Another Thanksgiving, Another Thankfulness

This is Thanksgiving week and I have a problem.  How do I condense all the things on my Thanks list into one Monday Morning Manna paragraph?  So let me surprise you with one.  I am thankful that thirty-two years ago, I attended and graduated from the Fort Worth Citizens Police Academy.  I am thankful for the knowledge it gave me that assisted me as I served as the founding  Captain of my neighborhood chapter of Citizens on Patrol, then continue as a patroller after we moved to another neighborhood.  Thankful because it allows me to continue my training at the monthly meetings of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni. Thankful because it places me in six  generations of first responders in my own family, three older generations of family members before me followed by two younger generations after me.  Thankful most of all that it is another way I can serve God by serving people.  Oh, by the way, I was also named for the Chief of Police in Temple, Texas who was a good friend of my parents.  I’m especially glad they called Chief Danforth, Chief Dan, or my first name might have been Danforth.  I confess that when I think of things for which I am thankful this Thanksgiving, this is not number one on my list, but it is a blessing.  “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed” (Proverbs 11:25, The Message).