Gratitude List

My heart is full of gratitude today, and I just feel like shooting off my thanks like a salvo of fireworks on the 4th of July. How about 50, one per state?

1. living in this country, my Home Sweet Home
2. patriotic music, esp. The Star Spangled Banner
3. Old Glory
4. my personal heroes--soldiers who fight or have fought for this country
5. memories of small town American 4th of July events at my grandparents' house

6. my husband's indefatigable work ethic
7. carpet cleaning machine
8. acrylic paint
9. laundry detergent
10. a freshly bathed dog, bathed by my hubby
11. purple petunias

12. my daughter's willingness to serve campers for free for a week
13. the teeny stipend of thanks the camp gave her
14. Good 'n Plenty candy
15. losing 5 pounds in June
16.. buying a size smaller shorts than usual

17. Summer Blast, something like a mix of camp and VBS that our church does
18. nail clippers
19. Egyptian cotton bedsheets
20. waking up at 5:45 a.m. on a holiday with energy to spend
21. air conditioning
22. almost all my flowers and shrubs in bloom the week of our "family reunion"
23. anticipation of a great weekend

24. my Joel's sudden desire to learn to play piano
25. a gifted teen willing to teach him
26. affordable piano lessons forthcoming
27. getting my resume' and cover letter written
28. hope
29. a new reburbished Dyson


30. praying for my hubby's gout to go away, and knowing God hears the prayers
31. iced tea with lemon
32. having had great neighbors for 12 years
33. looking forward to getting to know new neighbors, one of whom is Joel's age and may be
the answer to his prayer for "a part-time younger brother"

34. fresh green beans from the garden
35. watching Joel cook up the beans himself--boil the beans 4 mins then saute' in garlic and butter for 3, then salt and pepper them ....and eat. BEST BEANS EVUH!

36. stopping at Baja Fresh alone at 9 pm one night and running into my parents there, sitting outside and enjoying the weather after their meal, and talking with them another hour while having my meal
37. flip flops
38. finding a deal on a red V-neck shirt for $2.98
39. Sensodyne
40. Stone-textured paint
41. promises from scripture
42. hearing a child confess a sin that he committed two months ago and feeling better after confessing and repenting over it


43. sunshine on my shoulders
44. getting phone calls from my kids
45.. snail mail from anyone, but lately from Steve

46. bug repellant spray
47. baby spinach with sliced strawberries, tossed with my honey/mustard/and salt for dressing
48. a memory foam pillow
49. a back rub to help me breathe better before going to sleep
50. seeing two young girls in my life leave for Zambia within 9 days of each other