Thursday's Thankful Thirteen (20)

I am way late on this this week. I didn't post on Thanksgiving because I was spending the day being thankful with the family, but this past Thursday I just plain didn't do it. I have been having such a hard time lately feeling like blogging. Either I have been busy or just have nothing I want to talk about. Anyway, giving thanks does help you realign yourself, give you a better life perspective and realize how good you've got it, so even though I am late its all good.

1) God's timing- a friend once said that God is never late or early but always on time as His time is the right time. I have many times over brought that to mind and used it as a wonderful reminder when I have gotten impatient with things in life.

2) The hard times- it is through them that we grow and mature. I am so glad that God refines us in His fires. It may not be easy, but think of how much better we come out of it in the end.

3) Blogs on the internet- I have gotten so much encouragement from other women and their blogs. God can really use them as a ministry that is for certain.

4) We have the money for our bills again this month- our wonderful church took up an offering last week and had enough collected to pay our bills for the month and maybe get the brakes done on the van (they are needed).

5) That God has given me the abilities to make things. I am making everything for Christmas from what I already have or can get on food stamps. The boys, for example (they are too young to read so I know they wont find out what I am giving them!) are getting scarves from yarn I have or got from my mom.

6) Dan has been doing water therapy on his own at a rec center pool and has felt improvement in his back. He still has a ways to go, but he is being faithful in going to do it.

7) Good friends who want to spend time with us. Two couples at church who we are friends with have both asked us to go to the adults only Christmas dinner this year on them.

8) Parents who watch the children so we can have adult time every once in a while.

9) The baby has been doing really good at going to bed and has been getting longer stretches of sleep at night. He even has managed a few 8 hour spaces between feedings (although he still wakes several times he does go right back to sleep).

10) My sweet Abigail, who turned 7 the Monday before Thanksgiving. She is a real sweetheart and I love her.

11) Our one grocery store also has a gas station. For every $50 you spend in groceries they take .10 off per gallon when you fill up. This last week Sunday we were able to fill up our tank for $1.15. That was about $25 for the tank!

12) That I am home again. We were gone all day today and I had to drive in some pouring down rain so it is good to be home and ready to retire for the night.

13) The city is coming tomorrow to remove the tree that is on our tree lawn. Over the years the electric and phone companies did not do a smart job trimming it and it is not safe in the weight distribution. I will miss the shade in the summer and all, but it is better to take it down then for it to come down on our house or fence. This past year one smaller but good sized branch fell into the middle of the street already.