice the little things.

We were reminded again to be thankful while watching news coverage of the devastation in the Philippines. Life’s worst moments have a way of clarifying what it is that truly matters in life.

Stacks of money, luxury cars and name-brand clothing are of no value if you need food and clean drinking water, said the homeless woman standing amid the rubble to the TV news camera.

So while we who are richly blessed gather with our families to eat and eat and eat on Thanksgiving, we would do better to eat a little less and share a lot more. More people live in the Valley than ever before. We expect that alone will mean more demand for food baskets through the Valley Thanksgiving Blessing program this year.

If you need a bit of help with food this season, your neighbors have you covered. People can pick up food baskets at six locations around the Valley from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 23. Distribution locations are by ZIP code. Bring proof of address to the distribution sites listed here.

Most of us fall into the “blessed enough to share” category. Valley Thanksgiving Blessing needs our help with donations of food, cash and time. Contact individual sites to volunteer. If you are giving cash, make checks payable to Wasilla Bible Church and note on the memo line that it is for Valley Thanksgiving Blessing. Cash donations of $15 will buy a turkey, $45 a complete Thanksgiving dinner.

Food donations also are welcome at any Valley food bank. Suggested donations include aluminum roasting pans, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, 12 packs of dinner rolls, gravy mix, pies, pounds of butter/margarine and stuffing mix.

Count your blessings. It’s good practice working with large numbers and a great reminder of what truly matters in life.

• Faith Bible Fellowship, 892-8545

14159 W. Hollywood Rd., Big Lake

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99652

• Fellowship Lutheran Church, 733-2710

Mile 1.1, Petersville Rd, Trapper Creek

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99683

• Wasilla Bible Church, 376-2176

1651 W. Nicola Ave., Wasilla

Distribution for residents in ZIP codes: 99623, 99629, 99654, 99687, 99694

• Real Life Church, 745-5673

10697 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., Palmer

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99645, 99674

• Upper Susitna Senior Center, 733-2710

16463 E. Helena St., Mile 98.5, Parks Hwy., Talkeetna

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99676, 99667

• Willow United Methodist Church, 495-6638

Mile 67.5, Parks Highway, Willow

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99688

• Faith Bible Fellowship, 892-8545

14159 W. Hollywood Rd., Big Lake

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99652

• Fellowship Lutheran Church, 733-2710

Mile 1.1, Petersville Rd, Trapper Creek

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99683

• Wasilla Bible Church, 376-2176

1651 W. Nicola Ave., Wasilla

Distribution for residents in ZIP codes: 99623, 99629, 99654, 99687, 99694

• Real Life Church, 745-5673

10697 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., Palmer

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99645, 99674

• Upper Susitna Senior Center, 733-2710

16463 E. Helena St., Mile 98.5, Parks Hwy., Talkeetna

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99676, 99667

• Willow United Methodist Church, 495-6638

Mile 67.5, Parks Highway, Willow

Distribution for residents in ZIP code: 99688