just a few things to be thankful for

Trying to rebound from a particularly trying Whiny Wednesday. Nothing major, just a lot of minor things that add up and stress me out. I pushed through and went to church last night and was so. Very. Glad. I did. My hen party/bible study was great and exactly what I needed to get through the rest of this week. I understand that church isn’t for everyone – and that some people are “Home Churched” and that organized religion seems restrictive and judgmental and harsh to some. I’m definitely guilty of needing a pajama Sunday here and there. But when I go, it’s good. It makes me feel plugged in with my community and that’s something that’s incredibly vital for me. Squeezing in some quality time with Jim, Angie and the girls – even if it is on fast forward – also helps.

So… my first item on my Thankful Thursday agenda is my church – Helen First Baptist. If you are ever in Helen and you want to stop in, you’ll find me on the second row, third chair in… although my hen party ladies are threatening to sit there just to throw me out of my comfort zone. I replied that it would move them from THEIR comfort zone… having me in their lap thru the entire service. Creature of habit, you know?

Item number 2 on the agenda – I’m thankful for human kindness. I play this online game – superpoke pets – and it’s a bit of an addiction/hobby for me. Like most online games… you can win points or “coins” for playing OR you can buy “gold” with real money. Obviously I’m not in a position to waste money buying stuff for a cyber pet when my own pet is going without the premium stuff himself. But yesterday this complete stranger spent $15-20 on gold items for my pet. It was just really sweet and I was so blue… it turned my day around. Sometimes just a touch of human kindness goes a long way. A long, long way.

I’m thankful today for the availability of fresh fruit at fast food restaurants. My fruit and yogurt parfait at McDonalds. Apple “fries” at Burger King. Banana at Sonic. So that even when I’m too tired to actually shop for produce… I can always grab some on the run. That’s number 3.

Number 4 - I still love my hairdo. Love. Love. Love my hair. Maybe that’s vanity. Ok, definitely it’s vanity. But unless you’re a girl with naturally curly hair you can’t appreciate the struggle to tame the wild beast every day. It’s so much easier now. I love the length, I love how it feels... I love getting compliments on it! Makes me feel so pretty!

Number 5 – Not sure if this is ready for public announcement yet but my sister-in-law – Dr. Angie Gant – is being promoted to chairman of her department at the college where she works which – among other things – means that she is now her husband’s boss – at least at the college. She works so hard and she’s good at what she does. She worked really hard to get that doctorate too, and it’s good to see it paying off for her. I’m really proud of her! This doesn’t take effect until the next school year but she will assume some duties starting in January.

Time to wrap this up and start hitting the phones again. Hope you’re all having a great day and that you can find a few things in your own life for which you are thankful! Love and hugs!