Thankful Sunday Stealing

 Thanks to Bev for the Sunday Stealing questions each week!

1) What teacher are you most thankful for and why?  What did you learn from him or her? When I was a senior in high school, I took honors English. Our teacher taught us so many things that I still use today. She wanted us to enter the world knowing the difference between their and there. She wanted us to know when to use I at the end of a sentence and when to use me. I hear this used incorrectly ALL of the time.

2) What’s the season you’re most thankful for, and what’s your favorite part of each season? I love November and if the temps could stay in the 60’s or 70’s with sunshine and the days were a tad longer, I would be truly happy! I do love summer, too. Spring in Alabama is gorgeous but I can’t be outside due to allergies. I take shots and pills but spring wins in our battle each year.

3) What electronic device are you most grateful for, and what does it add to your life? I love my iPhone and my apple watch. I love that I can track my steps and keep up with my exercise minutes. I also admit that I love being connected . . .according to my husband, way too much.

4) What musician or type of music are you most thankful for? I don’t “know” music well. I love the old hymns and the new hymns. I am thankful that some people are smart enough and musically inclined enough to put scripture to a tune.  I enjoy Christmas music – after Thanksgiving, please!

5) What are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your daily life? Nature all around – green grass and blue skies in the summer, brightly colored leaves in the fall. Even the bare branches of winter have a stark beauty. Spring – see above – gorgeous in Alabama! We have azaleas, crepe myrtle, hydrangeas, and many more lovely blooming flowers. Today I swept my mother-in-law’s deck. She is 96 and her chair looks out over her deck and backyard. It was bothering her that leaves literally covered her deck. I went outside to sweep them off and even the dry and crinkly leaves that have already turned brown have beauty in them.

6) What philanthropic cause or organization do you feel thankful for? I’m thankful for our church. We have a food pantry and a sharing table each week and we are feeding about 1400 people every week. We provide Christmas to lots of folks through our angel tree. Yesterday, I wrestled a bike into the back of my car by myself. A 3^rd grade girl needs a bike and I found a pink one!

7) What foods are you most thankful for? I’m thankful that we have food to eat period. (see above about 1400 people needing groceries). I’m thankful that we can buy fruit of all kinds and vegetables galore in order to have a healthy diet.

8) What local store or restaurant are you most grateful for?  How does it contribute to your quality of life? This is a tough question. Walmart is definitely not local but we have one just a couple of miles from our house and we can find just about anything we need there. We used to have a restaurant “The Boot” within walking distance to our house and we were very grateful for that restaurant and we still miss it.

9) What book are you most grateful for, and why? As a Christian, I should say the Bible . . . so I’ll start with that. I’m grateful to learn about Jesus and how he wants us to live. I’m also grateful for several books I’ve read over the last year that have opened my eyes to the living conditions of others.

10) What act of kindness has made the greatest difference in your life? I cannot wait to read some of your answers. This is another tough question. My husband has extended numerous acts of kindness to me when I didn’t deserve it. 

Right before I hit publish . . .I remembered a story of great kindness. It may not sound like much but it was truly special. After my divorce I was broke - yes, I was broken emotionally but I was also broke financially. Seriously. I didn't have any extra money. It was my first Christmas alone and I didn't even have the money for a Christmas tree. That was not something I was going to ask my daddy to purchase. I was sad about being alone and I was sad about the stupid tree and I think I started crying at work one day and Mel, a wonderful co-worker and friend, brought me a Christmas tree stand and bought me a tree.

11) What challenging experience has ended up changing your life for the better? I was married for about 18 months when I was very young. He left me (another story for another day) and actually is no longer living. I thought my world had ended. I have been married to Mark for over 37 years now and I can’t imagine my life without him. We live a nice comfortable life. We have a lovely home. We have traveled together. I’m not sure I would have had a comparable life with my first husband.

12) What vacation are you most grateful for? I’m usually most grateful for the vacation I’m on at the moment. Our trips to Israel and Ireland would definitely be near the top of my list. Israel is technically a working trip for me but I’m so grateful for all I have learned and experienced.

13) Name three days in your life that you feel especially grateful for. I’m grateful for our wedding day, the day our twins were born, our son’s wedding day and our daughter’s wedding day. Yes, I know that is a list of four events.

14) What product do you use on a daily basis that you most appreciate? Can it be clean water? Is that a product? We definitely pay for it. Clean drinking water is something we often take for granted. I’m also thankful for toilet paper! Ha! That is definitely a product!!

15) What, from this year, do you feel most grateful for? I feel very grateful that we are able to gather together this Thanksgiving and include not only immediate family but those friends we consider family. Our dining room table will be surrounded with love on Thursday and I am indeed very grateful. I've been working on my centerpiece for our dining room table. I can't decide if I want to leave the antlers or not.