Grateful List

By Joe Rector

I watched a movie the other night, and although I have no idea what the title was, it made me start thinking. I'm the same way with books. Most of the time, I have no idea who wrote the novel or what the title is. If either a movie or a book catches my interest quickly, I stay with it to the end. If not, I put it down or turn it off. One character says that he writes to the sky his daily 10 things for which he is grateful. This is the season, not just the day, that all of us should all take a little time in the morning to come up with 10 things, great or small, that raise in us gratefulness. This should be an easy project, so here goes.

I'm grateful for my immediate family. My wife is my best friend and has held that position for 48 years. Amy has single-handedly been responsible for making sure the bills are paid and that a little money is saved. Her attention to our financial well-being has ensured that we will be okay in the years to come. She's always had time to listen to my hair-brained ideas. When they are too far out, she gently reels me back to reality and logical thinking. My children, Lacey and Dallas, have given me joy for the most part. Some years were rough, but they've proven themselves to be fine individuals as adults. I couldn't be prouder of them. Grandson Madden has always made me smile. He is now a teenager, and other than when he was a toddler, I like him best at this age.

I'm grateful that God gave me a twin brother. He's been my best buddy since our lives began. As a little one, I'd tell Jim, "Get up and get me up." He'd work his bed until the side fell, climb down, and rescue me from those baby bed bars. We've fought over the years, but for the most part, we've been close. These days, we work well together to complete all sorts of projects.

I'm grateful for Sadie, our rescue pooch. She came to us at a low time in our lives, and she loved us and gave us something on which to focus our minds other than the problems that had appeared. I say she's Jesus' dog who is on loan to us. Amy and I are trained well and snap to attention when Sadie unloads a loud, mean-sounding bark. No night is complete without the three of us sitting on the couch together. When this child stretches out for a nap, her snores come so loudly that we adjust the tv volume.

I'm grateful for a warm home. Fall turned to winter in the blink of an eye, but we were able to adjust the thermostat and sit in the family room and enjoy the warmth.

I'm grateful for the new winter coat that Amy found at a good price. It will come in handy on our trip to New York. That coat will come in handy around here as well. We never know what kind of weather is coming.'

I'm grateful for this paper for allowing me to write a weekly column. Having someplace to express my feelings and ideas is a blessing. This paper has been a good friend for years.

I'm grateful for my 1987 Pathfinder. We bought the car for $10,300. For 35 years, this car has hauled baseball players, landscaping timber, and items headed for KARM. A couple of rust spots have popped up, but other than that, she's good to go. For such an old car, it has low mileage. My son knows this is part of his inheritance.

I'm grateful for my battery-operated impact drill. That tool makes driving long screws simple, and its power is a blessing to someone whose strength is slowly dwindling.

I'm grateful for my yard. The leaves are under control after 10-12 mowing times.This piece of property is small enough for me to take care of but large enough to keep folks from moving in on top of me.

I'm grateful to live in a country where individuals realized the dangers to the country and show up in unexpected numbers to save democracy. I'm also proud of all those who participated in the process.

See if you are able to come up with ten things. It might take a while, but focusing on those things makes our lives fuller. Do this for a week and see if you don't look at the world differently.

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