Neighbours, New Stores, Stable Sugar and Helpful Pharmacy

Today I'm grateful for our neighbour who sent us over some food last night...enough so that we don't have to cook supper tonight!! Yippeee!!

I'm also grateful that I found the CD I've been looking for - and in the process found the most amazing wonderful Christian gift store in the city! How could I have lived here for 16 years and not known about this place before?!! They even carry Spanish Bibles!!!

I'm very grateful that I don't feel as hungry as I've been feeling for the past week. My sugar is still not where we want to be, but at least it appears to be stablizing at a lower count than this time last week.

I'm very grateful that the pharmacy gave me double refills for both the needles and test strips so I don't have to worry while we're away.

And I'm thankful for the beautiful day today...not too hot, cooling breeze...a perfect day.

Strawberries, Feet, Wii and Home

Today I'm grateful for fresh strawberries...mmm, they're good!

I'm also grateful that my feet are feeling better today.

I'm thankful for having the Wii, which makes it easier for me to exercise.

I'm grateful for my husband, even though we argue sometimes, I'm glad I have one to argue with.

And I'm grateful for my home, be it ever so humble, I'm glad I have one to come home to.

Remembering, Indoor Plumbing, Cable TV and Food

Today I'm grateful for being able to go and visit our friend and celebrate his 90th birthday, even it was a day late. He was very happy.

I'm grateful for being remembered, and very grateful for all the people who brighten my days with their posts and comments and "game gifts". It all adds up to wonderful days!

I'm also thankful for indoor plumbing these days...with my sugar count all out of whack, I'm so very very glad that I don't have to keep running outside to go pee!!!! (many of our friends in Cuba still do)

I'm grateful for cable TV which allows us to watch such a wide diversity of programs...nature, talent, quiz, comedy, escapism...it's quite a thing being able to watch some of the things that we're able to watch!

I'm also grateful today for all the healthy food in our fridge and pantry. We are so blessed!!!

River Walk, Lilies, Neighbours, Music and Chairs

Today I'm grateful that we had such a lovely walk along the river this morning...before the rain started pouring down!!

I'm grateful for the beautiful orange lilies that we see all over the place these days!

I'm also thankful that we have such kind neighbours who take care to watch out for each other.

I'm grateful for all the beautiful music that I listened to today...very uplifting!

And I'm grateful that for this wonderful comfortable chair that I'm sitting in...it's like a big teddy bear welcoming my tired body deep into its plush comfort!

George, Pokes, Dark Chocolate and Eyes

Today I'm grateful for the beautiful new front porch we have, thanks to George who was so meticulous and clearly cared about his workmanship...what a beautiful spirit he has and what beautiful work he does! Having read The Shack and the Joshua books, and remembering Emmaus, there were moments in our encounters and chats with George which made us ponder...

I'm also grateful for Facebook "likes" and "pokes"...they might seem like such little things, but really, they can brighten a lonely day and remind people that they're not invisible and that others are thinking of them.

I'm grateful that those little squares of 72% dark chocolate are not adversely affecting my sugar at all! In fact, it's almost looking like they're helping...continuing to test that hypothesis. Yipppeee!

I'm very thankful that our neighbour (who took the same tour to China that we booked for October) told us this morning that they never saw even one squat toilet anywhere they went there. Yipppeeee!!!

And I'm grateful for my eyes, which allow me to see colours, play fun brain games online and read wonderful stories written by beautiful friends. (And I'm grateful for the friends who write them too!!)

Skirts that fit, Food, Breeze, Home and New Front Step

Today I'm grateful for the lovely skirt that I found at the second hand charity store today! Especially since it goes with many tops already in my wardrobe!

I'm also grateful for all the fresh fruit and vegetables we bought today to help me with my new diet.

I'm grateful for the cool breeze blowing through out window now, after another very hot day.

I'm very thankful for our comfortable home.

And I'm grateful for the worker who came to repair our front steps this morning...despite it being a very hot day, he took his time and did an amazing job! He extended it just enough that I think it will be big enough to put a chair out there.  That will be nice! Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.

Puttering, Progress and More Progress

Today I'm grateful that it was one of my favourite kinds of days...the puttering kind, where I just puttered around the house and did lots of little puttery things. I love getting to the end of a day like this and looking at the big collection of little things that got done. Feels good!

I'm very grateful (again) for air conditioning. Today was so hot it broke all kinds of records for this area. I tried to go out but could scarcely breathe. So today, the air conditioning was especially welcome!

I'm grateful that my glucose monitoring is showing useful patterns...if the same patterns continue it should be relatively simple to get my sugar back to healthier levels.

I'm thankful for the wonderful friends who chat and play together online...they will never really know just how much of a difference they make...but I know, and God knows how much healthier I am these days because of them. (Thank You!!!)

I'm so grateful for how far I've come. I really like my new "attic"...even though there are still moments when the old tapes switch back on, I'm so happy to have the wisdom and vigilance to catch them early and switch back to the new scripts and new positive ways of thinking and processing life. That's such a monumental place for me to be, after years and years and years of struggling against such unrelenting darkness. I love living in the light now!!! (Thank You!!!)

Electricity, Neighbours, Brother and Faith

Today I'm very grateful for electricity! It was the hottest day of the year so far (45C with the humidex, which is about 120F), and our entire area lost power for over 4 hours. It was so wonderful to hear all the clocks beeping and air conditioning turn back on!!

I'm also grateful for the lovely time we spent with our friends down in the market today. Good buffet lunch too!!

I'm thankful for our wonderful neighbours who take the time to stop and chat with us when we're sitting outside.

I'm grateful for my brother who wrote me a beautiful email today, with lots of great tips on how to get started on my new diabetic diet/lifestyle. I love hearing from my brother.

And I'm grateful for my faith, for God, for how He finds so many ways to remind me how much He loves me and even, amazing-but-true, enjoys my company. Such tender sweet Presence.

Music, Phone Call and Patience

What a busy day it was today! I'm so grateful to have had enough energy and stamina to keep up with all of the errands, appointments and demands of the day.

I'm grateful for all the people who write beautiful inspirational music...do they know how much their words and music touch my heart and enrich my journey?! My entire life has been graced by some of the most beautiful words and music...I'm grateful for each and every word and note...I'm especially grateful for music which lifts my soul and blesses me with moments of pure Presence and joy.

I'm also very grateful for the handsome young pharmacist who took so much time this afternoon to help me get started with my new glucose tester...his thorough and patient explanations helped to ease my anxiety.

I'm grateful for Kelvin's phone call today...it was lovely to speak with him again. That's the first personal phone call I've received since Christmas...I'm grateful that it was a pleasant and positive experience.

And I'm grateful for that amazing Chinese BBQ Pork that we had for supper tonight....and grateful for having found that easy and delicious recipe!!

New Hairdresser, Friends and Good Health

Today I'm grateful for finding a new hair stylist. She worked in the chair beside Donka for years, and seemed very happy to see me there today. And she loves playing with my hair...and her scalp massage was heavenly! So I'm very grateful that I didn't have to look far to find a new hairdresser!

I'm grateful that one of the cleaning jobs I was most dreading in the neighbour's house actually went very well this morning.

I'm also grateful that my dear friend from the States will be staying within a few hours drive for the month of July and we'll be able to go spend time with him and his partner. In my high school days, everyone thought we were twins...and when his partner met me and got to know me, he was also certain that we had to be twins because we're so much alike in every way. It's always a joy to spend time with them. I'm very very grateful that he's still a part of my life.

I express gratitude again for my wonderful caring online friends. Having just found out that one of our friends of many years has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, I'm deeply saddened, but grateful that so many of us are still around to pray for her and help lift her spirits in whatever ways possible.

And I'm very very grateful for my own good health!

My Dad, Bacon and Waterfalls

Today I'm most grateful for my Dad. I had a wonderful father, but didn't really understand my good fortune until after he died. I hope that wherever he is, he knows how thankful I am for all that he was, gave and did for his family...and also very grateful for all that he wasn't and didn't do...now that I know what some fathers are like, I'm especially blessed and grateful for mine!

I'm grateful for all the yummy bacon on that Ultimate BLT that we had for lunch today. I love bacon!!

I'm grateful that we've whittled down the workload at the neighbour's house to about another 2 hours worth of cleaning left to do. And we finally found out what to do with everything that's left to get rid of, and I'm so happy that they will allow us to give it to someone we know who really needs it.

I'm grateful that God brings into our lives people that we're able to help out - and then provides us with the things that we need to help them out!!! How serendipitous is that?!! I love it!!

And I'm grateful for all the beautiful flowers, waterfalls and river-views that we enjoyed on our walk this morning. It's a pretty city and I'm glad that we're finally getting out to explore and enjoy it!

Stamina, Cardinals and Tylenol

Today I'm grateful to have had the stamina to clean our neighbour's kitchen for 3 hours this morning. And very grateful that after 6 months, it's all done except for a few minor touch-ups here and there.

I'm so grateful that when I came to sit and relax in my chair, a wonderful breeze has been wafting in through the window...not only pleasant and cooling, but with the light fragrance of flowers as well. Beautiful!!

I'm grateful for my husband who has so much more stamina than I do...and who just told me to relax because he would look after supper tonight! Whoo hoo!!

I'm also thankful for all the cardinals that live in the neighbourhood this summer...I've never seen (or heard) so many before...I love their song, and I love seeing the flashes of red in the trees and the feeder!

And I'm grateful for Tylenol, because it really took the edge off of my pain today. My feet and back are almost pain-free, which is a minor miracle after all of that cleaning this morning!

Sweet Potato Fries, Time and Mobility

Today I'm grateful for sweet potato fries, and the waitress who let me substitute sweet potato fries for regular ones for lunch today. The fries were delicious and the waitress delightful!

I'm also grateful that we're almost finished cleaning out the neighbour's house...one more room to go! We'll tackle that one (the kitchen) tomorrow and should be all done by the end of the weekend! Whoo hoo!!

I'm also thankful for the way my clothes smell after hanging on the line all morning. Mmmmmm goood!

Goldie Hawn says we should try to write down FIVE things we're grateful for each day...so I'll add two more...

I'm grateful that I have feet, legs and strength to walk. I saw many people in wheelchairs today who are not able to walk, and they reminded me how wonderful it is to still be independently mobile!

And I'm thankful for being retired, and specifically for having time to have a leisurely cup of Earl Grey tea in the afternoon...a luxury that was never possible when I was working full-time because my breaks were never long enough for me to steep it the way I like it! Now I have the time to not only steep the tea but to drink it at my own pace too!!

Donka, Laptop Recovery and Ribs

Today I'm grateful for Donka, my magician hairdresser...and I pray that I'll be able to find her again.

I'm also grateful that my laptop came back to life after its near-death experience this morning.

And I'm grateful for those ribs cooking on the BBQ and the awesome smell wafting in through my window.

Able Body, Cool Breezes and My Doctor

Today I'm grateful for what my body CAN do for me...it can still walk me to the store, still carry me up the stairs to bed, still watch a beautiful sunrise, still hear the birds squabbling at the feeder, and it can still snuggle me into the loving arms of my husband.

I'm also grateful for that cool breeze that kept wafting through our windows today...nice music when it rustled past the wind chimes, and very nice touch when it brushed against our hot skin.

And I'm very thankful for my doctor.

Quiet Days, Grass Mowers and Air Conditioning

Today I'm grateful for quiet days when I get to stay home and relax.

I'm also grateful for all the guys out there mowing the grass and keeping our neighbourhood tidy...and so very grateful that it's not me who has to do all of that!!

And I'm grateful for air conditioning on hot humid days like today.

Mercy, Mercy and Mercy

And thank You for Your "clean-slate" mercy, new every morning. It makes waking up every morning much easier to face!

And I'm also very grateful for the gracious forgiveness that others show me when I do or say dumb things. Forgiveness - mercy - is healing medicine to my soul, I'm not sure I could keep on going without it. Thank You!

River Paths, Georgia and Facebook Friends

Today I'm grateful for the beautiful walking path we found this morning, stretching all along the river. Woods and wild flowers on one side and the river on the other. We think after living here for 16 years, we've finally found a favourite walking path!

I'm very grateful that Georgia's writing again.

I'm thankful for my Facebook friends. Have I mentioned this before? Doesn't matter. That's how important they are. Sometimes my life feels pretty lonely, but I can almost always find someone online to talk with or play a game with. I'm not sure how I could or would cope with some aspects of my life without Facebook to come to.

Bacon, God's Timing and Sunglasses

Today I'm grateful for being awakened by the sizzle and smell of bacon...hubby was out in the backyard at about 6am cooking bacon so I could have some for my breakfast and then some for the tomato-bacon sandwich I've been hankering for ever since we picked up those fresh tomatoes yesterday. What a guy! Thank You Lord for this husband who loves me so much and loves to surprise me with little treats like fresh bacon for breakfast!

I'm grateful for YOU, Lord...Your faithfulness (new every morning!), Your patience, Your tender voice in my ear speaking Love and Beloved, and most of all Your timing...although I can't always see it along the way, I'm learning over and over again that everything works out, all things bring me to where You want/need me to be at the time that is perfect for Your purpose. That's enough for me...Your Love and Your Grace....are enough. (though I'm very grateful for chocolate too... :)))

 Sunglasses...if it weren't for sunglasses I couldn't even go out my front door. I'm very grateful for my sunglasses, especially on sparkly mornings like today. Since my laser surgery in 2002, my eyes have been ultra-sensitive to the sun and bright lights. But thankfully, the laser surgery allowed me to wear non-prescription sunglasses for the first time in my life, so it worked out well, didn't it, lol. Thank You Lord for eye doctors, laser surgery (yay for my new eyes!) and for sunglasses!

Cottages, Strawberries and Pianos

I'm so grateful that my Dad built us a cottage when we were young. I was about 10, and my two youngest brothers were under 5, and we spent the entire summer for many, many years at that cottage. My brothers and I played for hours in the pile of sand down by the beach - the beach was rocky, but Dad made sure that there was always a nice big pile of dirt in that one corner. We built cities and bridges and roadways that went to the most amazing castles. Those houses and castles had moats and swimming pools and elaborate staircases that went nowhere. We had so much fun. We also built forts in the nearby woods, discovered waterfalls and even walked 5km to the nearest store just to buy an ice cream cone! We had the cottage for 30+ years then had to sell it after Dad died. We  miss it terribly now, though perhaps it's the family gatherings there that we miss the most. When I see the children in our neighbourhood out roaming the streets at 9am with nothing to do all day (no school today), I feel so sorry for them - and so very grateful all over again that my Dad built that wonderful cottage for us. Lord, I thank you for the wonderful memories we still cherish from those cottage days. And I ask for special protection and blessings on the children in our neighbourhood...please keep them safe, healthy and happy...especially as they try to find interesting things to do with their time!

I'm grateful for the fresh strawberries just starting to pop out in our garden. Hubby's so pleased, there are LOTS of strawberries this year...and blueberries soon, and raspberries in a few weeks. Our backyard is very tiny, but he has planted as many fruit plants as space will allow. And this year we're finally going to be able to enjoy, literally, the fruits of his labour! Thank You Lord for the bounty of this earth, for the beautiful flowers, for the good food that grows in our garden and for the delicious pleasure that such simple things as fresh-picked strawberries can bring to us.

I'm also grateful for pianos. I love my piano - I bought it in memory of my Dad after he passed away, always thankful for the piano lessons he and Mom insisted I take when I was a child. I don't play as often as I should these days, but I'm still very grateful that it's there when I do finally sit down to play. Thank You Lord for music, pianos, and for Mr Benvie who was an awesome piano teacher.

Vicarious Living, Eggs and Showers

I'm so grateful to be living in a time when I can enjoy some things vicariously, through other people's eyes. With the Internet, I can go anywhere in the world and see sights and wonders that I could never have gotten to on my own, either because of financial constraints or plain old fear. But I do enjoy seeing what other people are up to! Thank You Lord that there are people out there willing to go where most of us can't go, and who are kind enough to bring back pictures so I can see what I'm missing. :))

I'm also grateful for eggs. I eat an egg every morning. It stems way back to the early 80's when I had trouble eating and was apparently, according to my doctor (though I didn't feel it) close to dying of malnutrition. My doctor sent me to a nutritionist and we agreed that I should have an egg every morning. The first few mornings I couldn't keep it down, but eventually it became my breakfast...for many years, it was the ONLY thing I could keep down first thing in the morning. Now I'm on the other end of the spectrum, and need to lose weight, lol. But even after all these years, that egg (scrambled and well cooked) is still often the only thing I can manage to eat first thing in the morning. So thank You Lord for eggs!

And I'm very grateful for showers. Remember the old days when the only option (at least in our house when we were young) was a bath? It was a lot of work, because the water pressure was slow and the water heaters were small. So we didn't get a bath everyday, nor did we need to, even though we played in the dirt a lot back then. Now I enjoy a bath - for about the first 10 minutes, then I can't stand it and have to stand up and get a shower anyway! So I'm very grateful that showers are so much easier and faster these days! Thank You Lord for hot water, nice-smelling soaps and the wonderful feeling of that water splashing all over me!!

Orange, Comics and a Husband Who Does the Chores

Today I'm grateful for the colour orange. I love to wear orange, it makes me feel good. I have capris and shorts in various shades of orange and quite a few t-shirts, hoodies and a sweater in different shades of orange (my philosophy is that I have to buy orange clothes while they're available because when the stores stop selling orange, it will be gone for a long time!)

I can get away with wearing the tops anytime of the year, but I normally can only wear the orange capris and shorts in spring and summer. So I wear orange a lot. Probably too much for some people's tastes, lol. But I especially love wearing orange on a dull rainy day because it just perks me right up and makes me feel like I'm carrying the sunshine around with me. Thank You Lord for the colour orange!

I'm also grateful for comic strips. It was strange how just after Gary died I couldn't stand to read them...nothing could make me laugh and I didn't want to be reminded of how profoundly sad I was. I embraced it as a sign of healing-in-progress when I finally began reading comics again. Now they're one of my favourite parts of the day. Thank You Lord for the people who work every day to bring laughter into our lives through the newspaper comic strips!

And I'm grateful that my husband likes to do the laundry. I don't mind doing it at all, but he seems to actually really enjoy it. And washing dishes too! He even irons the tea towels!! I've never in my life ironed tea towels, but when I was single and working, I barely had time to iron my blouses, so things like pillow cases and tea towels never made it to my ironing table. He's a real gem that way. He enjoys doing a lot of things around the house that I don't particularly enjoy doing. He does laundry, washes the dishes, cooks, cleans the bathrooms and too many other chores to list here. He took over when he moved in with me, because I was working full-time (and lots of overtime) and he wanted me to be able to relax and spend time with him when I got home. Now that I'm retired, I could (and sometimes want to) take over some of those chores, but he prefers to do it all now. I'm so lucky!!! Thank You Lord for sending this man into my life!!

Walks in the Sunshine, People and Fried Onions

Today I'm grateful for the beautiful day I spent with my husband. We were supposed to do more vacuuming in our neighbour's house, but after several days of rain, the sunshine was too tempting. So we drove downtown and spent all morning walking along the canal, past the Parliament Buildings, along the locks and finally ended up at one of our favourite restaurants for a buffet lunch. Thank You Lord for the glorious sunshine, the freedom of time and the beauty of nature all around us today. It was a really nice day!

I'm grateful for the people God has continuously brought into my life...to inspire, mentor, teach, companion - and to remind me of the things that I need to remember about life, love, compassion and kindness. Thank You Lord for each and every person...You know how much I cherish each person's presence and gift in my life...You know how painful it has been lately to have to accept the reality that not everyone can stay. Continue to teach me to be open to their arrivals in my life, and understanding of their leaving when it's time for them - or me - to move on. I would rather hold on to every single one of them and continue to treasure their presence, but that's not how it works, is it. I'm so grateful that they have been a part of my life at all, how much richer I am because of each person's presence and companionship along the way.

And I'm grateful for fried onions. Yummmmmmmmmmyyyyyyy. I'm not sure what it means that I can't get enough of them. :))

Health Care, Electricity and Unfathomable Love

Today I'm grateful for access to good health care. It might not be perfect, but it's so much better than what most people across the world have...I just have to drive a few blocks to see my doctor, friends of ours in Cuba have to travel anywhere up to several hours by hot crowded buses. Health care for my little Born in Kenya or Khith in Cambodia is 2 hours away. And if I need any medicine, I just pop in to my nearest pharmacy with the doctor's prescription in hand and get it, and it will probably be free. Not so in many other places. Cuba might have some of the best doctors, well-trained and all, but they don't have access to some of even the most basic medicines. And even if the medicine is available, most Cubans cannot afford to pay for it. I do thank You Lord for the wealth of medical resources available to me and my loved ones here in Canada...but my heart cannot rejoice so freely knowing that so many of my loved ones elsewhere are in need, so I ask You to bless each one with whatever they need to be healthy and happy. Open the eyes, hearts and wallets of all those who are in positions of power and ability to make whatever changes necessary to make it possible for all to access good health care in whatever corner of the world they live in.

I'm also grateful for electricity, the power to bring light into my own home at the flick of a switch, to store food safely in a refrigerator, and to cook entire meals in a good-working oven. Everytime I stand at the stove to cook anything, I'm mindful of my friends who have to stand outside and cook on a tiny two-burner propane camp stove. I'm awed that they are able to cook all of their meals for their entire families (8-10 people), often with no electricity and in most cases, no oven. Thank You Lord for electricity. Thank You for the wealth of resources available to me here in Canada...again, I ask You to bless our loved ones in other parts of the world who struggle against unreliable (or no) electricity, inclement weather and hordes of mosquitoes just to put together a simple meal for their families. I don't know what exactly to ask...it seems monumental and complex...but You know the needs and the obstacles, so I just pray that You do whatever it takes to provide all with whatever they need to provide sustenance to their families.

And I'm grateful for my husband. He might not be perfect, but he loves me, and I often cannot fathom why he loves me, but he does and that makes all the difference in the world.

Vacuum Cleaners, Colours and Socks

Right now at this moment I'm very grateful for vacuum cleaners. I just spent 90 minutes in the basement of someone else's house vacuuming cobwebs from the walls and ceiling. I had to hold the nozzle part over my head for over an hour, poking around pipes and cables and various other obstacles...it was rather grueling and tiring and not the most enjoyable task in the world. But we were helping 90-year-old friends, and so I was grateful on several fronts - for the energy to be able to help at all, for the time and availability that retirement allows us to be able to help, and for my super-dooper vacuum cleaner which just sucked those million+ cobwebs with not much effort on my part. Dear Lord, I wonder if sometimes You would love to take a vacuum cleaner and suck all the cobwebs and dust right out of the nooks and crannies of me...I know I sometimes wish You would do that and just be done with it. But I'm glad that You do what You know is best, which often seems to be the slow patient waiting way...because I guess there are lessons I need to learn from the journey itself that couldn't be learned through the vacuum cleaner approach. It makes me sigh with relief that You're okay with the slow journeying, because slow is my best pace most days. But I'm ever so glad to have had that vacuum cleaner to do the job quick and easy this morning!

I'm also grateful today for colours. After spending quite a bit of time in that dark and dusty basement over the past few days, it's such a joy to come out the front door and be surrounded by such brilliant colours - blue sky, green grass, red roses, pink columbines, orange dahlias, yellow begonias and purple clematis. I love Spring. I especially love all of those rich colours springing up from the brown earth. Thank You Lord for colours. Thank You for providing us with a wee patch of land to grow all those amazing colours into being. De Colores!

I'm also grateful today for socks. Some people don't have socks. It had never occurred to me before we started traveling that some people don't have socks. When the floor upstairs gets cold, or even when my feet are in pain, socks always make me feel better. Now when we travel to those sockless parts of the world, we bring extras to leave behind...they're always a much-welcome relief for those cold feet too! Thank You Lord for socks!

Neighbours, Cyberfriends and Tea

Today I'm grateful for our next-door neighbour who often sends over yummy food for us. She makes yummy stuff! Today she sent over some BBQ pork kabobs, so tender and glazed with an exotic sauce, and then just a few minutes ago sent over a plate of home-made custard cake (not sure what it is, but it's delicious). Thank You Lord for Erlita!

I'm also grateful for cyberspace. For all the wonderful resources available...and especially the awesome people I've met through various forums and online venues. I cherish the friendships, and am grateful for how the wisdom of these beloved women has graced and evolved me into someone I like so much better than ever before. Thank You Lord for leading me into this whole new world of cyber-connectedness! Although there is a terrible dark side to cyberspace (please keep us all safe), there is also the possibility of kindredness and caring connection where we can bring light, healing and hope to others. I know, because I've been enlightened, healed and enkindled here myself...thank You! And help me, Lord, to pay it all forward!

 I'm also grateful for tea. Earl Grey, hot. Thank You Lord, and please bless all of the tea-pluckers everywhere in the world today.

Escalators, Mall Workers and Cyberspace

Today I hurt my knee climbing up the escalator stairs at the mall...both the escalator and elevator weren't working, so I had no choice. By the time I got to the top of the escalator, I could barely walk. So today I'm grateful for escalators and elevators that work...and a special thank You, Lord, because I'm very grateful that hubby came along just as I got off the broken escalator and was able to help me to the car.

I'm also grateful for all the people who work in the mall...sales clerks, cashiers, sandwich makers, shoe fitters, shelf stockers, floor sweepers, coffee makers, tea steepers, lightbulb changers, security guards, sweater folders...they all do jobs that I cannot imagine doing for 8+hours a day every day. I'm glad they're there instead of me. Thank You Lord for all the people who help in any way...please bless each and every one according Your will for each one.

And I'm very grateful for my laptop, for the joy of being able to sit in my comfy chair in my comfy pajamas (when I came home, I changed into my pj's so that I won't have to change again later, because it hurts my knee to change clothes) and open my laptop and find all sorts of wonderful games, messages, and beautiful people all over the world. Thank you Lord for this amazing "window on the world"...thank you for the joy I find here in cyberspace, and please use me to bring joy to others, especially those in most need of a caring cyberfriend.