Good morning everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!

Over three hundred years ago, a group of pilgrims fled religious persecution and came to a strange, unknown land to escape to a place where they could live in their faith freely and openly. They encountered some hard times and had to overcome many obstacles, but they found a way to be thankful for the blessings they had found in this strange new world. In 1789, when our great nation was just beginning, President George Washington made November 26th the National Day of Thanksgiving. It was to be a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to acknowledge the blessings this country has received from Almighty God. And today, 220 years later, our country is still indeed blessed. We’re going through some harder times right now, but we are still a great country, the greatest and best country God ever put on this Earth. We have the greatest military the world has ever seen, men and women in uniform ready at a moment’s notice to make the ultimate sacrifice for us, for their country, and for the freedoms they are defending. Thousands of them are spending Thanksgiving overseas fighting, away from their families. We should be grateful for them. We also live in a prosperous nation, one that is blessed and fruitful. Times are tough economically now, but we still are a country full of wealth and riches. We should be grateful to live in a country as bright and shining as America. We also should be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this country. Millions of people across the planet are denied the very freedoms we so enjoy and take for granted, so let’s remember how lucky we are to be able to live here and live free.

Matt and I are here in Florida, celebrating Thanksgiving with our family. And, you know, we really just have so much to be grateful for. We have each other. We have our own little house now, with our dog Ripley. We have our jobs. Matt is doing an amazing service as a Marine, and I personally am so thankful for him and so proud of him. We have our families, we have our health. We may not be rich and we certainly struggle sometimes, but we are blessed people and today, of all days, we will remember that.

We gripe and complain about the state of our country every day. But today, I’m asking that you push all that to the side. Find the things you love about America and your life, and be grateful for them.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. May your holiday be filled with family and friends, laughter and happiness, and the love of God and your families.