Gratitude365

Branson is best known for live, family-friendly entertainment, and there’s a wide variety of shows to choose from. I’m grateful to live near such a place 🙏🏽where there is almost too much to do, and we try to attend at least one show each month.🙏🏽 Many acts are here practically year round, but a few have limited engagements. Yakov Smirnoff is one of them; although he makes his home in Branson, he’s only in town this month and next. We were able to see his show last Friday🙏🏽 and our seats were fabulous (third row, right, on the end)🙏🏽

What I knew about Yakov was that he was a Russian comedian and had been around for years. But what I’ve recently learned about him makes me all the more grateful we went to see him: his love for America is amazingly profound, and in these current times, that was something I didn’t know needed to witness.🙏🏽His catch phrase, ”What a country!” often triggers a laugh, but now I know its true meaning is so much deeper. The United States of America IS an amazing country, 🙏🏽 and I am damn lucky to be a natural born American. 🙏🏽🇺🇸🙏🏽 I left his show feeling more patriotic and more hopeful than when I walked in 🙏🏽 that things will get back on track soon.

Hearing Yakov’s story conjured up memories of my own father’s patriotism, as he himself was a legal immigrant. 🙏🏽🇺🇸🙏🏽Though times are bleak and it seems like no end’s in sight, Yakov’s message is that many good things are happening around us🙏🏽despite what the media spouts. His message of love through laughter (and tears) was one I am grateful to have heard, 🙏🏽 especially on this particular day, which happened to be our 44th wedding anniversary. 🙏🏽 These days, I pray I take everything in gratitude and nothing for granted.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time ~1 Peter 5:6

Today is a special day for my husband and me; it’s our 44th wedding anniversary! That’s a long time, especially given that I’d only known him a month when he proposed. But we were young and in love. Or lust. Either way, we’ve built a good life together, one unlike I ever imagined growing up.

Although I don’t articulate it, I thank God every day for the person I’m walking through life with. I have been blessed with a life partner who’s totally unlike me, and yet complements me in every way. We are like two odd-shaped puzzle pieces that somehow fit together perfectly. We’ve always made a good team.

Now we’re much, much older. I’m astonished at how quickly the past four decades have passed. That puts our remaining time together in perspective, and it also makes me realize the value of each day. That each one is another opportunity to be kind, and tolerant, and gracious to one another. Am I, 100% of the time? No, but I’m working on it. I notice he is, too.

And so, “Thank you” is often said during the course of our days together. I like the sound of it. Gratitude is the smile of love.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ~Colossians 3:15

I consider myself a safe driver, but the other day I got entangled in a unique situation. One that I was SO GRATEFUL to escape unscathed. Somehow I’d ended up in a fast food drive-thru lane without having had ordered anything. I could not back up or turn around. I wasn’t in line; I was alongside the line. As in, mere inches separating me from the others whom I’m sure thought I was either high or just an idiot.

I crept ever so slowly past the cars waiting in line, my car’s tires miraculously clearing the concrete curb. The last vehicle I passed was a county emergency vehicle; I was so grateful it wasn’t the police or highway patrol. Once I’d gotten past the line and out of the parking lot, I offered up heartfelt thanks. The entire experience probably lasted less than a couple of minutes, but the embarrassment and fear remained much longer. I admonished myself for doing something so stupid, and prayed I’d never do that again.

I’ve learned many lessons the hard way; those are the ones that stick. This is one of them, I hope. I’m grateful for mercies, especially when I do dumb things.

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4

My world went from calm to crazy late yesterday afternoon when I received a phone call from the medical center in Branson to remind me about my ultrasound, scheduled for 7 a.m. this morning. That was news to me; I had not received any such notification previously. Even though I could have rescheduled, it was something I’ve been waiting to have done for a while, so in spite of mentally calculating that I’d have to be up, dressed and out the door by 6 a.m. I kept the appointment. It was irritating to be caught unaware of the appointment as well as to be told that I couldn’t have anything to eat or drink for 8 hours beforehand, but the biggest annoyance was that fact that we had JUST re-caulked our shower and it wouldn’t be cured for 24 hours. At least I could use the resort’s facilities. The timing of this was not convenient, but putting it off wouldn’t do anyone any good and complaining about it wouldn’t help any.

I awoke before my alarm went off and got ready, being grateful that I’d set out my clothes the night before. The temps dipped into the 20’s last night, and I noticed that the heat pump had given way to the furnace, which warmed the floor and made it feel toasty. Our car has the remote start feature, something I very much appreciated this morning. Everything fell into place nicely; I was ready to go ahead of schedule and took my time driving to where I needed to go. I’m grateful. It was still dark when I drove into town, grateful I could take my time and also that no deer decided to jump out onto the road and surprise me.

It’s amazing that, because of gratitude, things came together easily for something I didn’t have on my calendar. Even more amazing, only two hours after the test, I got a text notification that the radiology report was already written. I’m grateful for things that happen rightly and easily.

There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. ~Proverbs 19:21

No matter how much I try to escape the happenings of outside world, I still get inklings of ’the news.’ These days, it’s a real challenge to be genuinely optimistic on a daily basis. The expression mind over matter has never been more relevant—or more important. I believe it’s the cornerstone of one’s sanity. That’s why it’s so important to focus on the things that really matter, and the above quote is a gentle, yet powerful, reminder.

I have to remind myself often that I can only change myself, my attitudes about things, and my reactions. I don’t have the power to change anyone or anything else.

That’s why spending time with God first thing in the morning is so important to me. I somehow receive the patience and the sustenance to deal with each thing as it comes, and not get overwhelmed with things that are of outside my control. Give us this day our daily bread…One day at a time.

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. -Job 22:21

Have you ever had the notion to do something you had not planned on doing, and then whatever that thing was not only fell into place nicely, but yielded an unexpected blessing? That happened to me just this past weekend.

Like many RVers, we head south when it gets cold. The state of Texas warmly welcomes us snowbirds—so much so that we’re called ’winter Texans’—so that’s been our destination for the past five years. This year we’ll winter in Rockport, beginning January 1st.

Despite knowing they’re subject to change, I still like to make plans. A couple of days ago, it occurred to me that we’ll be traveling over the Christmas holiday, and that I’d better get reservations somewhere, just to be safe. While I do not mind overnighting in truck stops from time to time, I don’t wish to do it over the holidays, although I’m sure a good number of stories would be written as a result if I were ever to do so.

We’ve never been to South Padre Island, so I did a little investigating (little being the operative word) and ended up making reservations for the last ten nights of 2022 at Andy Bowie County Park, and just steps away from the boardwalk to the Gulf of Mexico. I was excited and told Dave; he liked the idea, too. That’s one of the things I love about him and that I’m grateful for; he generally goes along with whatever travel plans I make.

Yesterday I discovered that where I thought South Padre was is not exactly where it is; actually, it’s much further south…200 miles. Just as I was pondering how I’d present this information to Dave, my good friend from Ohio texted, wondering if it was a good time to talk. We wintered in the same RV resort in Bandera and became regular walking buddies. Covid happened, and we haven’t seen one another in nearly three years, something we both lament. So I called her, and we had a nice, long visit. I’m grateful for the timing; she and her husband are heading south this week to where they winter now, Weslaco, and we won’t be able to talk for a while.

A little later, I pulled up the location of the county park we’re staying at on my phone and, just for kicks, plugged in directions to Weslaco. It’s only 60 miles away! What were the chances? That means there’s a real good chance I’ll see my friend, and I couldn’t wait to text her! A sudden rush of joy welled up inside me—and her, too—and I immediately knew this was God’s orchestration. Yet another thing to be grateful for! So amazing…the more I am aware of my blessings, the more blessings flow to me.

God works in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm. ~William Cowper

From the looks of things, it would be easy to be depressed about the current state of our beloved country. It does appear to be going to hell in a hand basket. Corrupt politicians who don’t care about the people they represent, runaway inflation, food and fuel shortages, supply chain interruptions, and rising crime are all commonplace now. Is it possible to be truly grateful for a situation such as this? I think it is, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing daily gratitude!

In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote that ”These are the times that try men’s souls,” and that describes Now perfectly 246 years later. I believe that those in power have been and still are using fear mongering and divide-and-conquer techniques to try and force millions of us to conform to their narrative. All the more reason to spend our precious time on worthwhile, instead of meaningless or even detrimental, endeavors.

What goes on inside my head affects my behavior, so I pay attention to what I feed it. It’s just my opinion, but I think media sucks—as in brain cells. Mainstream, social, video games, most movies. I quit Facebook and stopped watching television right around the time of the 2020 presidential election and haven’t missed either. Currently, I have two social media accounts: Instagram, where I post personal stuff, and Telegram, where I get what I consider to be truth regarding what’s going on in the world. I don’t spend much time on either.

Instead, my days are filled with chores both indoors and out, caring for our pets (which involves some degree of cooking 😉) recreation, writing, and a million little things, but what’s first and foremost is my early morning time with God. My relationship with Him is relatively new, but it has made ALL the difference in the world between giving in to the fear and keeping a level head and using common sense. The saying that energy flows where attention goes is true, and never more important than Now.

As upside down as things are, I’m grateful for Now. Because of the craziness, a lot of truth will be forthcoming. We are witnessing history as we know it being rewritten, and I pray certain people in my life wake up. It really is an exciting time to be alive!

No God, no peace.

Know God, know peace.

What’s not to love about Autumn? Cooler temperatures. Comfort food and pumpkin spice anything. Sweatshirts and comforters. Hay bales, scarecrows, gourds and chrysanthemums. I love all of this, but what I love most about this season is fall foliage.

After a couple of weeks of amping up, the autumn leaves here in northwest Arkansas will finally reach their stunning climax in just a week or two. As each day goes by, the hills and bluffs become more and more mottled with vibrant color. First here. Then there. Pretty soon, red, gold, and orange will be everywhere.

Autumn reminds me that Mother Nature’s bounty is abundant. It is all around me, if I just open my eyes. I truly appreciate this colorful season!

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. ~Daniel 2:21

For the past five days, one of our granddogs, Fudge, has been staying with us because pets are not allowed in the cabin where my daughter’s family is staying while they visit us. Fudge is a rescued senior pup, just like our pups Victor and Biscuit, and the three of them get along well. Actually, that’s a bit of an exaggeration…they just go their own individual ways and leave each other alone.

Fudge is a small dog and a love, so I figured that when it came time to go to sleep, one more pup on the bed wouldn’t be an issue—and it wasn’t. All three pups are laid back now that they are old. My only real concern was whether I’d wake up if Fudge had to go outside to pee. I wouldn’t say I was worried about it, but I really wanted to avoid the possibility of his having an accident in bed if at all possible. My daughter said that when has to pee, he just stands up and waits to be taken out. I just prayed I’d sense that and wake up, too.

That seemed like such a trivial request to pray about, but I’ve experienced waking up to a pup having had an accident in bed. It’s the WORST way to wake up from a deep sleep. But God answers even minuscule petitions apparently, for not only did Fudge’s stirring wake me up every single time this week, I awoke clear-headed and patient. Even in the middle of the night. As I waited for Fudge to do his business last night, I gazed at the night sky, brightly illuminated with a million stars and couldn’t help but think of how blessed I am. It’s been a wonderful week.

Yesterday while riding a local bicycling trail, my husband and I decided to stop to rest by a lovely spring in the shade. Dave read aloud its description from a trail map he’d picked up at the entrance; it emphasized that a large rock nearby resembled a buffalo, but that one’s “imagination may lead you to another conclusion.”

I looked hard in the direction of the supposed formation, but could not make it out. Just as I was about to give up and move on, one particular rock seemed to stand out amidst all the others. It may have been that the sunlight hit the bluff just right but whatever it was, the shape of a buffalo was suddenly apparent.

Its unforeseen and then sudden revelation makes me realize how a shift in perspective can change everything. Maybe it is because a light of sorts makes what was hidden suddenly obvious. Whatever it was, I’m glad I finally discerned a different point of view; it was as though I had new eyes to see.

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and suddenly he received sight, and arose ~Acts 9:18