I am grateful that Christmas is put away.

I am grateful for a refrigerator full of leftovers.

I am grateful for green olives.

I am grateful for a place to call home and for family members and friends who come to visit.

I am grateful for a quiet morning at work and lunch with a co-worker.

I am grateful for sunshine on a cold day.

I am grateful that my sister has a shiny new car to drive – she so deserves it.

I am grateful for Dennis, a friend of mine and a new friend of Dad’s.

I am grateful for the early morning entertainment of two fat red-breasted nuthatches that were climbing on the wood pile this morning.

I am grateful for new sweaters to wear. Thank you, Sam.

I am grateful for fox pee. It works wonders for scaring away squirrels who want to squat space in the attic. That makes me grateful for the person who has to collect fox pee and bottle it.

I am grateful for the message at church given by Penny Elwood. Still reflecting on 2 Timothy 1:7…

I am grateful for the vacuum cleaner.

I am grateful for in-laws who are wonderful and fun to be with.

I am grateful for peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

I am grateful for a husband who doesn’t sit on the couch and watch hours upon hours of TV, doesn’t play video games, doesn’t want to spend his free time playing all kinds of sports. He spends his free time working on projects and includes me, and when I help with a project, even if it is just to hold a flashlight or stabilize a board going through the saw, he thanks me over and over and over for helping and tells me how good it is to work together. For that, I am so very grateful.

I am grateful for a kiss on the cheek from Katherine, my Bingo friend.

I am grateful that I do not have to spend time in a mall or department stores. I am too easily influenced and allow my shallow desires to rule, causing depression and a feeling of ugliness.

I am grateful for funny jokes that I can remember long enough to share.

I am grateful for just enough.

And I am grateful that for the first time in my life, I have tithed more than 10% for an entire year, and God has blessed me in abundance.