I am going to continue sharing things I am Thankful for today and give you the next third of my list of 100. Today is going to focus a little bit more on experiences I have had and am particularly grateful for. I focused mostly on people and things on Monday, so today I will tell you a little bit more about my past, and on Friday, I will finish up with many facts about the universe I am grateful for.

34.   Coming to Jesus Christ at a young age. A Christian home is a valuable thing.

35.   Going to a small elementary School. Although I didn’t always appreciate it at the time, the relationships you build are valuable.

36.   Being baptized publicly. I’m privileged to live in a country where my life was not in danger while taking this public step.

37.   Having the opportunity to speak at both my high school and college graduations to hundreds of people.

38.   Having the opportunity to help lead a Christian club in my public high school with several of the same people who I now attend Bible Study with.

39.   Being able to compete with power soccer teams from around the United States, Canada, Brazil and Uruguay.

40.   Being able to be a part of basketball teams as a statistician prior to discovering my own sport. It let me be a part of the team and just be one of the guys.

41.   Actually getting paid to write when I was still in high school and cover sporting events. I appreciate people taking a chance on a high school senior.

42.   Traveling up and down the East Coast not only for medical appointments but also for fun. I know a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to see all that I have seen.

43.   Learning to appreciate our nation’s history through visiting many sites in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Gettysburg and many other Civil War sites. Being there makes you feel different.

44.   Having the opportunity to compete academically in both spelling bees and Scholars’ Bowl. It was my competitive outlet during my younger years.

45.   Starting to drive my wheelchair when I was 3. It got my independence off to an early start.

46.   Learning my senior year of high school that my writing wasn’t as good as I thought it was but being taught to make it much better.

47.   Being convicted to study apologetics exactly at the time that Houston Baptist University rolled out the 100% online option.

48.   Being offered one job after interviewing for several with no success. I’m thankful for the one.

49.   Getting the opportunity to study many of the most important books in the history of Western civilization with so many smart people at Faulkner University.

50.   Actually engaging in research as an undergraduate. It helped prepare me for my future academic endeavors.

51.   Having plenty of opportunities to stop and buy cremees in the summer.

52.   Having the right medical equipment. My Cough Assist I believe has quite literally saved my life a few times.

53.   Electricity. We may lose it a lot out here in rural Vermont, but I certainly appreciate having it.

54.   Living in the country where I can actually access the Internet and share my thoughts with you. The freedom of the press is a good thing.

55.   Having had people disagree with me on important issues. When people disagree with me, I have to think, and being forced to think is a good thing. It is better than blindly stumbling around.

56.   Getting to experience a great deal of live music. After hearing all the bad stuff that people, music, it makes you appreciate that which is good.

57.   Perhaps never entirely losing childlike wonder. I am watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving while writing this. I suppose that is enough said.

58.   Experiencing the joy of hitting a soccer ball. I have been playing for quite a while, and I still literally love to get on the court win or lose.

59.   Meeting some really great people. This applies to just about every area of my life, but I am all the richer because of the people I have come to know in so many different ways.

60.   Having a Bible written in my language. Some people still don’t have that.

61.   Living in the 21st century. I would not be here today if modern technology did not exist, and even if I was here, my quality of life would be nowhere near what it actually is.

62.   Being given the opportunity to graduate from college without any debt whatsoever. Graduate school would not have been possible otherwise.

63.   Questioning why the world is the way it is. It might be odd to be thankful for questions, but having questions in the first place brings you to answers.

64.   A solid amount of self-confidence. Of course, like everyone else, I care what people think, but I don’t take it personally.

65.   Being optimistic. Life is too short to worry it all away.

66.   Believing that anything is possible.