Why I Give Thanks

As we approach Thanksgiving, it is a great time to reflect on all that we are thankful for. We are thankful every day for a multitude of reasons; however, the month of November finds us reflecting on all the blessings bestowed on us throughout life.

We are so thankful for our health. As a family, we have overcome several health-related challenges with the help and support of family, friends and medical professionals.

One of these challenges was Lee’s kidney transplant. We are forever thankful for all who supported us before, during and after this; especially John for giving Lee the gift of a second chance at life through the donation of one of his kidneys. We are also thankful to John’s family for their love and support, and we are thankful for all the medical professionals who used their knowledge, skills and talents for a successful outcome.

We received so much support from family, friends and even people we didn’t know during this process, as well as during the other challenges we have faced. We are extremely thankful for all of these people.

We thank God every day for providing for our needs during these times and also every day.

We are thankful for our family. We have been blessed with two daughters that we were able to raise and who now are beginning their adult lives. We are also thankful that Lee was able to be a stay-at-home dad while our daughters were young. We are very proud of our daughters and all they have accomplished so far and are excited to see what the future holds for them. There are so many blessings that come with being parents, and we are thankful for them.

Living and working in a small community (Tigerton) is another thing we are thankful for. Being in a small community is like having an extra family. Everyone looks out for everyone else, and there is an overall sense of safety and security. People seem to truly care about others and are willing to help others whenever they are in need.

We are also thankful for the opportunity to learn. We have had many teachers, professors and role models that have had positive impacts on our lives, and we are thankful for them and the knowledge and experiences that they have shared with us.

All throughout our lives, we have been supported and encouraged by our extended families and friends. Whether it was giving us advice, sharing knowledge and skills, cheering us on or just being there for us, we are the people we are today due to the tremendous support of our families and friends, and we are so thankful for them.

Having time to appreciate all that we have been blessed with is another thing we are thankful for. We are fortunate to have time to spend with family and friends. We also have time to volunteer and help others as well as time to just enjoy what we enjoy!

We are also thankful for the opportunity to do things we enjoy, such as going for walks or bike rides, working in the garden or just sitting outside and enjoying the weather.

There are countless things we are thankful for including the many blessings bestowed on us. We hope that we have used these blessings to help others as well. Whether it was through volunteering in our community, church and schools, or through our interactions with the people we worked with over the years, we hope we have had a positive impact on others.

As we reflect on our lives, we have so much to be thankful for! We truly are blessed!

Lee and Linda Kreklow are longtime Tigerton residents. Lee runs his own business, and Linda is a retired teacher from the Tigerton School District. Both volunteer in the community.