Gratitude Challenge

My Gratitude Challenge

December 2, 2011

1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.

1. A working digestive system.

2. Having the genetic markers that let my Gleevec work.

3. Hands and fingers.

4. Feet

5. Easy care hair.

6. Two eyes that see clearly at a distance without help.

7. Good heart & Lungs

8. My teeth.

9. My amazing brain

10. Ears that can hear.

2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.

1. My computers.

2. My clothing.

3. My bed

4. Good shoes.

5. My musical instruments.

6. My crèche collection

7.Cheap eyeglasses for medium & close work.

8. Our car.

9. My sunshine lamps.

3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.

1. John Albert Holt

2. John Albert Holt II

3. Robert Clingman Holt

4. Frank Creighton Holt

5. Jacob Allan Holt

6. R. Duncan Allan

7. Teresa Winn Holt

8. Barbara Lopez Holt

9. Rebecca Connelly Holt

10. 14 grandchildren.

4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.

1. Margaret Nelson Allan

2. David O McKay

3. Joseph Smith

4. James Madison

5. Baby Allan

6. George Washington

7. Soldiers who have fought and died for the cause of freedom.

8. Emma Ruth Allan

9. Inventors

10. Gordon B. Hinckley

5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.

1. Stars

2. The Moon

3. The Sun

4. The Rain

5. Trees

6. Fertile soil.

7. Bugs

8. The Ocean

9. The mountains

10. Snow

6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.

1. A good night's sleep.

2. Using the internet to study gospel principles.

3. Roosters crowing a welcome to the morning.

4. Waking up to a warm house.

5. That most of the fire loss inventory is in the data base.

6. That John & I were able to end yesterday without hard feelings.

7. Being able to see green trees outside my window.

8. Knowing I have sufficient food to eat today.

9. Having a calorie counting program that helps regulate caloric intake.

10. Electricity to power my light and computer.

7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.

1. The Ranch in Guinda, California

2. My parents' home in Grayland, WA

3. Temples.

4. The beach where I grew up.

5. Military Inns

6. Campgrounds

7. The Evergreen State College

8. Ocosta Schools

9. VA Hospitals

10. Gardens

8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.

1. Electricity

2. Automobiles

3. Computers

4. Internet Calling with Yahoo or Skype

5. Cameras

6. Air conditioning/Heating

7. Surround Sound

8. Telephones

9. Electric Mixers

10. Search Engines

9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.

1. Chocolate

2. Apples

3. Carrots

4. Salmon

5. Mashed Potatoes

6. Turkey

7. Almonds

8. Bread

9. Fresh peas

10. Strawberries

10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.

1. Jesus Christ's atonement.

2. Hope

3. The restored Priesthood.

4. Relief Society

5. The scriptures

6. My Baptism

7. The plan of Happiness

8. My temple recommend

9. The prophet

10. The gift of the Holy Spirit.

This was a very uplifting way to start my day. In each category I had to choose my top Ten since my mind generated more than was needed in each category. It seemed that once I thought of one thing to be grateful the others just tumbled into place. The hardest one do list was the things I am thankful for today as I was doing this challenge between 5:30 and 7:00 AM. Not much had happened yet; I was surprised when I found ten and actually had to choose which last item to list. One thing I did not list was "Prayer". I am surprised that did not come readily to mind as I am eternally grateful that I have the supreme privilege of speaking to the divine being who I know as MY Heavenly Father and being heard. Now I am off to copy and post this in my Blog.

The traffic for the last 1/8 mile home from quilting was horrendous. First, Mr. Jack Rabbit zig-zagged drunkenly down the road blocking all attempts at passing. He staggered left, then right seeking his elusive turn-off. I crept slowly up the lane giving him plenty of room. Suddenly, three deer darted out of a side road and stopped dead in the intersection. Poor Mr. Jack Rabbit, he didn't know which way to go. In confusion he turned and met me head-on. At the last minute he swerved to the right and we passed unscathed. The deer stood there and assessed the situation. Finally, they bounded gracefully into the neighbor's orchard and I was able to make it home.

Town Notes: We left another pick-up load of fire debris at the landfill. I got my monthly blood test. John got his teeth examined and cleaned. The Dodge Ram passed its smog test. John and I completed a rigorous counseling session: we both have some cognitive retraining to do. Groceries from Costco and Raley's will keep us fed for the next week. Lunch (and later supper) was a Costco rotisserie chicken: Yumm! a cheaper and healthier lunch than burgers.

Quilting: I took my machine to the Grange Hall and stitched my material sandwiches together. I got all thirty done and was able to lay out the blocks before we parted ways at nine. I didn't like the first lay out and it was nice to have help seeing the blocks a new way.

This photo is from my sample photo file. Just like the picture. Right now I feel like slapping my tail on the water--If I had one.

Today has been filled with a marathon session typing a list of fire inventory into a data base. My shoulders are sore from all the sitting even after making sure I got up and changed activities every hour. (Probably should have been every 20 minutes). During breaks, I watered my melon plants-no melons, washed two loads of clothes, practiced the piano, and cooked meals. What can I do to that feels as good as a good tale slap must feel to that whale?

Clean-up

Before and after shots of the area around the trailer door.

We took an inventory of all my music and all the record albums that hadn't been destroyed. Then everything went into black garbage bags--even the ash. We are down to black rocks in many places. Poppi keeps finding hardened splashes of the aluminum that covered the sides. We keep looking for pieces of metal so we can recycle them. Might as well make some good of the disaster. We took one load of metal in already and got $300 for it. Today we took a pick-up bed stuffed with black garbage bags of burnt papers, a melted radio, and lots of ash to the garbage dump. We will definitely have one more truck load, perhaps more before the trash is cleaned up. We have a goal of getting all the trash sifted through by the 20th. That way we can empty the pick-up bed in time for the priesthood's helping hands. They are coming on the 24th with their sawzalls to help Poppi cut the metal into sections for recycling.

Discoveries

I discovered turkeys in my front yard when I got up this morning. I love their soft burbbling conversation.

I discovered that Joan of Arc's action took place in The Hundred Years War. What a long time to have to support military actions. Ten years in Afghanistan is miniscule by comparison.

I discovered this quilt block plan in my great-granmother's recipe book.

Memories

Recently we had a fire and lost a lot of stuff. Happily, my treasured possessions are all safe and sound. I keep this photo by my desks so that every day is a lovely day filled with happy memories of my grandkids and good times.

Today I made a new chili recipe. I'm getting ready for next weeks chili cook-off.

I also watched America's got talent. My favorite four are the final four. I'm happy.

Still working on cleaning up genealogy paperwork that I rescued from the ashes. Then I'll check to see if their work is done. If so I will trash the smoky smelling worksheets. I'll never replace the photos but that's not the reason for doing genealogy. As long as I focus on the eternal part of the work, I'm okay.