Gratitude....

Elaine suggested thinking of a new thing to be grateful for for each day of November until Thanksgiving. This is her picture I "stole" from her blog. :) Too cute to leave there! Anyway, I'm taking her up on the challenge.Day 1) The atonement, because it is the most important thing to be grateful for. Without that life is empty.
Day 2) My husband, because he rescued me from the hole my life was in and continues to do so!!
Day 3) My children, because they are my examples. They are kind, loving, generous, forgiving and self motivated!!!!
Day 4) Freedom to be able to vote in a free election! There are so many places in the world where this is not available.
Day 5) Friends who keep me continually motivated to improve myself.
Day 6) Neighbors who are willing to share their bounty. Dick Senger offered us the apples from his tree, and we have picked them off the ground. Now, I'm turning them into apple pie filling and apple sauce, YUMMMMMY!!!
Day 7) General Authorities both present and past who teach us Gospel Principles.
Day 8) Grateful for the Plan of Salvation, the knowledge that there is a way in which we can live forever in families, and the opportunity to share that knowledge with loved ones. My cousin's husband died today, and I will witness the information to her that there is a way in which she can be together forever with him again.
Day 9) For the principle of forgiveness, the ability to forgive and to be forgiven. :)
Day 10) Relief Society - It's the tool which helps me improve. :)
Day 11) Missionary Work - As sad as funerals are, they provide opportunity to share the knowledge of the gospel, which the Lord's Church provides. Today, I had such an occasion to give my cousin a copy of the video "Together Forever" in order to give her some consolation after loosing her husband last Sunday.
Day 12) Temples - they offer an opportunity to connect families for eternity!
Day 13) Cheap Movie Theaters - we greatly enjoyed seeing "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" tonight. Matinee prices are only $2.50 each!!!!
Day 14) Enjoying and being ability to drive a car!!! Went to a baptism at the Binghamton Meetinghouse, then drove to Horseheads to the Elmira Meetinghouse to celebrate a very close friend's 50th wedding anniversary, and home again by 11pm. So glad that night driving is not a problem!!!! Such freedom I never wanted as a teenager and now could not live without!!!!!
Day 15) The blessing of being called to a Stake calling -it gives me opportunity to visit other ward meetings around the stake and renew old friendships. Visited the Greene Branch this morning and was treated with a pot luck dinner afterwards. Delicious!!!
Day 16) Medical prescriptions, which give renewed health, and insurance which covers most of the cost.
Day 17) Out of town classes which Tom invites me to go along for. We went to a little town called Newburg, NY for a 2 day class.
Day 18) Grateful for the internet which allowed me to keep in touch with Elaine and Trina while I was hanging out waiting for Tom's class to be over.
Day 19) Grateful for internet phone service which allows me to call any one any where at any time for only $17/mo!!! and talk as long as we want!!!!
Day 20) The resources to shop for clothes for Winter; The ability to work on the truck with Tom. :) and share the best strawberry shortcake (which the waitresses made at the Skylark Dinner) with my husband.
Day 21) Thankful for a dependable vehicle to transport us to visit family. Went to Tommy and Cherie's for an early Thanksgiving dinner. Grateful for Elaine reminding me of loved ones birthdays!!!
Day 22) Thankful for family who are willing to celebrate holidays at our convenience. Went to my mothers today to celebrate with her, since we will be at the Toronto Temple on Thanksgiving Day to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary.
Day 23) Grateful for caller ID, to not have to answer the phone, if the call is for Tom, since most of the time it's technical, and they feel more comfortable leaving a detailed message on a machine; OR if it is a telemarketer, I can avoid wasting their and my time by not answering the phone. Amazing the stress relief this little technical device has afforded for me!!!
Day 24) Grateful for internet shopping!!! Hurray, Christmas shopping is almost completed! Thank you Elaine for keeping me on-track with gift ideas for each member of our family!! She has been Santa's little helper!!!!