Sunday, November 18, 2007

Thankful

     
The old expression is the Third time is a charm.  Let's hope so.  This is the third time I have started today's entry.  Too many of the folks that made the holiday's what they were are gone on to the Master's Table.  All Pete has dwelt on for years is being at deer camp this week.  So, while I'll say it is nothing I look forward to expectantly or get excited about anymore, in my heart I am still thankful. 
 
                
 
Thankful that I know my Lord and Savior and for his Mercy, Grace and Love.
 
Thankful for my grumpy old man.  ;o)  Who wouldn't be grumpy after the year he has had with his health? 
 
Thankful for a smart, handsome son who is kicking and struggling to become his own man.  In many ways he is doing this well.  In others not so well.  But I am proud of him!  So many today don't even seem to try to become their own man, but just coast through these all important years on the coattails of others. 
 
Thankful for a smart, beautiful little girl.  Who is warm and caring.  Artistic and creative.  She takes pride in doing well. 
 
Thankful for our home.  It's not fancy.  It's plain.  It's simple.  It's cluttered and a little dirty.  But it's comfortable.  And it's warm.  It's removed enough from the world to be quiet and peaceful where we are.  Perhaps that is why I have all but lost all interest in the deer camp.  Here I don't need to get away from passing cars and systems blaring.
 
Thankful for my job.  I know some may think I am crazy staying with my part-time job with Pete not working any to speak of this past year.  But I know my job.  I do it fairly well.  The part-time part gives me the flexibility I often need.  And I am able to make enough hours to almost meet our needs money wise.   And for the most part, the people around me there are friendly and kind.  
 
Thankful for caring, kind people along the way.   Because frankly, if it weren't for them sometimes we just wouldn't make it.  Wouldn't have what we had to when we had to.  May God bless them for their kindness! 
 
Thankful for wonderful programs that help, even when people are trying to help themselves.  Chip and Medicaid that have covered my children and kept them healthy.  The Christian Care center in town, who helps so many in so many ways; food, clothes, utilities, getting prescriptions filled.  Thankful for the meals programs in the schools that make sure the kids always have a breakfast or lunch without any thought or worry.  Thankful for AT&T's lifeline program, that provides basic phone service at drastically reduced rates, that no one be without what has become a necessity.  Thankful for a clinic that takes patients on a sliding scale based on income.  Yes, it has it's snags and problems, but getting the cash together to go other places would be a bigger problem.   Thankful for Wal*Mart's $4.00 drug program.  
 
Thankful for extended family and friends.  Sometimes they bring drama into our lives, but life would be rather uneventful without them.
 
Thankful that somehow God always gives me the strength I need for the day.  I never get everything done, but by his grace I get what has to be done and sometimes a little more.  
 
Thankful for Christian friends, sisters in the Lord.  In my church, here online.  You fill me of a sense of a place to fall, so to speak.  A knowledge that there is always someone to turn to, someone to talk to, someone to pray with me.  
 
Many other small things to be thankful for!  A good rain last night.  The touch of a kitten.  Fresh eggs in the yard.  A good sleep.  A warm shower.  Too many to mention.  
 
I work Monday - Wednesday.  Will have a meal at work.  Will go to the camp on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Weather forecast shows it might be a mess, but it'll be our mess and we'll be together.  And there is always home to come back to and get out of the mess. 
 
   
I pray for each of you my friends in J-land, a warm and happy Thanksgiving.  I pray God will open your eyes to the many blessings that surround you.  No matter your circumstance, they are there!  Don't dwell on what you don't have.  What if the pilgrims had done that?  I'm sure there was a long list of things they missed.  Things they had wished were different.  But they gathered together and gave thanks for what they did have!  And as they did so, I'm sure it fueled their hearts with hope for the future.  May yours be fueled as well! 
 
And thanks to Sugar at SugarShackKeepsakes for the beautiful graphics!

24 comments:

  1. Thank you for reminding me that i have a lot to be thankful for.
    Jenny <><

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  2. Thank You Barb for a beautiful entry...I was saying "yes, thank you Lord" so many time...hubby came over to see what I was reading LOL...he liked it too!!!  and thanks for being my jland reader...I always appreciate your comments....hugs and God Bless from KY....Ora

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  3. Most excellent list of blessings!
    Traci

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  4. You did a very touching and beautiful entry Barbara. May God continue to be with you and your family. A Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Hugs, Helen

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  5. Barbara this was a beautiful entry. Thank you for sharing all that you see you can be grateful/thankful for! What a blessing!!

    God Bless
    Christy

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  6. I am so thankful for you that you have all that you need.  I wish I would have relied a little more on the help that is out there instead of trying to to it on my own when my children were younger.  I missed so much with them, struggling and determined to make it without any help.  Pride sure can trip us up but looking back now, I know that all the kinds of things you get for help were available for me too and I didn't understand.
    Family comes first after God. When we can truly understand what that means, we are so much more richly blessed.
    Everyday is a new day and a new chance to get it right.  I pray that God will keep me humble, open to his help and restore all that Satan has robbed from me.
    May your Thanksgiving celebration be awesome.  God bless.

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  7. Yes we all have so much to be thankful for and you said it well. I love the meaning of holidays but I think there is too much hulla ba loo connected to them until sometime we forget what we are celebrating. Paula

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  8. What a wonderful entry!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Linda

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  9. YOU HAVE SPOKEN MY HEART FELT FEELINGS OUT LOUD AND I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU.
    LOVE YA,
    CARLENE

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  10. Have a good Thanksgiving, Barbara

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  11. What a beautiful read....thank you for sharing...June:)

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  12. God Bless you and your family Barbara~  I am so grateful for many of the same things you are- especially my Christian sisters here!  I'm so very grateful to you for all you encourage me through!  Thank you!!  Love Carolyn- PS- I hope you all have a great time at the camp this year, that Pete will have a good day without pain and worries- an bag him a good one!  : )

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  13. Those are great things to be thankful for.  I need to do an entry like this.  I did mention in penny's comments section though what i was thankful for.  you should go over there and leave her this link to your entry, so everybody will know to stop by here!  they will want to read this great entry.  I love your entry.

    Krissy :)
    http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

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  14. Wonderful blessings....
    Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
    Linda :)

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  15. I am thankful that I came across a good friend miles away....in you.

    Michele

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  16.    NICE ENTRY BARBARA,
                                           IT IS WISE TO WORSHIP JESUS AND TO THANK HIM EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY ON THE DAY OF THE MONTH THAT WAS DESIGNATED QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO BY ONE OF OUR FOREFATHERS THAT HELPED TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT.       sam

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  17. Wonderful entry, very inspiring. I hope you have a nice day on Thanksgiving day.

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  18. Wonderful post hon. Have a beautiful, peaceful, loving Thanksgiving! (Hugs) Indigo

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  19. Thank you for encouraging me so much this past week and I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!!!!!  Hugs n Love,
    Lisa

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  20. Thank you so much for the wonderful prayer. So many of us need it and even those who think they don't well..... they do.
    You are such a God fearing strong woman and it makes me proud that I can come here and get the peace and strength I need also. Thank you for that.
    Here wishing you a Great Thanksgiving no matter what you do and who you are with.
    Sharon
    journals.aol.com/hbound4/struggle-with

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  21. I have so missed you!  You and your entry is the epitimy of a thankful heart.  
    ((((((HUGS))))))))

    Much Love,
    Mary

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  22. Thankful for extended family and friends.  Sometimes they bring drama into our lives, but life would be rather uneventful without them.  LOL...so true!  

    Praying right back for you..have a great day!  Hugs,TerryAnn

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  23. Hi Barbara! Thanks for visiting my journal and for your kind comments.  I enjoyed your entry on what you're grateful for! So your husband is at deer camp? Mine went hunting this weekend too, although he comes home in the evening. I was starting to get a little sad because he has been gone all weekend, but then reminded myself this is the one time of year he gets to do this thing he loves.

    Thanks again for visiting, i will be back!
    hugs
    Melissa

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  24. The old song says, "Count your blessings,
                                Count them one by one,
                                Count your many blessings
                                See what God has done...."

    Faith and the peace of Jesus is our number one blessing!
                               

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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