Grateful for Full Time Work for my Daughter

One of my daughters has been struggling for some time to find work.  I've been checking Craigslist, Indeed.com, JobConnect and other places for jobs for her to help her out.  It is so time consuming to job hunt.  She just got a forty hour a week job with enough income that she can start planning her life.  She is so excited to be able to write out a budget and pay her expenses and still have a little money left for things she wants.  I am so glad she is finally getting to work full time.  I am grateful she has the ability and the opportunity to work.

Do You Have Room for the Savior? - Jon McNaughton

Grateful for Good Health

One of the most valuable things we can have is good health.  When you can get up and move and work and accomplish things, life feels good.  It has been said if you can get up and get out of bed it is a good day.  I count my blessings that I can get up and walk and that I can work. 

Grateful for Potluck Dinners

Tonight I went to a potluck dinner.  It is an inexpensive way to eat out.  I fix one dish and take it to the dinner and then I get to eat a wide variety of different kinds of foods.  It is my chance to eat out and enjoy a meal with friends without having to pay a lot.  Tonight there were at least a dozen different casseroles, a couple of salads, rolls, green beans, grapes, and about a dozen different desserts.  The biggest challenge is not taking and eating too much.  Everything looks so good, so you take a little bit of each and before you know it your plate in completely full.  Yet, it is fun to try things you wouldn't cook yourself and it is fun to get to have such a variety of foods to choose from.  I am grateful that every once in a while I get to go to a potluck dinner.

I Am Grateful for Autumn Time

I love autumn time.  The colorful leaves are so beautiful to look at.  I love watching pumpkins growing in the garden turn orange.  I love harvesting ripe tomatoes and having a tomato sandwich for lunch.  I like the cooler temperatures.  I enjoyed a small watermelon from my garden today.  There are many reasons why I am grateful for autumn.

Grateful for Crocus

Sometimes as cooler weather starts in the fall the flowers of summer start to fade.  I just discovered the fall crocus had just bloomed.  It is exciting to see new flowers blooming as others are fading away.  So in addition to being grateful for watermelons, pumpkins, and tomatoes that are ready for harvest, I am grateful for beautiful purple crocuses.

Grateful for Learning to Make Photo Jewelry

A couple of years ago I came across a way to make photo jewelry.  It sounded like fun to make so I ordered the materials and made some jewelry.  The above photos are samples of some of the jewelry I made.  I did have fun making it.  I am grateful for having learned how to make photo jewelry.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be creative.  Life is more interesting when you can do something fun once in a while.

Grateful for a Fire Department

Tonight I am very grateful for a fire department.  I took trash out to my garbage cart, and I could smell propane.  I don't have a propane tank, but my next door neighbor does.  His tank is in the corner of his yard right next to my garbage cart.  He wasn't home.  I called the sheriff's department, and they called the fire department.  I am so grateful that there was no fire or explosion from the leak, and I am so grateful we have a fire department who can take care of situations like this.  As a child I remember seeing the wreckage of a home that had exploded from a natural gas leak.  I don't want to see that happen again.  I know I pay part of my property tax to support a fire department, and I am so grateful that they are there to help.

The above photo is in the public domain and was found at 

http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com/2008/07/newyork-city-firetruck.html.

Grateful for a Reminder to be Grateful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGnfq5ua2VY&feature=sub


I am so grateful to be able to listen to a prophet.  I really enjoyed this talk about the importance of gratitude.  I need constant reminders of how important it is to be grateful.  It is easier for me to focus on the negative in my life.  That is why I decided to do this blog so I could focus on the positive in my life.  I am grateful for the reminder that came this past Sunday from a prophet to be grateful.

Grateful for Rain

Right now I can smell rain outside.  It has been along time since we have had rain here.  Here it is the second day of October and we still have been having ninety degree weather.  The warm temperatures have been great for the garden.  I have three watermelons growing and four pumpkins.  They are getting bigger because of the warm weather.  But I have had to water them a lot since there hasn't been rain for almost two months.  I don't know how much it will rain, but the smell of rain is so nice when it has been so long since we had some.  I really do appreciate rain.

Grateful for Phones

I am grateful for phones.  When I was twelve years old our family didn't have a telephone.  We lived a mile outside of town.  There were no homes between our home and town.  We did have a neighbor only half a mile away in the opposite direction.  A telephone hadn't been a really important thing to my parents until the day we had a fire.  We had thousands of chickens and we sold their eggs.  My dad had two older coops and he had built a new bigger coop that was easier to clean.  On a hot August afternoon the straw stack next to the new coop caught fire.  It spread to the coop.  When the fire was discovered my dad told my sister who had her driver's license to drive to town and call the fire department.  The rest of the family tried spraying and pouring water on the fire to put it out.  Unfortunately it spread through the coop.  The fire engines arrived too late to save the coop.  However they were able to save the older coops, the corrals, the grainery and our home.  If we had had a phone help would have gotten to us sooner.  So my parents decided it was time to get a phone.

Phones have become a necessity.  With a phone you can call for help when you need it.  If some one is sick, some one is breaking into your house or you have a fire or other disaster, you can help right away.  Cell phones have also made it possible to communicate while traveling.  Flat rate plans also make it easier to call and visit without worrying about how many minutes you have talked and how much it will cost.  I am grateful for phones.

Grateful for Pumpkins

I am grateful for the pumpkins growing in my yard.  I didn't think the pumpkins would make it since I discovered squash bugs on the plants.  I thought it was a losing battle as I tried to eliminate the bugs with dilated dish detergent sprayed on them, imitation vanilla sprayed on to confuse the bugs and just looked for the bugs on the plants and killing them and their eggs and still there were more bugs.  But those pumpkins outgrew the bugs and there are four pumpkins on the vine I planted.  One is big enough right now to eat if it were orange, but the other three are small still.  The weather has been good though and we have another week of 90 degree weather with no frost in sight.  To me it is so exciting to see plants grow.  Fall is a wonderful time of year with nice weather and produce ripening in the garden.  I am so grateful for this time of year.

Grateful for Mormon Musings: Part 3: Mormons and the Edict, "You Can't Date Until You're 16"

I came across this post and realized how grateful I am for the counsel not to date until you're 16. I tried to teach this in my family and they all waited until 16 or later to date. I appreciate the insight in this post of why waiting until 16 to date is such good advice. I am grateful to have my actions validated by well thought out posts like this.

Mormon Musings: Part 3: Mormons and the Edict, "You Can't Date Until You're 16"

Grateful for a Clean Garbage Cart

 

Today I am grateful for a clean garbage cart.  Over the weekend one of my neighbors decided to do some painting.  After finishing painting my neighbor deposited the empty paint cans and the used paint brush in my garbage cart.  The neighbor also used a couple of the wooden slats from my chain link gate as paint stirring sticks.  There was a clump of white paint and a patch of green paint dumped on the ground close to my fence.  Some white and green paint was also flung on the fence and cement along the back of my yard.  My garbage cart was also splattered with white and green paint, and inside the paintbrush was stuck to the bottom of my cart.  I work for the Utilities in our town, so when I went to work I told my supervisor what had happened.  Today the garbage crew picked up my multi-colored garbage cart and steam cleaned it.  When they brought it back it looked almost new again.  So today I am very grateful to my supervisor and the garbage crew for a clean garbage cart.

Grateful for a Tenacious Plant

 

This little plant showed up all on its own.  I don't know where it came from.  I haven't seen other plants like it close around.  It sprouted in the crack between the cement step and sidewalk.  It seemed so determined to live with very little soil and only the little bit of rainfall we get.  I couldn't uproot it.  As the flowers opened I saw its beauty, and I decided to take a picture of it.  I am grateful for the symbolism I saw in this little plant being able to grow in the conditions it was growing in.  Sometimes things seem really hard like the cement all around this plant.  Sometimes it seems there is a lack in our lives like the lack of soil and of water for this plant.  Yet we still can grow and can produce something beautiful.  I am glad I took this picture so I can always remember to keep trying even in the most difficult of circumstances.  I am grateful for this tenacious plant

Grateful for a Home to Live In

A home is to live in is a basic need.  I am very grateful to have a home to live in.  When I was young we had just a four room house.  We didn't have an indoor bathroom.  When I was around nine years old my dad added onto the house.  It was exciting to have an indoor bathroom and to have a new bedroom.  Leaving home I lived in apartments and a dorm room.  It was wonderful to buy a home after my first daughter was born.  It was only a two bedroom home, but it was nice to have a home.  Today I am still very grateful to have a home to live in.  Some people are homeless and sleep in tents or on the street somewhere.  Homes truly are a blessing, and I am grateful for my home.

Grateful for Fractal Art

I read about fractal art and saw some amazing pictures.  I downloaded apophysis and created some designs myself.  There are some amazing beautiful designs.  With them I have been able to create unique cards.  Sometimes the things you stumble across can be a wonderful blessing in your life.

Grateful for a Friend's Peaches

I love late summer and autumn.  The temperatures start getting cooler.  Plants in the garden start growing better because of the coolness.  Fruits and produce are starting to ripen.  My friend has a wonderful peach tree.  She isn't here right now and has asked me to us what peaches I can and to share them with others.  I am very grateful for her peaches.  They are sweet and juicy and so flavorful and good.  I have made some wonderful jam, plan to dry some of the peaches, and I've eaten a lot of fresh ones just as they are.  Today I am very grateful for my friend's peaches.

Grateful for Those Who Are Willing to Defend our Country

Today is September 11 many memorials were held today remembering the tragedy that happened nine years ago.  In our town the flags were flying at half mast.  At the airport helicopters were being used to train young soldiers.  As I watched them, I felt grateful that they are willing to fight to defend our country.  It is wonderful that they are willing to risk their lives in defending our country.  A few years ago a young man from our town was killed in Iraq.  Just a couple of months ago another young man from our town was caught in an explosion and lost both of his legs.  It would be a wonderful world if we could eliminate war.  Until that day, I am grateful for those who are willing to give their all in defending our country.

Grateful for Insects

I am not really fond of insects.  Sometimes they are so scary looking.  They also cause problems like eating your food or spreading disease.  When I saw this praying mantis I was reminded not all bugs are bad.  Some of them are of help to us by eating other bugs that destroy things.  Sometimes even the things we don't think we want are the very things that will help us and bless our lives.

Grateful for Flowers

I am grateful for flowers.  I love to see flowers bloom.  The first crocus blooming through snow is such a delight.  The tulips, daffodils and other springtime flowers bring hope for the coming growing season.  The blossom covered fruit trees are so beautiful to see.  As the year goes on irises, gladiolas, lilies, tiger lilies and other flowers provide so much color.  Later in the summer marigolds and sunflowers are plentiful. 

Flowers add so much beauty to the world.  When someone give you flowers it truly uplifts your spirits.  A bouquet of flowers can say I love you or thank you or thinking of you or I'm sorry.  A friend gave me a bouquet of mixed flowers that she grew herself when I was recovering from injuries from an accident.  I've wanted to be like her and be able to give flowers that I've grown myself.  Unfortunately I don't have her ability and skill.  Still I do have some pretty marigolds and sunflowers growing outside.  I am grateful for how much joy flowers bring into our lives.

Grateful for Water

 

I am so grateful for water.  Drinking water is a wonderful thing.  You feel energized and refreshed after drinking water.  I am so grateful to have water to drink.  I am grateful to have water to take a shower with.  Warm showers feel so good.  I went for three months without a shower while recovering in the hospital from serious injuries.  When I could shower again it was a wonderful feeling, and now I truly appreciate being able to take showers.  Fresh clean clothes are wonderful and I appreciate having the water to wash them.  Water adds a lot of beauty to the earth too.  I am very grateful that we are blessed with water and that I have access to plenty of water in my life.

Grateful for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I grew up listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Sunday mornings.  As we would get ready for church we would listen to "Music and the Spoken Word".  With YouTube.com now I can pull up a video and listen to a song by the Tabernacle Choir whenever I want to.  I really enjoy their music.  I am grateful I got to listen to one of their rehearsals, and to attend one of their Christmas concerts, and then to hear them perform in the Special Events Center in Reno when they were traveling.   I do feel inspired and more motivated after listening to their music.  I am very grateful for beautiful inspiring music like theirs.

I'm Grateful for Growing Plants

I love this time of year when the plants I planted earlier are really starting to produce now.  My strawberries are blooming and setting on fruit again.  I enjoyed some strawberries in May and June, but it is nice now that there has been some cooler weather to see more strawberries.  Today I had a few raspberries to eat also.  I picked Swiss chard for supper.  Yesterday I had okra for supper.  I finally found a red tomato.  It seems like the tomatoes have taken a long time to ripen this year.  I have three watermelons growing.  It will be a while before they are ready to eat, and I can hardly wait for them to be ripen.  I'm not an expert gardener, but I do like to see the plants grow.  Many plants don't make it, but the ones that do are very rewarding.  I am very grateful for any thing I have been able to grow in my garden. 

The Blessing of Bees

This morning as I was watering the sunflowers around my home, there were several bees flying from one flower to the nest.  They were so busy gathering pollen that they paid no attention to me.  I got my camera and tried to capture some pictures. 
When I was young I didn't really like bees.  I knew what it felt like to be stung by a bee from personal experience.  I didn't want to be stung again.  I learned the hard way that a bee can sting you, even if it is dead, if you touch it's stinger.  I did like the honey that the beekeeper gave us in payment for letting the bees live on our farm.
Today, because of the decrease in the number of bees, I am grateful when I see bees.  I am so glad to see them going from flower to flower.  I still don't want to be stung, but I am grateful for bees.

Mormon Tabernacle Organ - Hallowed Ground Sacred Journeys

I am grateful the opportunities I have had in my life to hear the Tabernacle Organ. I remember family trips to Salt Lake City which usually included a visit to Temple Square. It was impressive to hear the demonstrations of the organ on tours of the Tabernacle. As an adult I got to attend a Christmas Concert in the Tabernacle. It was only a year or two ago that I learned that one of my great great grandfathers on my mother's side had provided wood for the organ pipes. Now when I hear the Tabernacle organ it takes on a more personal meaning. I am grateful for those who worked to make such a beautiful instrument and to bring such wonderful music into the world.

Taking the Dog for a Walk

I am so grateful for the walk I took the dog on tonight.  It cooled down tonight and it was very pleasant to walk.  There was a band playing in the park which is a few blocks away.  The clouds were colored by the setting sun.  I felt especially grateful tonight that I could take the dog on a walk.  Here's a picture of the clouds in the sky and a picture of the dog after our walk.

Friends

Well, my plans for posting every day went by the wayside yesterday.  A power bump knocked out the power supply to my modem.  I was online working when my internet connection disappeared.  A good friend came to my rescue.  After talking with my internet service provider, I was told I needed a new modem.  The problem with that is that it would be next Tuesday before I would get the new modem.  Because of living in a rural area it takes time to get some of the things we need.  There went my plans to post to this blog every day.  There would be at least four days without internet service.

 I have good friends who are very knowledgeable about computers.  He knows the hardware stuff and she knows the software stuff.  They have helped many people get their computers back in working condition.  I decided to try giving them a call and see if they could be of any help in getting back online sooner.  Sure enough he brought over a new power supply for me to borrow until the new modem arrives.  What a great blessing!

So today I am very grateful for a knowledgeable friend who willing to share his power supply.

Practice Increases Your Aptitude

I have been thinking about how much gratitude can affect one's life.  If I post something I am grateful for every day, I feel my aptitude for gratitude will increase.  Gratitude is directly connected to happiness.  I certainly would like to feel more happiness.  I invite anyone who would like to add what they are grateful for to do so in the comments.

Today I am grateful for a computer and the internet that I can even do a blog like this.  Computers are so amazing in what they can do and the internet opens up a whole new world of information.

At http://www.squidoo.com/whybegrateful you can read more information about gratitude, view videos about gratitude and find ways to express your gratitude.