Thursday, November 26, 2009

What are You Most Thankful for?

"What are you most thankful for over the last year in your life?" asked one of my favorite bloggers, Trent at The Simple Dollar.

Right now I'm thankful that I woke up in time to go to Mass on Thanksgiving, as I was hoping to do...and I'm thankful that I will hopefully be able to get the headache I woke up with under control in time to go. I'm thankful - considering waking up with a bad headache - that we don't have 20 or so people coming here for Thanksgiving dinner as many people do (not that I wouldn't enjoy the people if we had them coming). But I'm also thankful that we still have five of us living here to enjoy dinner together...and that the one who works today gets off at 4 p.m.

I'm thankful for holidays past, with all eight of us, and I'm thankful that we are in touch with our other three, and that we can be so proud of all of our children.

I'm grateful for a loving husband, who works hard and long at his job, and then comes home and helps here too. And I'm grateful for a part-time job that I like...working with people I enjoy.

Recently, I've been thinking how grateful I am that for so many years I was able to stay home with my children, and also that for nearly three decades I was able to do the teaching and writing that I love.

For a new and wonderful homeschool group for our youngest son and me, and an evening teen group for him, I am truly thankful...and for the new friends we have met. I'm also thankful that I'm getting the opportunity to help a friend who is teaching a writing class in that homeschool co-op.

Here in my middle age, I am thankful that someone posted a picture entitled "Thanksgiving around the Ping-Pong Table" and that it took me way back to my young childhood. Sometimes I tend to remember the less-than-happy memories of my young life, so it was good to remember the happy times with the immediate and extended family all gathered around one big table.

I am thankful that through the adversities of life that have come our way in the past years, God has taught me so much more about trusting in Him.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Telephone Solicitations

I just stumbled upon this enlightening post about telemarketers...taken from a telemarketer who shared anonymously to protect his or her job.

Personally, I've never had a problem telling telephone solicitors that I'm not interested...but I know some do, and here is everything you need to know.

I especially liked the points at the end that these are real people with families and bills; they are making minimum wage doing this job; and they probably took the job out of desperation.