I love that America takes at least one day a year to give thanks.

For me, that begins with thanks to God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Every good thing and every perfect is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.

Image if one of your children never thanked you for all that you do for them. I know God appreciates it when our prayers include thanks as we lift our petitions and confess our shortcomings.

I am thankful for my family.

My wife Susan is perfect for me. She cares for me, our household, our children and she works beside me at our business. She is very smart, beautiful and has a Christ-like character. She is proactive in helping not only our children but her parents, the Rev. George and Martha Campbell, who recently moved here from Florida. By the way, I am thankful for the Campbell Family. You couldn’t ask for better in-laws.

I am thankful for my new grandson, Atticus Berg, and, my only granddaughter, Reyma Berg. They are delightful. I regret that they are 670 miles from Tulsa but that part of the family is involved in a church ministry and that is very important.

I am thankful for my daughter, Sarah, who has blossomed into a thoughtful, caring mother. (I always suspected she would). And I am thankful for my son-in-law, Josh, who is doing a great job at his church and caring for Sarah and the kids.

I have the best daughter-in-law in the world. Shelby, wife of my son Brian, was an instant hit in our family. She is a lovely Christian who is devoted to our son. I am thankful that Brian is doing well after a bout with cancer. My prayer is that he is now cancer free (but continued prayers are still welcomed). These two young people love the Lord and serve Him continually.

I am thankful for my son Josiah. After working his way through college, Josiah has returned to Tulsa and is carving out a career in business. He moved back in with us – not because he couldn’t make it on his own, because he has proven he can – but because we had three empty bedrooms and it just made economic sense to make that move. He is saving to buy his own house.

I am thankful for our church home, First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow. Susan and I are part of a marvelous Sunday School group. These folks care for us and our family and they are prayer warriors. And they are a lot of fun. We study the Bible together every week. I am thankful for the ministry of Dr. Nick Garland, who is about to retire. His impact will be felt by a lot of folks for a long time.

I am thankful for the Tulsa Beacon. We wouldn’t be here apart from the grace of God. But He has used our readers, our subscribers and our advertisers to keep us afloat while newspapers all over the nation are going under. We are so encouraged by the notes that people send when they mail us their renewals. Some have been subscribers for almost two decades.

I am thankful for those who write for the Tulsa Beacon. Robert McDowell is a special columnist who is going through a rough patch right now. A strong believer, he covets our prayers on his behalf. I am thankful for Jeff Brucculeri, who was with us from the beginning, and Jim Stovall, a great example for us all. I am thankful for Dr. Walker Moore and his faithfulness to reach the world for Christ. And I am thankful for Dr. Matt Hunt, who is helping so many people (including my family) to live a healthier life.

I am thankful to KCFO AM970 and Stephens Media for allowing me to have my weekly show, Tulsa Beacon Weekend. I have no idea how many people we reach and I won’t know this side of Heaven. The folks at the radio station are so helpful and they have a great impact on Tulsa.

I am thankful for Christian ministries, including Mend Medical Clinic and John 3:16 Mission. They save lives every day.

I am thankful for this nation we live in. America has problems – no doubt – yet the flag still stands for freedom (and they can’t take that away). I am thankful for our military who stand guard to keep us safe. I am thankful for first responders (police, firefights, EMTs, etc.) who rise to the occasion when disaster strikes.

So, this Thanksgiving, most of our family will sit around a delicious meal and share what we are thankful for. Then we will thank our Heavenly Father, the Source of our provision and our Hope for the future.

Happy Thanksgiving!