Gratitude365

There’s nothing like an imminent departure date to kick me into gear to do all the things I’ve been putting off. Not just the things that have to be done to Felix (our motorhome) or to our lot here, but things I’ve been wanting to do, but considered inessential. Like wandering down an interesting-looking road just to see what’s there. We did that yesterday.🙏🏽

Houses along an irregular lake front such as Table Rock’s can be just several yards apart by boat, but miles away by road. The dead-end of one such road, Jones Road, can be seen from here at the resort, but to GET there takes half an hour because it’s 18 miles away. That’s where Crisco, the Table Rock mountain goat, hangs out. I used to see him most mornings when I kayaked, and ever since then I’ve wanted to explore the area up there in the bluff, around the point. A Google Earth-search confirmed the route, so we took a little detour on the way to doing errands in Hollister.🙏🏽

What a treat that turned out to be! Most of the houses can’t be seen from Jones Road, a windy, narrow road that’s on the lake’s southeast end. Barbed wire fencing lined both sides of the road which had to be traversed slowly. As it turned out, having to go slow was what made the drive delightful!🙏🏽 Otherwise, we would have missed these little tchotchkes.

Yes, someone apparently took the time to stop and deposit a banana peel each time he ate one, and that made me chuckle. 🙏🏽 There were many more tchotchkes, making the 15-minute, delightful detour the highlight of my day!🙏🏽 I not only saw what I came to see, Jones Road, I saw one little something after another that made me smile, and eagerly anticipate the next!🙏🏽 I’m grateful for being open to new things.🙏🏽

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. ~Proverbs 16:9

Yesterday I was going through the videos on my phone and deleting the ones I didn’t want to keep. I happened upon one that was very bittersweet to watch: it was a video of my 17-year-old chihuahua pup, Victor, taken at the park in Bandera, Texas, in January of this year. We’d just finished taking both pups on a long walk, something we did most days—and Victor was full of vigor, running first to this side, then the other, anxious for Daddy to put him in the car where a dish of ice cold water awaited him.

Today, less than a year later, Victor is a much different pup. Having nearly all the symptoms—disorientation, sleeps most of the day, soiling inside the RV—he’s recently been diagnosed with doggie dementia. Thankfully, he still has a healthy appetite🙏🏽 so I don’t think he’s at the end of the line just yet.🙏🏽

Victor’s slowing down has made me slow down, too, and that’s not a bad thing.🙏🏽 I spend more time than I used to ’just sitting’ with him and being with him.🙏🏽 He’s usually sleeping as I’m stroking his head and petting him, and maybe doesn’t even know I’m there, but it doesn’t matter. This is quality time🙏🏽, and I treasure it because I know it’s not going to last much longer.

The practice of gratitude in difficult situations like this has helped make accepting them a bit easier.🙏🏽 I’m grateful for all the joy Victor’s given me all these years and all the times he made me laugh.🙏🏽 I’m grateful I can feel the emotion of sadness instead of trying to numb it.🙏🏽 I’m grateful to be able to walk my pup Home.🙏🏽

I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. ~Ecclesiastes 3:18

Three days ago I posted gratitude for making a discovery that indicated the probability of a mouse–and in fact, that was the case.🙏🏽 Ever since that day, my husband’s been attentive to my phobia of anything-rodent,🙏🏽 and I appreciate that very much.

On the day of discovery, evidence of what looked to be tiny pieces of the insulation around the water heater cascaded onto the floor of the bedroom when the slide was brought in, and a mound of it was found inside the cabinet (cubby) that housed the water heater. Cleaning it up was not a simple matter. My husband had to retrieve the shop vac that’s stored in our cargo trailer on the other side of the resort, then come back and vacuum the residue before baiting the mouse trap with a lavish dollop of peanut butter.🙏🏽 All of which I appreciate; rodents scare me and I want nothing to do with them.

Yesterday morning I checked the cubby, and what I found was almost worse: not only was there more insulation scattered about, most of it covered the mouse trap! Whatever it was was making a mockery of the situation. My husband took one look at it, mumbled something about having to get the shop vac again, and closed the door. I’m grateful he takes me seriously.🙏🏽

Unbeknownst to him, he checked the cubby less than an hour later and, lo and behold, there was the mouse!🙏🏽 Both of us marveled at the fact that he re-checked the cubby so soon.🙏🏽That’s not like him at all, but…🙏🏽 I am very grateful that the situation was remedied so quickly!🙏🏽

I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. ~Psalm 118:21

I am grateful for all the amusement in my life.🙏🏽 There is an abundance of it🙏🏽 which is great, having ADHD and all. I’m grateful for all the things that hold my attention; most of them make me smile or laugh, and I do that a lot.🙏🏽

Some things that amuse me—in random order—are my family’s sense of humor, my pups, my friends, living in an RV and everything about the lifestyle (travel, seeing new things, making new friends), dog videos on Instagram, mealtime, Branson shows, Christmas lights, hobbies, long walks, telephone visits with friends, kayaking, power washing anything filthy, bike riding.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Practicing daily gratitude has really brought about an alertness to what’s happening around me now.🙏🏽 From now on, I’ll try to be more aware of all the things that make me smile or laugh as I go through the day.🙏🏽 There’s probably a whole lot than I realize.🙏🏽 I’m grateful knowing that it’s the little things that mean the most.🙏🏽

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy ~Job 8:21

Three of my friends left this week for warmer climes, two going to Texas and the other to Georgia. There’s not many of us left living here at the RV resort this late in the season, less than a dozen probably.🙏🏽 Systems-wise, we’re ready to leave,🙏🏽 but we’ve chosen to stay put as long as the weather is good. Once we leave, it’s a toss up as to where we go between then and December 23rd, the date of our first reservation in South Padre Island, Texas. Normally, by now I’d have the entire month of December scripted, but this time it’s in God’s hands.

A unique blessing of being amongst very few people is the opportunity to get to know them better.🙏🏽 Because the resort is virtually deserted, there’s just more time now to have good conversation, not just exchange pleasantries.🙏🏽 And what an uplifting, joyful blessing it is to connect with another who is likeminded spiritually!🙏🏽

The practice of daily gratitude has developed my trust in that whenever the time is right, we’ll be ready to leave. 🙏🏽 I’ve learned that God knows exactly what I need when I need it, so I don’t have to worry.🙏🏽 Until then, there’s enough happening to keep me occupied in this in-between time. 🙏🏽 Until then, I can relish the opportunities presented to me each day and make the most of them.🙏🏽 Until then, I can live each moment with gratitude, and that is Peace.🙏🏽

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~1 Timothy 2:1-2

Today is the last day of daylight savings time, so time ‘fell back’ an hour. I’m grateful.🙏🏽 The day is young, not yet 9:00 a.m., and I have already made a couple of discoveries–one positive, and one perplexing, and I’m grateful for both. 🙏🏽 The first was discovering the secret formula to de-linting my Splendide washer/dryer. It’s been taking longer than usual to dry things, so I knew it was time for the Affresh-cleaning method, but I’d forgotten the correct series of steps. I’m grateful for the Internet, because I found just what I was looking for rather quickly.🙏🏽 It’s happening as I write.

The second discovery is, in my opinion, a telltale sign of a mouse. A MOUND of tiny styrofoam pieces–strikingly similar to what’s insulating the water heater–cascaded onto the floor of our bedroom when we pulled in the slide out yesterday. We are preparing to leave and head south soon and yesterday we tested out some of the systems to make sure they worked.🙏🏽 I don’t like mice, but I’m grateful for having discovered this possible problem.🙏🏽 I’m also grateful my husband believed me;🙏🏽 of course, it took actual PROOF, and he’s acting on the problem right now.🙏🏽

I’m grateful for all the discoveries that inspire positive actions on our part.🙏🏽 I’m grateful for the willingness to follow hunches and find out the truth of situations so that it can be dealt with accordingly.🙏🏽 I’m grateful to be vital!🙏🏽

The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail. ~Isaiah 58:11

Olfaction–the ability to smell–is quite an incredible thing. It is the sense that adds something extra to all the other senses, as well as to life itself. 🙏🏽 Our ability to smell enhances our world in its ability to stimulate our appetite, affect our mood, conjure up past memories, and play a key role in our health.🙏🏽 It’s also an internal warning system that alerts us to gas leaks, spoiled milk, rotten food and black water holding tanks that need emptying. 🙏🏽

Smells definitely do color our world. 🙏🏽Thank goodness most of them are pleasant!🙏🏽 I specifically remember two instances, though, involving two very unpleasant smells that I will never, ever forget 🙏🏽–ear wax and burning garbage in a landfill. The gratitude in those memories is that, otherwise, there wouldn’t be a story to tell!🙏🏽

These past few days of expressing gratitude for each one of my senses has opened my eyes to the wonder that is the human body. 🙏🏽 The intricate way that our senses pick up and relay signals to the brain is amazing,🙏🏽 and I’m humbled for having taking them for granted. I pray I stay cognizant to these magnificent gifts. We truly ARE wonderfully made!🙏🏽

The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! ~Song of Solomon 2:13

I’ve never thought much about my sense of touch, but I’m grateful to be doing it today.🙏🏽 Unlike the other four senses that are located in my head, touch is experienced all over my body, 🙏🏽 thanks to receptors that send messages to my brain via nerve endings in the skin covering my body. I find that amazing. It’s no wonder then, that out of all five senses, touch is actually vital to life.

The sense of touch is the first sense to develop in utero, and from the moment of birth, infants are inclined to suckle and nestle up with their caregiver, forming the bond needed for their survival. Even as we age, touch is an important part of mental and emotional well-being. 🙏🏽That’s because touch encourages the release of the hormone oxytocin that aids in emotion connection. 🙏🏽Without connection we’re, well, out of touch.

That brings to mind the many expressions in the English language that include the word touch. We touch base when we want to connect with others. That way we keep in touch, and when we don’t, we’ve lost touch. We’ve got the magic touch with things we’re good at, and we put the finishing touch masterful projects. Touch and go describes critical situations. Touch seems to take into account the action itself as well as its effect.

Perhaps the power of touch was best illustrated in the Bible by the many accounts of people who were cured from blindness, leprosy and a host of other ailments simply by touching Jesus or even just an article of his clothing. Of course, belief had everything to do with it, but it was touch that made it happen.

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ~Mark 5:27-28

Writing daily about certain things to be grateful for has proved just how much I take for granted in this wonderful life, and I’m grateful for the reminder.🙏🏽

I’ve read that the loss of the sense of taste was a common byproduct of a person having had Covid, and that really is something to grieve! What pleasure then would there be in eating? Good food is love!🙏🏽 It’s hard to imagine a world without buds—taste buds—not being able to differentiate between various flavors…the saltiness of a pretzel, and the bitterness of bakers chocolate, the sweetness of watermelon and the tartness of lemonade. I love all those!🙏🏽 I love the creaminess of ice cream and the crunchiness of peanut butter, thanks to my buds.🙏🏽 I love the juiciness of steak cooked to perfection and the dry, crispness of french fries. Thanks to my buds.🙏🏽 I love the warmth of coffee in the morning and the thirst quenching relief of ice water throughout the day. Thanks to my buds.🙏🏽 I love the memories certain tastes conjure up, thanks to my buds.🙏🏽 My buds do a lot for me.🙏🏽

Just as my buds pick up on differences in taste, I realize that each one of my five senses is fine-tuned to detect nuances like that.🙏🏽 I’m grateful for this awareness, particularly now at this point in time.🙏🏽 More and more is being revealed.🙏🏽

For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. ~Job 34:3