Gratitude IMHO

I'd like to end the year 2014 on a positive uplifting note. No matter how bad things can be in our lives, and it can get pretty hard sometimes, there are always things we can be thankful for. Gratitude is the best attitude to bring us through difficulties.

This may not be a fancy picture but it simply shows what I am so thankful for this past year.

1. Our Public Library:
Yes I cannot say enough of how awesome my public library is. I saved hundreds of dollars plus bookshelf space at home by borrowing books from the library.  I borrowed 155 books just this year alone. Which leads me to..

1.5. Kindle:
The rest of the books I read were Kindle ebooks on my iPad.What a wonderful space saver- so handy when I'm traveling.

2.  Starbucks:
Did you know that when you get those free rewards on your gold card that you can get a drink, pastry OR sandwich for free?!?! I did NOT know that! And here I am ordering a "venti" hot chocolate because I wanted to spend the most money on an item. So I ordered the new turkey stuffing panini and it was not bad.. not bad at all.. for free that is!

3. Lemon Bars and Chocolate Chip cookies:
Homemade dessert pastries.. I have no will power over them. My friend, Diane, made these lemon bars "at the last minute, on a whim" for a school bake sale and I just loved them so much that I bought 7 pieces. That's 7 bucks baby! And my sister's homemade chocolate chip cookies are to die for. Just the right amount of chocolate chewy gewy goodness. Oh so heavenly!

4. My KHA Students:

Out of this graduating class, I had taught 12 of these students five years ago

I think it's the mother in me that I have a love for my former students. To remember how they were when I taught them and who they have become now. It's bittersweet to see my former third graders as graduating 8th graders this year. I am proud to see how they have grown up to be beautiful and handsome young men and women, who are continually respectful (at least in front of me). I'm proud of their accomplishments academically, athletically and spiritually. I've been enjoying teaching Yearbook class this year, teaching three of these former students.

5. Friends:
I don't know about you but I don't like to ask for help much.  Funny that I love to help others but I just don't like asking for help for some reason. But when I'm in pain.. desperate excruciating debilitating pain.. I swallowed my desire to take care of myself and called for help. You see, I had sprained my muscles in my back, right next to the L5-S1 discs. I was in excruciating pain from every minor movement I made. So much pain that I got dizzy, my vision was blurring and I was in cold sweat holding my screams inside. I called my bff Helen and begged her to take me to the ER. I was that desperate. And she quickly came with back up. My friend Tony (also Emily's band teacher and our school's music teacher) came with Helen. He prayed over me and all of a sudden, I'm not kidding you, I was able to walk to the phone to call the advice nurse. The power of prayer is awesome! Well to make a long story short .. the news of me being hurt spread throughout the school and I received many texts and emails throughout the day with encouragement and prayers. I truly felt so loved and cared for from afar. I was in such a horrible state and wanted to die from the pain. Actually I really wanted an epidural! Praise God that Helen stayed with me, took me to the doctors, and made sure I was settled at home before she went back to work. She even did my dishes for me. True friends do your chores for you!

Another amazing friend is our friend Stanley. He is what I call a "God-given" friend. I first met Stanley back when I was attending church in Oakland when I was in my 20's. And Matthew met Stanley through me when we were dating. Little did we know that Stanley "knew" Matthew way back when he was nine years old! You see, during Sunday School class, Stanley and his classmates each drew a picture of a missionary family that the church was supporting. They posted the picture on their missionary wall and prayed for this family during that the school year. Guess who Stanley's missionary family was? It was Matthew's family, who were missionaries in the Philippines at that time. Little did each of them know that they would eventually meet and become friends. Almost 40 years after Stanley drew this picture, his former Sunday School teacher gave it to him last month and he in turn gives it to us this week. What a small small world! God had His hand on our friendship starting at the very young age of 9, even though we didn't meet until several decades later!
 (It's like that story in the news of the little boy who wrote a letter and sent an Operation Christmas Child Box to a child in the Philippines and 15 years later he connects with the little girl (now a young woman) that received his box and now they are married! Who knew?!?!)

There is nothing left to chance in life. Everything happens for a reason. I am thankful that we have a God that loves us so much that He places these very special people in my life.

As we look forward to a brand new year, my prayer for you is that you see many blessings, that you stop and 'smell the roses' and know that He loves you.

Happy 2015!