GRATEFUL

Whenever dark times came into my life I started to understand God.  This verse,  came from from an older and much wiser lady named Mary White that worked with me at the University Hospital in the 1980's. When I look back at my life so far, I realize God sent a variety of knowledgeable older men and women into my life to mentor me. To help me through those tough times. I use to question God, why me, what have I done to deserve this and other desperate words in a cry for help. All along God was sending me His message through others.

As a young child, my father instilled this into all of his children. He would say, always remember when you point an accusing finger at someone, four of your own figures are pointing back at you! This verse from Scripture says it all, all of us are sinners, like it or not. My father attended school until the 4th grade yet he was the smartest man I ever knew. He lived his life so closely to what we should, he was kind and humble, faithful and smart. If he did not understand a word he would look it up in the dictionary.  He had exquisite handwriting and he was logical and forgiving. He never judged people. He never used inappropriate language and he raised us with a firm foundation based on biblical principles.

I remember being rebellious and thinking what ancient values my folks had. Today I am so grateful they did. I was blessed having the earthly parents God gave me. I cherish each and every memory of them and only wish my own children would remember me as fondly as I remember my own parents.

I am going to try to be here at least once a week sharing something I am grateful for. The world around us is getting more dark and difficult. I want to show everyone there is still so much light around us and people to be grateful for.

On the drive back from the bus station, where I drop my sweet hubby each weekday, I heard the sweetest story on the radio. A little girl named "Sunshine" was counting the money from her piggy bank. When her grandmother asked her why, she told her kids at her school did not have money to buy milk and she thought everyone deserves milk with their lunch! The DJ on the radio said he was impressed, first of all, that Sunshine had $30 dollars in her piggy bank ( a future entrepreneur?) but her grandmother posted this story on social media and they set up a Go Fund Me page which accumulated $7,000 for the school's milk money program! What a kind child, Child hunger in the USA is devastating. My own children attended school with many kids who did not have lunch money etc. I know many teachers who fill their cupboards with healthy snacks and share them with these very children. A woman I know who counsels people who have been in trouble with the law, said she noticed when a client came in to her office, his children often waited in the outer lobby eating Slim Fast bars. He said he gave them those bars because they make you fill full. She said she emptied her snack cupboard and gave him every single edible item she had! Life is hard but many good souls are wandering around it and as Mother Teresa always said:

I am grateful for the simple things, a roof (two years old) over our heads, an old but stable house, heat and cooling and clean running water. We take a lot for granted. But we can be grateful and find even simple ways to pass kindness on to others.