OFF TOPIC What are you thankful for???

[tmcc man]

I have a lot to be thankful for, such as being healthy, having a loving family, you guys on the forum, and lots of other things. Also, the model railroading hobby.

[andregg1]

Good morning to all!!!
Me like you.........
I have a lot to be thanksful, My wife, two kid's that she give me (they are all)
healty, and healty family, friend, job and money to keep my hobby alive[;)]
Happy thanksgiving day to everybody.
Andre.

[Anonymous]

The Reading Railroad used to have commuter service to Valley Forge, and there is a beautiful old station there that is now used for educational activities. I would love to have a model of that station for my layout because Valley Forge is an important place to me.

There are so many things that Americans can be thankful for, but if I had to pick the most important, it would be that I am thankful for those who made it possible for me to live in a free country. On December 19, 1777, General George Washington led 12,000 Continental army soldiers into winter encampment at Valley Forge. More than 2,000 of them died of starvation and sickness during that brutal winter. Many of these guys did not even have shoes, and food was always scarce. Forget about shelter. They had cabins, but the fireplaces led to such severe smoke problems inside the cabins that many of the men coughed violently for the whole time of the encampment. Most of these men had left their wives and children at home the past spring and had been gone all summer and fall. Their families’ farms had not been planted or harvested. The hardships on the home front were as bad as they were enduring at Valley Forge. Yet, they stuck it out. And they drilled and practiced and formed into a real fighting force. And we are free today because of what they did. So I like to go there every year on Thanksgiving Day to thank them for what they did for me.

[Anonymous]

For every sunrise and every sunset that I'm permitted to see, and for all the wonderful people and experiences I've been blessed with in this life.

[Anonymous]

I am thankful for much, this holiday:

*My wife
*My son Henry who inspired me to pull out my dad's Lionel and get it going again 3 months after he was born. He was born 2 Thanksgivings ago in 03.
*My son Jake, who was born last Tuesday and is already the star of the show.
*Living in a country that is free, except for the shackles we place on ourselves.
*the men and women in uniform throughout the ages who stay away from their families on Thanksgiving, so that we can have things to be thankful for.

TPL

[brianel027]

The apostle Paul wrote in Thessalonians 1:5:18 that we should "be thankful in all circumstances." Not necessarily thankful for ALL circumstances, but thankful in those situations.

In a more worldly way of thinking, I guess one could say you should appreciate the things you do have, not the things you are lacking.

In the past 20 years, I've been bankrupted twice including losing my entire artistic career in a fire: paintings, photo negatives, recordings and demos, and al lthe equipment needed to make these things. For an artist, where your future is measured greatly by your past creative output, this was a devasting blow. I also lost most of my childhood Lionel trains which had been in storeage.

A year and a half ago, when I was in the thick of the feelings of defeat being laid off, I felt like I really wanted to "just call it quits" I was inundated with kind emails of encouragement from many folks on this forum, who at the time were complete total strangers.

I've since realized that even the supposed bad things that have happened are something for me to be thankful for, even though that seems opposite of what I should naturally be feeling. It has given me a new perspective on life and the things that are important, for it is written that the things that are important to us humans here in this life are not the same things important to God. When I see the news stories about the folks down south who have lost so much due to the hurricanes, I can truly relate: the circumstances were different, but I too have lost everything once and had to start over again in mid-life from ground zero.

- Yet I am thankful for the good folks on this forum, even with our differing opinions and interests.
- I am thankful for this hobby and the memories it brings back, as well as the fun it still is. I am thankful for the gift I have with kids and approaching the public: there are kids who now have train sets because of my introduction and that brings me as much joy as running my own trains.
- I am thankful for my youthful looks... I see guys at train shows that look older than me and yet are years younger. I may be a grey hair in generation, but I don't have a single gray hair (yet)!
- I am thankful for all the various train companies that have offered us modelers and operators such variety. I hope they can all manage to make it, though it might be in a reduced capacity.
- I am thankful I have wound up in such a passion seeking church. What at the time seemed to be a total accident, I now see the wisdom in. I volunteer for a food pantry (giveaway) at my church. I recently assisted a family where the man had been laid off and his unemployment had just run out. He was depressed and wondering how he was going to provide for his family, including a thanksgiving dinner? I realized as much as I have disliked being single all these years, I was thankful that in these hardtimes I've been though, that I didn't have to drag a family through it too. I'm sure it must be the worst feeling for a man to not be able to provide for his own family. I told the guy that, and told him on the other hand, he should be thankful for the blessing of a loving wife and two healthy kids.

Again, I guess it comes back to what Paul wrote of being thankful in all circumstances, though I can be the first to tell you it isn't always an easy thing to do. But nothing worthwhile never is.

[Brutus]

I thank God for my wife and children, for our health and our jobs and the opportunity provided in our great country. I thank Him for all the nice things he has given us, including my train of course! And, I thank Him for you guys, too! God bless and everybody have a great Thanksgiving day!

[Tom1947]

I am thankful for my family and good friends and their willingness to help with projects. We have the Christmas platform about done. I am thankful that their health has been good this past year pray that it will continue. Our family had a great Thanksgiving Day and hope that all of yours were as happy and enjoyable.

[ChiefEagles]

Everything!!!! Especially since I had 6 by-passes one year and two weeks ago and I am doing great.

[TurboOne]

Hello all, the TurboOne has returned, at least for today.

I am thankful that God blessed me with a terrific family, and that I got to see my parents and my brother at dinner tonight. As big a pain in the butt that they are, they are my pain in the butt, if you know what I mean.

I am thankful that my two kids and wife love me, good times and bad, and after seeing all the stuff from the hurricanes that happened to the folks over there, there is nothing here nearly as challenging as what they are going through. May God bless all of them and let them know that good times will come, you just gotta have faith.

I am thankful for all of the folks on this forum that stay in touch, so when I do get some time, I don't forget about trains and the joy they bring.

Happy Thanksgiving all

TurboOne Tim[bow][bow][bow][bow][bow]