Gratitude365

Late yesterday afternoon my neighbor-friend came by to see if I wanted to go for a walk, and I was grateful for the invitation. It was a glorious day, the first after almost a week of cold, clouds and rain. I was grateful for that, too.

I admire my friend so much. This marks our 6th winter together in the same RV park, so we have a little history, as well as share a common nationality. She is much younger than her 80+ years would suggest. She is smart and interesting to talk to, quick-witted and, with the help her rolling walker, gets around quite well. She surprises me with her knowledge of pop culture, and even catches me off guard sometimes with a naughty comment or observation.

She said she had something for me and reached into her pocket, pulling out a foil candy wrapper. I unfolded it and read the message: “Keep life moving forward. Looking backward is only for time travelers.” I’m grateful for the good advice. My friend is a good example this—it’s reflected in her zest for life. Think about it: She’s 80 and still RVing. Makes me wonder if I’ll be doing this another dozen years…

I’m grateful for the people we meet along our journey, and if they turn into friends, even better. They add color to my world!

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. ~Isaiah 38:2

I’m grateful for the commitment to write daily gratitude (most days.) It has become an important part of my morning routine, and I consider the practice as vital to my sense of well-being as reading Scripture. I started both habits about the same time, October 2022.

Call me uninformed, but I don’t pay much attention to news on mainstream media. Or what’s deemed as such. I’m grateful there’s so much information on the internet, and that it’s for one to do one’s own research on whatever the current narrative is. Why settle for the misinformation, disinformation and outright lies the mockingbird media is spewing? It’s amazing how calming just looking for answers can be, and intriguing the further down the rabbit hole one goes. God gave us brains for a reason.

I wish I could remember specifically what it was that happened in October that even got me started reading the Bible every day—no doubt it was in reaction to another crazy thing happening, kind of like this satellite balloon story the media is spinning. Something must have prompted me to do something so radical. Whatever it was, I’m grateful. I’ve never felt such peace in the midst of craziness and confusion, and it’s what gives me hope for the future.

These words from the song,”I Believe” say it best: “I’m findin’ more and more truth in words written in red.
They tell me that there’s more to life than what I can see, I believe.”

For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. ~Psalm 33:4-5

I’m grateful for unexpected surprises, and now that I think about it, there were several yesterday! After three days of cold, rainy weather, we were anxious to get out and do something. A ferry ride over to Port Aransas sounded like a good idea. Just to be able to have a cool experience like that at the drop of a hat is a blessing.

Once there, we made our way through the narrow streets to the beach in search of a quiet place to eat the ice cream we’d picked up at DQ. Little did we expect to see the bollards preventing car traffic decorated with we learned were Bollard Buddies, each one unique. There they were, one right after another, as far as the eye could see.

I, like several others, jumped out of the car, and delightfully snapped one photo after another. I shared them on Facebook, and judging by the comments, a few of my friends found them to be as uplifting as I did. Turns out there’s even a Facebook group for these bollard buddies in Port A with several hundred followers! They are made by locals, winter Texans, and “pen pals,” people who’ve heard about the project from afar and wanted to contribute. There’s even local group of volunteers who look out after the buddies, laundering them when needed and replacing them when worn out.

In a world blanketed with doubt, confusion, anxiety, distrust and fear, I’m grateful for little sillies like bollard buddies that bring a smile to people’s faces and bring people together. What the world needs now is love.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. ~1 Corinthians 16:18

Eating is one of my favorite pastimes. I love good food, and it’s especially satisfying when shared with friends. I’m grateful for comfort food, various cuisines that awaken my taste buds, and delicious treats like strawberries covered in dark chocolate. I’m grateful to be spending the winter near the coast where fresh seafood is abundant because there’s nothing like shrimp right off the boat. I’m grateful to be somewhere where Cajun cooking is as common as barbecue. I’m grateful for getting off the beaten path and discovering good food in food trucks, in the harbor amidst the bait boats, and in obscure neighborhood settings.

I’m grateful I remember places I’ve been by where I’ve eaten. I may not remembered the exact name of the restaurant, but I’ll recall enough about it to make the place recognizable. I’m grateful for special foods that remind me of special times. That’s what I call a fond memories!

I’m grateful for how food brings people together. While here this winter, we go out with a small group every Tuesday for hamburgers, and that’s fun. Sometimes I attend one of the ladies luncheons the resort’s social committee planned, and I’ve met some very nice people that way. As I’ve always told my kids, good food is love.

Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. ~ Genesis 9:3

I’ve previously written about how my husband mistook a gift my daughter had gotten for me—a bird feeder—as a gift for him. For the longest time I let him believe what he wanted, but eventually I let him read my story. He didn’t particularly like being the butt of a joke (the kids and grandkids were in on it), but he was a good sport. Or maybe I was. Anyway, the bird feeder became community property.

Where we are presently is temporary; we’re here through the end of next month. I didn’t think we should put the feeder up here, but he did. So I acquiesced. Squirrels were as happy as the birds at being fed, and why not? There was a never-ending buffet at our place!

There began to be more of a congregation of squirrels than birds at the feeder, and they were not at all intimidated by us or either of our dogs. In fact, they seemed to mock old Biscuit as she tried her best to chase them. Nothing my husband bought to deter them worked. Not the metal hanger. Not the plastic dome. Not the metal connector between the dome and the feeder. Without commenting one way or the other, I observed the battle between man and rodent, not saying a word about the multiple trips to Lowe’s or the money spent. I did, however, on more than one occasion comment that it was like watching Elmer Fudd trying to outsmart that pesky wabbit, Bugs Bunny.

My attitude regarding squirrels is steeped in early childhood. When I was a young child, I remember the garage door not getting completely shut one summer evening by whoever was the last one in there. The next day found what seemed to be hundreds of squirrels crawling all over the workbench, under which a big bag of peanuts was stored. Ever since then, I’ve been phobic about rodents in general. Multiples of them freak me out.

I asked him several times to take down the feeder; he wouldn’t because he didn’t see a problem. So, this morning—after watching three squirrels practically dare Biscuit to come after them—I pulled the “it’s my bird feeder” trump card, and took it down myself. Was he mad? Yes. Is he pouting? Yes. Will he recover? Yes.

I’m un-offended by his reaction because life is too short to argue over squirrels. I’m grateful that I find the whole thing kind of funny. I’m grateful that the incident gives me someone to write about. I’m grateful that being un-offended is as much a choice as being offended is. It makes co-existing in a 40’ motorhome so much easier!

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. ~Proverbs 19:11

Currently, ‘here’ is the laundromat. My 17-year-old pup had an accident in bed the night before last, kickstarting a series of events dealing with some aspect of “clean up.” His mess, the duvet, my pillowcase. Him. And today, the comforter.

I’m at the laundromat we discovered just last week—the brand new one that’s ultra clean and ultra modern, where the machines may be operated via app! Anyway, I got an early start and was here before 8:30 a.m.

Before I even got the comforter fully loaded in the washer and set to go, one of the attendants approached me and announced that it was Customer Appreciation Day, and that there was free kolaches and coffee at the desk. As my Uncle Ray would sometimes say, “How about that?!”

Last week our wash was free because it was our first time here, and today it’s free kolaches and coffee because it’s Customer Approval Day. I’m grateful to be at the right place at the right time.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. ~Proverbs 27:1

Our neighbors this winter are people we’ve known for half a dozen years. They are about ten years older than us. They are the salt of the earth-type of people, and I have grown especially fond of her as the years have gone by. If it weren’t for them, I’m not sure where we’d be spending the winter. They were the ones who’d done all the legwork last year, going from one RV park to the next, looking for just the right one. I appreciate their efforts very much, because it saved me many phone calls and inquiries when we abruptly changed our minds regarding where to go this winter. I love these people.

Needless to say, we see each other most days. Him, mostly, as he’s like me: an early bird, always needing something to do. He comes over and visits whenever one of us is sitting outside, and most of the time, the visits are pleasants.

Lately, though, I’ve noticed that he’s been throwing in digs about President Trump, whom he knows we support wholeheartedly. On the outside, I seem to smile and let the comments pass. But on the inside, I’m really irritated. I don’t understand why he does it.

Times such as this is when I’m most grateful for habitual gratitude…it would be so easy to engage my neighbor in a spirited debate, but I detest talking politics. It never ends well. I’d rather talk about anything uplifting, which politics does not. Instead, I’ve been trying to make myself express gratitude for this person being in my life; I know God arranged for us to be neighbors, probably to teach me a lesson.

It probably isn’t coincidence that another friend suggested a book to me a couple of weeks ago, The UnOffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better, by Brant Hansen. The suggestion came at just the right time time. God works in mysterious ways.

I really do love my neighbor; I just wish he’d keep his Trump comments to himself. Just the other day, he asked my husband what it is about Trump that we liked. My husband replied that Trump was the first president in our lifetime who actually put America first and did what he said he was going to do. I thought that short conversation might have been the turning point…and it may still be, for all I know.

I’m getting lots of practice in not allowing others to disturb my peace, and I’m grateful for that. I’d be I’m grateful that I’m learning to ‘move on’ by realizing I have a choice in how I react to triggers. Sometimes I forget, but I’m getting better. Probably because I’m getting to so much practice. Yet something else to be grateful for!

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” ~Job 2:9-10

For more than a decade now, I’ve kept up a monthly blog on another website, Midwest Gypsy. Normal people like our relatives and old classmates (I use the term ‘old’ lovingly) find our seemingly vagabond lifestyle curious and so I write about where we are, what we’re doing, etc. Since I awoke at 4 a.m. and so far the pups haven’t, it’s been the perfect time to write. 🙏🏽

This month’s blog is about our choice to not return to where we’ve spent the past five winters—not because we didn’t like it, but because we wanted a change. For us, variety is the spice of life. I guess so, having lived in a few houses, on a couple of boats and now in an RV. I’m grateful that change isn’t something I fear. 🙏🏽

I sometimes joke about having untreated ADHD and how having it actually works to my advantage. Occasional change and release from boredom appeal to me very much, so going somewhere different after five years isn’t unusual.

Wintering completely different (on the coast) than what we’ve been used to (foothills) is a whole new experience, and I’ve found it inspiring. My mom always told me that a little change would do me good. Embracing it has certainly provided me with a lifetime of adventures (material!) to write about. I’m grateful for Change. 🙏🏽

Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. ~Isaiah 43:18-19