Ten Things of Thankful - Week 34, 2017

The above image is of a person standing on a rocky shore at sunrise or possibly sunset, with his arms uplifted in supplication as if embracing the brilliant ball of sunlight. The image of a flower has been superimposed over the first image, with the petals being a rainbow of pastel colors from yellow to lavender to mint green to light rose, and the sun forming a bright yellow center. The text printed in two rows of dark brown lettering across the sun says "I am Grateful"... and indeed I am!*

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 I had expected to begin my TToT post for this week with the exciting news that my son-in-law has given my husband and I a four-day stay on Galveston Island for our upcoming 9th Anniversary in September. We try each year to celebrate our anniversary by making fun memories rather than buying gifts for each other,  and my son-in-law knows that our funds are tight this year. He also knows that Galveston is my favorite place to go in Texas. I am truly thankful for his kindness and unexpected generosity.

And yet Hurricane Harvey's arrival in the Gulf Coast has certainly and very quickly put things in perspective. Now my focus on Galveston and the surrounding area is the safety of people there, and sadness for the struggles they are enduring and will be experiencing for several days. When you live in that area you realize that tropical storms, high winds, and flooding are to be expected from time to time, but that doesn't make it any easier for families, animals, or business owners, not to mention all the security and rescue people that must risk their lives to help others.

I am thankful that there is evidence of good planning to help alleviate as many problems as possible. I am thankful for cities that provided free bus transportation of evacuees to shelters in other areas, and also permitted them to take pets.  I am thankful for the medical and emergency people left behind that must carry on their duties in the face of the storm while worrying about their own families and property.  I am thankful for good news coverage that keeps us informed of what is happening and what to expect.  I am especially thankful for those who have reached out to help with funds, food, shelter, and other necessities. 

Last night I saw a posting on Facebook of a ranch in the area that was offering free emergency boarding for pets and livestock, food included.  That's the spirit of love and caring that warms my heart! I am thankful for grocery stores, home improvement stores, hotels, and restaurants that don't price gouge when presented with the opportunity to do so because of high demand for their goods and services.

Texas is a very large state, many people don't realize that. I am thankful for friends who have contacted me to make sure we are ok, and I am grateful, for once, that we live in West Texas and will only experience residual rains from the hurricane.  I am also thankful for friends in the hurricane path who have quickly responded to my inquiries to make sure they were safe.

I am also thankful for all the people who have the good sense to evacuate when asked to do so, rather than putting emergency crews at greater risk later when it becomes necessary to rescue them. I am thankful for people who wouldn't even consider leaving their pets behind.

I am thankful this morning that thus far no loss of life has been reported, things that are destroyed by the storm are replaceable, family members are not.

Most important of all, I am thankful for the prayers being offered for all in the path of the storm, and for the sense of community and perseverance that assures all will be put right in due time. Isn't it interesting how all the superficial divisions between people that are so widely publicized these days suddenly fade into the background as people pull together to face bigger issues? Maybe that's the real reason to be thankful in all of this.
 

Blessings to you in the days ahead... Look for reasons to be thankful in your life, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!
 

The above photo is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.*

* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.

Ten Things of Thankful - Week 33, 2017

The above image is a quotation that says "Be grateful for ever moment of every day that you get to spend with the people you love. Life is so very precious." The author is unknown. The large purple text is printed above an image of five lavender roses on short stems in a clear glass of water. The background is off-white shaded with diagonal streaks of lavender on the top half which extend from the upper left  to the middle right ending behind the roses.*

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 This is the first time I've sat down at my keyboard in ten days, that's a record for me! As most of you know, I flew to Nashville on Saturday a week ago to visit my daughter and help her prepare for the sale of her home there.  My son also lives there and I got to spend time with him and his awesome girlfriend too!  It was a busy week that went by way too fast. 

 

On the plane coming home Saturday night I started to make notes of the things I was thankful for, and in just a few minutes I'd surpassed ten and easily could have kept going for twenty. I am two weeks behind on reading and commenting on your TToT posts and am eager to get back to that, so this will be the short version of  my week and just some of the many awesome things about it...

 

I am so very thankful for my daughter's gift of the airplane ticket so that I could visit her, we really needed that time together.  I am thankful she is financially able to do such a nice thing for me.

 

I am thankful that my flights and connections both going and returning went smoothly, other than a short delay in Dallas which was no big problem. I am always fine with sitting as long as I have wi-fi and my smartphone. :-)

 

I am thankful for the surreal beauty of flying high above the clouds in the daylight and for seeing the tiny twinkling lights below at night. No matter how old I get it will always feel magical.

 

I am thankful beyond words for getting to spend quality time with my daughter and son; seeing them doing so well in their grown up lives is always such an amazing thing to me, since I don't see them often.

 

I am thankful for getting to meet my son's girlfriend's little boy who is seven, and so polite and conversational. He is being brought up the old-fashioned way with real parenting and it is refreshing. He loved my daughter's cats and was so gentle with them.  I gave him a Toys R Us gift card and he had a great time shopping, choosing some cool new bathtub toys. :-)

 

I am thankful for a chance to enjoy all the green beauty of Nashville and the surrounding area. How I've missed trees, grass, hills, and water! Although it was plenty hot and humid during the days, it was worth it to have the luxury of such gorgeous scenery!

 

I am thankful for the fun of playing with my daughter's three cats, they are healthy, active, beautiful, and very spoiled. We got along great and I really wanted to bring the kitten home with me! :-)

 

I am thankful for all the wonderful meals we ate out and prepared at home, and the fun of sharing really good sushi and German food. Part of the fun of traveling is getting to eat something different!

 

I am thankful that I was able to help my daughter with the final chores of cleaning and staging her house for showing. We worked hard, laughed a lot, fussed at each other a little, and got the job done.  It is such a beautiful home, and her sense of style and décor is amazing!

 

I am thankful for the fun things we found to enhance the appearance for showing, and the bright yellow flowers we planted in the flower boxes on her deck which will make her smile remembering out time together.

 

I am thankful for the amazing outcome of the house listing... the very first person to see it made a good offer immediately after doing so, and contract papers were signed the next day! How often does that happen? What a blessing! She's been working on the house for a long time getting it updated and ready, and was so tired and ready to be done with it. So very nice not to have to do a whole bunch of showings and live with more anxiety. God willing, closing will take place Sept. 25th, by which time she will be packed and ready for her move. I am thankful that she will finally be able to join her husband in Dallas, so much closer to us!

 

I am very thankful for the nearly new king size mattress set that she will be bringing to Dallas and giving to us, so much more comfortable than the old one we have.

 

I am thankful for recipe's shared, new things learned, and all the wonderful and thoughtful little gifts both my daughter and son bestowed on me.

 

I am beyond thankful for Papa Bear's outstanding care of the indoor and outdoor cats in my absence, it's a lot of work! I returned home to find the bed made, dishes done, and everything taken care of.  I am thankful for all the photos he took to send me, and all the little love notes each day.  We missed each other so very much!

 

I am deeply thankful for all the conversations, the laughter, the tears, and the overwhelming love that was shared this past week, and all the lessons that God taught me along the way.

I am thankful that so many of you shared thankful posts and commented on each other's posts in my absence, proving once again that it is not me, but all of you that make Ten Things of Thankful such a wonderful, supportive experience.  I can honestly say I missed the fun of reading about your weeks, and I'm headed that way now!!

 

Last, but definitely not least, I am thankful to be home again, this too is a place of tremendous love and caring, and I know how very blessed I am!

Blessings to you in the days ahead... Look for reasons to be thankful in your life, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!
 

The above photo is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.*

* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.

Ten Things of Thankful - Week 32, 2017

The above image is a quotation from Buddha that says "Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.." The black uppercase text is printed across the image in six lines, covering the background which is a blurred photograph of what might be flowers, in pink, white, yellow, and yellow-green tones.*

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This has been a happy week for me, as I look forward to my plane trip to Nashville tomorrow. It's also been a little stressful trying to get everything ready, not only for me but for the Papa Bear and furkids, who will be at home in my absence. I am not as organized as I once was, or perhaps I just experience more anxiety about such things than I used to. At any rate, I am so very thankful for this upcoming visit and the opportunity to spend  time with my children.  I am also deeply thankful for Papa Bear who is happy for me, and does not grumble about being left to fend on his own for a week or about taking on the responsibilities of caring for our inside and outside cats. He is such a blessing!

 

I am also happy and so thankful to report that my daughter's house is finally ready to be placed on the market this weekend. Please pray that she gets a good offer quickly so that she can move to Dallas to join her husband there. It's been a long, stressful process for her to handle all on her own and she is understandably tired. Our week together will be fun and should be a good distraction from the stress. I encourage her to focus on the outcome rather than getting bogged down in the anxieties of the process, easier said than done for all of us. :-) All prayers will be appreciated.

 

I am thankful that my son and his girlfriend were able to schedule a view days vacation this week for a getaway to the beach in Florida, they both love the ocean like I do. They put in long work hours and were due for a break. They are headed back to Nashville today, a long drive but so worth it.

 

I am thankful to report that the feral kitty trio who visit our deck each day are doing well and finally starting to fill out a little, thanks to a good diet, and flea/worm treatment.  Andy, the bravest of the bunch runs to greet me every time I come out, and loves to be petted and rubbed.  Tom also comes quickly but is a little unsure about being touched yet. Smoky is more shy, but also very handsome with his all-gray fur coat and green eyes.  Our inside furkids love to watch them through the window!

 

I am thankful for a husband who tracked down the UPS delivery truck on his way home from work last night and showed them where we live. They have been delivering our packages to the house down the street this week, despite the fact that our house number is clearly visible on the front of our house! Hopefully today's packages will now be delivered correctly. The drivers must be new, since we've never had this problem before, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

I am thankful and delighted that the online supporters of Mac's Mission rallied to help them win not one, but two large corporate donations by voting on the corporate pages. Mac's Mission does wonderful work in rescuing and saving dogs who would otherwise not have a chance at life. It is fun to see what can be accomplished when individuals work together for a common cause. I also support Mac's Mission through my Amazon Smile purchases. If you are an Amazon shopper, please dedicate your purchases to one of the many charities through the Amazon Smile program. Every dollar makes a difference and it costs you nothing extra.

 

I am thankful to report that my sisters are once again communicating, and hopefully both will mind their manners and get along. I would like to cross this item off my prayer list for good someday! :-)

 

I am thankful that my husband's daughter was able to secure better housing for herself and her two children this week. The situation they've been living in was anything but good, now maybe they will have a chance to start rebuilding their lives. My heart aches for all those kids have been put through.

 

I am thankful to wake up one more day and find that our President has not (yet) engaged us in a war with another unstable leader. It is a fearful situation and I hope and pray along with you that this can be resolved and we can move away from the brink of destruction.  Peace is always the answer.

 

On that note, I'd better get back to washing, packing, and planning.  As I noted on the TToT blog, I will be reading your posts while I am away, and next week's link-up is scheduled to appear on time, but I won't likely have time for commenting until I return home next Saturday night, so please bear with me, and visit each other's pages and leave comments! I hear fairly often that those who post later rarely get many visitors, and that is sad. Sharing our thankfuls is what this is all about!

 

Blessings to you in the coming week.. Look for reasons to be thankful in your life, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!

The above photo is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.*

* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.

Ten Things of Thankful - Week 31, 2017

The above image is a quote by Steve Maraboli that says "If you want to find happiness, find gratitude." The white text is printed in three lines across the center of the image. The background is composed of about sixteen large iridescent bubbles on a background of muted shades of blue, green rose, pink, gray and white, giving it a very soft and magical feeling.*

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Happy Weekend to You! As I noted in the comments on the TToT Blog, happiness to me means being content. Gratitude means being content with what you have and thankful for what you've been given. Happiness isn't a wild dance of joy at every moment, sometimes it is the quiet awareness that your life is good; I am so thankful for the life I have now.

August 1st marked one year since the law firm I was working for closed and I lost my job. It has been a year of transition. I am thankful that we have survived this year, it hasn't been easy but we have learned and grown a lot. I am thankful for the joyous freedom to plan my days. I am thankful to be away from office environments which all too often meant dealing with problematic coworkers. I am over-the-top thankful not to hear ringing phones all day long! :-)

I am thankful for the downpour of rain we had a couple days this week, while it resulted in flooded streets in the city and humidity like a sauna in the afternoon heat of the following day, it cooled things down nicely those evenings, and lessened the risk of wildfires. I am thankful that there was no hail high wind in the rainstorms. We have been so very blessed with rain this season. There have been summers where no rain fell at all. 

I am thankful that my younger sister's 60th birthday turned out to be a wonderful time that she enjoyed very much. She and her husband took a mini-vacation to stay at a B&B that I located for her near a large recreational lake, her first B&B experience, and they really loved it. Whew!

I am thankful for the fun of making my highest scoring word to date in Words with Friends this week, 141 points on a triple-word score space, in a game with Lisa!  I am thankful that I was able to win a game with her, a rare occurrence! :-) I love playing Words with Friends and Yahtzee and having my brain challenged by it.

I am thankful for people who share the bounty of their summer gardens. Papa Bear brought home squash from a coworker this week, and it was much enjoyed. If you think about it, being given anything that you weren't expecting makes you smile. Those little intentions to share good matter!!

I am thankful for opportunities to see people in different perspectives. Yesterday I watched a video of Todd Hoffman singing Sounds of Silence, it was a truly powerful rendition in a unique style. You might recall Todd Hoffman as one of the lead characters in the TV show Gold Rush. We used to watch it and I can't say that I liked him very much, he had an abrasive manner of treating people. So it came as a surprise that he could put this much feeling and a talent I was unaware of into a song I love. Check it out on YouTube. Funny the things we don't know about other people that might surprise us!

I am thankful that we are now in August and just a couple more months away from cooler weather here in West Texas. I am also thankful for an averaged electric bill that keeps our budget on an even keel with no blow-out expense during the hottest or coldest times.

I am both thankful and excited that one week from tomorrow I will be on a plane to Nashville to spend time with my daughter and son. I miss them so much! <3

As always, I am most thankful of all for the quiet reassurance of faith that sustains me and helps me to live in the moment without letting fears or worries overcome me.

Blessings to you in the coming week.. Look for reasons to be thankful in your life, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!

The above photo is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.*

* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.