Gratitude and Thanks

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie

Thankful list:

Photo albums filled with memories. Memories of my grandparents who are not on this earth any longer. Memories of childhood laughter with my sister. Memories of neighborhood friends. Memories of simpler times when all I needed was mom & dad, my dog, and a bike or a Barbie and life seemed complete. Memories of my early married life, where we didn't have much in the way of material things, but we had a lot of happiness and love, and we grew in love with each other each day, and continue to do so to this day.

Cards, emails, texts or facebook postings from friends. Their words and thoughts bless my heart.

Listening to my 5 & 6 year old nieces sing. God has given them amazing talent already at their age, and I pray they keep growing that talent.

Going for a walk with my hubby and my dog, especially when we walk along Coeur d'Alene Lake drive. It's such a beautiful spot, and we all love to walk there.

Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus! Christmas lights, that to me, show light and hope to the world because of a Savior's birth.

Journals where I can freely pour out my thoughts. There is a lot of 'therapy' in writing for me.

Popcorn, air popped, with a light sprinkling of sea salt...one of my favorite snacks!