I am thankful to the Lord, my God, for:
December
- looking forward in hope to a new year
- "signs in the sky," the confluence of Jupiter and Saturn
- a quiet Christmas focused on Christ's birth
- sunshine in December
- lengthening days
- cards and emails from friends and relatives with holiday wishes
- sending love and good cheer to others through the mail
- prayer warriors who stand in the gap with me
- bringing home a new goat
- lunch with a good friend
- snow (on a weekend, so no need to drive in it)
- "attending" the Vocal Majority Christmas show via livestream
- completing a home project
- the privilege of praying for those around me
- preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ
- swirling flocks of blackbirds on the wing
- wild geese honking their way across the sky
- the call of mourning doves
- raucous crows
- sparrows at the bird feeders
- the call of mourning doves
- raucous crows
- sparrows at the bird feeders
November
- rain to water the perennials
- Thanksgiving dinner
- our grandson's smile
- a tree full of blackbirds
- the blessing of prayer
- warm fall weather
- working on the greenhouse
- health
- hot cocoa
- peace
- crunchy leaves
- a mug of hot chocolate
- hugs from our grandson
- my fleece jacket
- the scent of grass hay
- cool breezy days
- walking through crunchy autumn leaves
- fuzzy fur coats on the horses and goats
- preparing for the holidays
- answered prayers
- old friends
October
- crisp fall weather and colorful leaves
- my fleece-lined jacket for chilly mornings
- being able to wear my favorite long-sleeved clothes again
- phone calls from family
- my fleece-lined jacket for chilly mornings
- being able to wear my favorite long-sleeved clothes again
- phone calls from family
- buying more winter hay
- lilac shoots from a friend
- my dog is feeling better
- I didn't have a flat tire, it was the sensor
- tuning up our furnace before the cold weather hits
- falling leaves
- bringing order to the garden before winter
- chilly mornings
- the smell of woodsmoke
- the absence of bugs flying around the porch light now that it's cooler
- the power of prayer
- prayer warriors
- working in the garden
- late-blooming roses
- a sense of humor
- lovely weather
- outdoor dining
- good friends
- crisp mornings
- saying goodbye to horsefly season
- good friends
- crisp mornings
- saying goodbye to horsefly season
September
a couple of migrating hummingbirds at the feeder
an ice cream sundae "just because"
the smell of freshly-mown grass
an answered prayer
accountability
a third birthday
lunch with the kids
eye drops
cooler-than-usual weather
a re-beginning
prayer
grace
creativity
time
naps
rain
cooler weather on the way, and the promise of autumn
grandchildren
sunflowers
kind words
- a break from the hot weather
- late summer tomatoes
- moments of silence
- ripe apples from our little orchard
- an ice cold bottle of water
- the bottom line and the big picture
- details
- a lunch date
- playing with our grandson
- bringing order to chaos
- sunflowers
- the smell of freshly-mown grass
- polka-dotted kittens
- holding a baby
- snail mail from a friend
- eleven degrees below normal for an entire week - in August!
- good sleeping weather
- bringing order to chaos
- summer thunderstorms
- going out for ice cream
- being in the right place at the right time to help out
- a change in outlook
- praise music
- my coworkers
- coming home
July
- safe travel
- visiting family
- sweeping vistas of open country and wildlife
- hugs and kisses from grandbabies
- home, sweet home
- butterflies
- little frogs from those eggs in the water trough
- safe travel
- visiting family
- sweeping vistas of open country and wildlife
- hugs and kisses from grandbabies
- home, sweet home
- our wedding anniversary
- a freezer full of chicken
- freshly-mown grass
- air conditioning
- rest
- rain in summer
- rain in summer
- not having to water the garden because it rained in summer
- fresh cherry tomatoes
- lunch with a friend
- visiting our grandson
- that He is in control
- summer rain- that He is in control
- butterflies
- little frogs from those eggs in the water trough
June
- ripe tomatoes in the garden
- chocolate
- strawberries
- a quiet day
- my familiar and worn Bible
- my father
- my husband
- my son
- my sons-in-law
- my Lord, the Example all fathers look up to
- a family birthday
- our town and state "reopening"
- making summer travel plans
- a vibrant and colorful sunset
- watering the garden early in the morning, before it gets hot
- falling asleep while being serenaded by frogs
- the call of the whippoorwill
- tiny baby tomatoes on the vines
- being able to visit family again
- a bowl of chocolate ice cream on a warm evening
May
- strawberries
- a quiet day
- my familiar and worn Bible
- my father
- my husband
- my son
- my sons-in-law
- my Lord, the Example all fathers look up to
- a family birthday
- our town and state "reopening"
- making summer travel plans
- a vibrant and colorful sunset
- watering the garden early in the morning, before it gets hot
- falling asleep while being serenaded by frogs
- the call of the whippoorwill
- tiny baby tomatoes on the vines
- being able to visit family again
- a bowl of chocolate ice cream on a warm evening
May
- avoiding an accident on the road
- a dry weekend to work in the garden
- tiny little green tomato babies in the garden
- a rainbow of wildflowers
- a friend's new baby
- birdsong
- continuing education online
- creative pursuits, whether I'm good at it or not
- getting my hair cut
- honeysuckle in bloom
- a dry day to work in the garden
- a gift of tomato plants from a friend
- tadpoles growing in the water trough
- hummingbirds at the feeders
- harvesting wild vetch for my goats
- gorgeous weather for visiting outside with family for Mother's Day
- frog eggs that turned into tadpoles
- rain to water the garden
- orange sherbet
- a red-winged blackbird
- a bluebird on the fence
- being able to keep in touch with family and friends even while isolated
- warm weather
- the song of the frog outside the bedroom window in the evening
- the scent of roses on the morning air
April
- the call of the whippoorwill
- black swallowtail butterflies
- making a difference
- opportunities
- conversations with my grandchildren
- beautiful afternoons
- cheap gas
- delicious food
- transplants ready to go in the garden
- phone conversations
- we (and our family members) are healthy
- memories of past Easter celebrations
- Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for me, even me
- His resurrection
- God's love, and that I am forgiven
- a letter from a friend (a real letter in our mailbox!)
- video chatting with friends and family
- our apple trees in bloom
- swallowtail butterflies fluttering around the apple blossoms
- Palm Sunday, and knowing how the Story ends
March
- God's love
- His plan is good
- His mercy and grace
- forgiveness through Jesus Christ
- patience, kindness and caring
- plenty of spring rain
- calls and texts from our children
- mowing the grass for the first time this year
- the horses have held their weight well this winter
- time to spend at home, a slowing down of my days
- the first redbud tree in bloom
- crocuses in our son's yard
- the pasture covered with a light shade of green grass
- azaleas lining someone's long driveway
- spending the day with our grandson
- blossoms on the plum trees
- a cardinal outside my window
- 2 deer spotted in a field as we drove past
- leaf buds on the lilacs
- planting blueberry bushes
- daffodils in bloom
- babysitting our grandson
- the little purple henbit flowers in the lawn
- chocolate
- today's forecast: 76°
February
- notes from friends
- warm gloves
- leftovers for lunch
- my daily walk
- donuts
- frogs singing in our neighbors' pond
- looking forward to our fruit trees blooming in just a couple of weeks
- listening to our LGD Rosie howling back at the coyotes
- my warm coat on a cold day
- grace
- a snow storm
- learning new things
- lunch with family
- laughing
- a surprise phone call
- many family birthdays this month
- we are one month closer to spring!
- birds singing in the bare trees
- that our old horse Splash is doing well so far this winter
- sunshine
January
- my birthday week
- a friend's sweet wedding
- lunch with my brother
- a cute pair of boots that fit well
- chocolate silk pie
- more rain, and wind to help dry things out
- birds at the feeder in the cold weather
- the horses waiting patiently for me to come out and feed them
- Rosie's comical howl as she tells the coyotes to stay away
- celebrating special days
- rain (and then a bit of snow)
- the snow melted before nightfall
- no damage from the high winds that accompanied the storm
- hubby's continuing recovery from his back surgery
- a quiet day at home
- the freshness of a new year
- lunch with a friend
- a new daily planner
- gloves on a cold morning
- phone calls from my grown-up children
~~~~~