Even while in Afghanistan Thanksgiving is still my favorite holiday

Ah, the smell of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy coming from the kitchen. Family members begin to arrive from their travels for the holiday feast. Football on the TV in the living room tuned in for the annual spanking of the Detroit Lions by Brett Farve and the Green Bay Packers. Is it any wonder why this is my favorite holiday?

Although I will still have turkey with all the fixings, I will not be at home to share in the festivities this year. Instead, I will be eating with my other family, my brothers and sisters of the U.S. military in Afghanistan.

I am actually thankful for having the pleasure to be in such great company in such a rough place. Afghanistan truly reminds me just what America and I have to be thankful for, and it is a lot.

The one thing I am truly thankful for, and forever will be is that I am an American. I don’t have to live in a place like Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a country that has been oppressed and torn apart by political strife and war for more than 20 years. A lot of people in Afghanistan have no running water or adequate housing. They live in houses with dirt floors, no electricity, air conditioning or heat. It is truly hard to grasp this without seeing it for yourself, but they are truly doing without.

The majority of the poorest in America have access to housing with running water, heat and food. Go to the poorest neighborhoods in America you will find most have cell phones, computers and televisions.

You will never hear me complain about having to do without again, because for me in America doing without probably means not buying that new car I really want and settling for the used car. The United States of America is God’s greatest gift to mankind and for that I am thankful.

So sometime between football and dinner you should take a moment and think about how thankful you are for what you have been blessed with. We truly do live in the greatest nation on Earth.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Now would someone please pass the mashed potatoes and gravy and Go Packers!