Thankful Me

It's autumn time, one of my favorite times of year.  I just couldn't leave this weekend as a one-post weekend.  

Sleep is my friend.  I'm an early-to-bed, early-to-rise person.  I fall asleep quickly, and sleep soundly--at least that has been my modus operandi for the past few decades.  As I'm finding out, age plays a cruel trick on sleep patterns.  It's now not uncommon for me to actually awaken when I roll over in the middle of the night, and then not be able to get back to sleep.  I don't even have to be worried about anything.  I'm just awake.  Of course, the stillness of the night provides a quiet canvas on which to write, so let me tell you this week's ten things of thankful:

October's visiting teaching message talks about Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life.     While Jesus miraculously fed his followers with loaves and fishes, the more important truth is that He can meet our spiritual needs.     Thanks for the peace and joy that comes through Jesus Christ.

I love the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop; it's wonderful to reflect back on the week and review the reasons to be thankful.  Of course, my rememberer isn't as good as it could be, and sometimes I forget things.  So today, I'm going to list not only items that I'm thankful for this week, but also some things that I forgot to mention in weeks past.

Willow returns to her regular puppy-raiser today.  We've enjoyed having her!   Thanks for our canine friends.

Comments on and off the blogging community have caused me to muse a bit about the power of gratitude and service.

 Jumping right in: 1.  We had rain this week!  Not super heavy, like in Arizona and Nevada, but a nice amount.  We did set a record for rainfall amount for the day, but that is only because we had never had any measurable precipitation on that day since records were kept.  0.12 inches is hardly damaging.  While a few sprinkles will not reverse the drought, we can hope that this rainfall is just a harbinger of more of the wet stuff.  The plants look so much better after a refreshing rain, and the smell of rain makes me smile and breathe deeper. 2.  Naps.  We've had some interrupted sleep lately, and it's nice to be able to grab a view winks here and there.  Even Drexel enjoys cat naps! 3.  Friends.  This week was my occasional lunch with friends.  It's always good to catch up with what is happening in their lives.  We often laugh, we sometimes cry, but we always enjoy the time together.   4.  Guide dog puppies.  Drexel is delighted because I'm puppy sitt

On this sobering anniversary day, I appreciated this video celebrating the strength of the American spirit.  Beautiful music, touching video, and tender commentary lend a calming, peaceful feeling to this September day.    Thanks for the many examples of kindness that come during difficult times. 

Drexel kind of likes me.  When I sit down, he curls right up by me.   Usually, he rests his head on my feet.    Unless, of course, he is gazing up at me. He doesn't like to hang out only when I'm relaxing, though.  He also keeps me company when I'm in the kitchen.  Here he is keeping my feet warm while I wash dishes: Oh, Drexel, you are better than any socks! Do your "socks" have feet, too?   Thanks for Drexel, a devoted dog!

Even though school starts in August in our area, when I was a child, school always started after Labor Day.  I loved the anticipation of heading back to class.  I read with excitement the list of needed supplies ("one Pink Pearl eraser", no other kind will do).  I carefully packed the items into my backpack.  Back-to-school time meant new clothes, and I knew exactly which outfit, down to the socks, I would wear on the first day.  Ahhh, structure and routine!  

As many children headed back to school this week, I thought a look back at summer might prove nostalgic. 

Thanks for the atonement.

If you give a guy some storage shelves, he's going to want to put them in the garage.  In order for them to fit in the garage, he'll want to move the freezer. In order to move the freezer, he'll need to empty the contents. In order to empty the contents, he'll need to fill the coolers.    In order to get the freezer through the door, he'll need to take the door off the hinges.   Once the freezer is in its new spot, it will need to be refilled.  The guy will need to bring the coolers back to the freezer.  He'll put the door back on its hinges. Once the freezer is in its new spot, and the door is back on its hinges, the guy can start assembling the shelves.  When the first shelf is put together, the guy will want to put it against the wall.   When he sees where it needs to go, he'll realize he needs to clear a spot for it. He'll get the dolly and move stuff out of the way.   When the floor in that spot is clear, he'll put the shelf

Blogging rule :  Write when the event is fresh in your mind.  What I'm doing :  Trying to decipher my handwritten notes and remember what I actually did.   One of my new favorite mantras :  Brains are not for remembering.  Brains are for thinking.  My new resolve:  Blog before I forget! Back in July, I brought home 40 pounds of ground beef from a Zaycon event (in the spirit of full disclosure, that is a referral link) .    I mentioned my purchase in a blog post, and I promised to share just how I was going to use that much meat.  My freezer is now well-stocked with plenty of meals!