1. 

   thank you

   I am grateful that two more house guests arrived last night. My son and my daughter’s boyfriend are here for the weekend. Besides celebrating America’s independence, we’ll also be celebrating my daughter’s birthday.

2. I am grateful to all the people who bought fireworks at the CNC booth this week. The revenues generated enable kids to attend summer camp at Alliance Redwoods the end of July.
3. I am grateful for the July 3rd bash we had on the new church sports field. It was good to see so many folks attend, hear all that laughter, eat those great tri-tip sandwiches, and witness the awesome fireworks show. So many people helped make this a great night. I am grateful to all of them for their servant heart and hard work.
4. Of course, I’m thankful to Be an American Kid! Go here for the song. I’m also Proud to be an American:YouTube and Lyrics.

1. I am grateful that Ed is a Christian. Because of that, he is certain to someday be reunited with his loved ones and friends who are also Believers. Once I get to Eternity, and after I’ve spent quite a long while at my Lord’s feet and in the Father’s lap, I plan on finding Ed and giving him a huge hug. Ed, you are already missed.
2. I am grateful that my daughter took my shift at the fireworks booth. That way I was able to attend Ed’s memorial along with others from my church.
3. I am grateful for the field trip I took with my sista, nieces and daughter. The daughter set it all up at the recycling center off Fruitridge. If you haven’t been GO.
   

Thinking about today’s Gratitude List shows me that it’s mainly people who make my life full of things to be grateful for.

1. Drive -in movie showing Wall-E + 3 nieces, 1 sista and 1 daughter + ice cream made in plastic bags on the blacktop in front of the van. On Tuesdays the tickets are $4.75 for adults and $1.00 for kids 5-11. This comedic, adventurous Pixar movie showcases Wall-E, a persistent, clumsy, lovesick robot, who chases his love and helps return people to their trashed Earth.
2. Sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner with my daughter. And she cooked! I did the dishes. She is a great cook and even better conversationalist.

It’s July 1st, so I’ll report on one thing I am thankful for. That is sooooo easy.

1. My daughter arrived this afternoon from San Francisco and is staying until Sunday. I am THANKFUL for HER being here for the next five days.

Money spent

• $1.00 for a blueberry glazed doughnut at church. I don’t really like doughnuts, but I didn’t leave enough time to eat a proper breakfast before leaving the house. I am house sitting and I used breakfast time to feed the animals and water the garden.
• $5.00 to add to the pot for a gift. One of my seminary profs (who also happens to be the director of the Sacramento Western seminar campus) graduated with his PH.D. We had a surprise reception for him today.
• $49.68 to fill up my gas tank! I’ll see how long I can make this tank last.

So for today, I overspent by $1.00.

Cumulative total overspent: $1.00.

Several years ago I participated in 30 Days of Nothing. Tonia at Study in Brown is the originator of this.

“The goal of this month-long fast is to break the grip of materialism in our hearts and minds. We want to live in gratitude, not discontent; and we want to live with awareness of the great responsibility our affluence has laid on our shoulders.”

My Simpler Life went on a spending fast for the month of May.

I am still very interested in spending less and spending more wisely. This past month I wrote down what I spent each day. This month I will observe how, why and what I spent money on each day of last month.

With this information, I’ll look to see where I can revise my budget. I may or may not do a spending fast or another stint at 30 Days of Nothing. First, I will see what my last month’s purchases reveal.

What do you think your last month’s purchases say about you?

1. A dear friend celebrating her 20th year of sobriety
2. A great talk with my sister about future dreams
3. Sharing a meal and conversation with MT
4. I Chronicles 28:20
5. Fresher air with a coolish breeze
6. Seeing how God views women and men as equals in spirituality, sexuality, intellect, and ministry
7. That I can change my mind
8. Ability to hear the quiet whisper in my ear to the roar of airplanes far above
9. Keeping in touch with others through phone calls, letters and the Internet
10. Medicine that helps my dog heal and makes him feel better
11. My inhaler
12. Black current tea
13. A clean bathroom
14. Sleeping in
15. Jamocha shakes from Arby’s
16. Vine-ripened tomato that I had at lunch
17. Friends who let me study at their home
18. Friends who pray for me to have focus
19. The lime-green cotton top I am wearing
20. Jonathan’s smile - so sweet and joyful
21. Received back my final project from Building a Relational Ministry to Women. I did well.
22. The excitement of a pending visit from my son and daughter
23. Life is so full of “good things” that 3 thank you’s were written, decorated and mailed
24. Getting to play with puffy paint - used them to decorate the thank you postcards
25. I still have four more hours in which to finish my to-do list
26. Happy court news for a friend
27. A stack of books from the library just waiting to be devoured
28. That I can be strong, have strength of heart and just do the task because the LORD God is with me and won’t stop helping me until all the work is done!

Remember the Banana Stuffed French Toast I was grateful for on Day 26?

I made them for myself this a.m. and they are still delish. And I’m still grateful for them.

Below is the figure-friendly recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup fat free milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons light cream cheese, softened
• 4 slices cinnamon raisin bread
• 1 ripe banana, sliced

Directions:

1. Put butter into the frying pan to melt and cover pan.
2. Beat together the egg, milk and vanilla.
3. Spread 1/4th Tablespoon cream cheese on each slice of bread.
4. Put half of sliced bananas on two of the bread slices.
5. Put the other slice on top, cream cheese side down. Now you have two banana cream cheese sandwiches.
6. Put the sandwiches in the egg-milk-vanilla mixture and soak for about 10 seconds on each side.
7. When the pan is ready ( drops of water sprinkled in the pan dance around), put the sandwiches into the pan.
8. Cook until golden. Turn and do the same on the other side.
9. Serve with butter and 1 Tablespoon syrup.

Do you have a favorite French Toast recipe? How about sharing it?

The Internet is filled with great information that makes my life easier, better and/or prettier. I’m going to list 27 posts (I’ve tagged on my Google reader) that I am grateful for. . . .

Blog Related

1. Blog help for your About Page
   
2. Ideas for Unique Articles
3. 22 Things You Should Do and
4. How to Create a Comment Policy (1-4 above are from Performancing: Helping Bloggers Succeed).
5. Do what ONE Thing & You’ll Beat 96% of WordPress Bloggers (Inspired Money Maker).
6. How about Adding Your Signature or Personalizing Comments? (Chocolate on my Cranium)

Books

1. The Tea Book to Buy if Your Ancestry is Scottish, Irish, Welsh or Cornish (The Tea Party Girl) In case you want to know, I’m of a Scottish ancestry. No, I don’t own this book yet.

Crafting

1. Want to make postcards? Go here from Craftzine.
2. Go here for photo post cards from Keep it Cheap.
3. Make a Googly Eye Choker (Craftzine)

Educational

1. Short History of 13 Cross Styles (Got Bible?)

Finances

1. 101 Ways to Save Money This Summer (Tip Nut) How many of these have you done?
2. Go here for over 800 Money Saving Ideas (Free Money Finance).
3. Estate Planning Information (The Simple Dollar)
4. Brita Replacement Filter for 50 Cents (Instructables)
   10 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Saving Money (Manage Life)
5. Possible Gas Saving Ideas (Free Money Finance) Hey, at this point I’m ready to try anything.

Health Related

1. Zellies mints and gum and other teeth care ideas (Tammy’s Recipes)
2. Green Smoothie Recipes (Dr. Ben Kim). Here’s another Smoothie Recipe by Dr. Nicole’s Kitchen Table Medicine.
3. Diet for Asthmatics (Dr. Nicole’s Kitchen Table Medicine)

Personal Growth

1. 7 Ways to Defeat Procrastination (Life Optimizer)
2. 3 Ways to Motivate Yourself to do the Hated Things (Pick the Brain)
3. Resources for How to Memorize (Productivity 501)
4. 10 Things to Change in Order to Get What You Want (Life Optimizer)
5. Wanna make the lesson stick? Go here. (Improved Lives)
6. 10 Recommendations, Based on Positive Psychology Research, to Help you Overcome the Challenge of Not Exercising (Positive Psychology News Daily)

Summer

1. Turning a towel into a stylish bathing suit cover up. (Wardrobe Refashion) Great Summer project.
2. 88 Summer ideas sorted into the categories of Crafts, Cooking, Field Trips, Education, Patriotic, Boutique, Outdoor Activities and Indoor Activities (Chocolate on my Cranium) Some great ideas here for my Ladies Summer Camp idea!!!

Share some of your favorite posts.

Today is June 26. The alphabet has 26 letters. See a connection here? I’m going to list 26 things for which I am grateful, alphabet style

A. Artists. Like my daughter and niece SA. I cannot create original work and so I am grateful for those who can. That way I get to look at pretty things.

B. Banana Stuffed French Toast. SM made that before we had Bible study and it was delish!

C. Chiropractor. Going to one has definitely helped my back and neck.

D. Deadlines. They help me order my life.

E. Earplugs. In my purse I keep a pair in an empty cinnamon Altoid tin. I use them at the library, concerts and even when I’m by myself at home studying.

F. Five new posts at my daughter’s blog. I love reading about her world and thoughts.

G. Girlfriends. I don’t see why some ladies abhor girlfriend relationships.

H. Hope. In Jesus, from God, His Word and friends/family. This is what gets me through the tough times and helps me sail through the easier times.

I. Igloo memory. My kiddos and I made an igloo when we lived in CO. We attempted to sleep the night inside it. But about 2 am I whispered, “Is anyone awake? I’m freezing.” Both responded and we drug our stuff indoors to spend the rest of the night in a warm place that couldn’t come crashing down on us.

J. Jack-o-lanterns. I have many good memories of the family carving these up in the Fall.

K. Keys. I know where they are!

L. Laughing. Especially laughter that comes from a baby’s belly.

M. Music. It has the power to move me into a worshipful state, energetic, or even just happy.

N. Nose - mine. I am thankful that it isn’t stuffy today.

O. Open door policy. I am grateful this is how God deals with His children. He’s never off duty or too busy to listen.

P. Pillow. I have one that fits my neck perfectly.

Q. Quiet. I am rejuvenated by the quiet. I need it to think and to write papers. I never could understand how my son could have the music blaring and do homework at the same time.

R. Restaurants. I like going out to eat with friends. I went to Chevys with CA. Our server looked like a tanned Elvis Presley.

S. Sharing. Instead of us all buying new things, I love it when sharing goes on. I.e. I am sharing some books with TL and she is sharing with me.

T. Texas. I lived there for a couple of years during junior high/high school age. In Texas on March 9, 1974 I became a Christian.

U. Umbrella. Isn’t it fun to stand under a HUGE, colorful umbrella, safe from pelting raindrops?

V. Vanilla. I love this as a flavoring, scent and ice cream-Breyer’s natural vanilla is the best.

W. Women’s Ministry Team. These ladies are awesome and help me in so many ways. Besides doing business together they help me grow as a woman by their examples, honesty, and conversations.

X. X-Rays. The last ones taken of my neck and back show that both are improving!

Y. Yellow Room. Yes, I have a yellow room. My son calls it the yellow submarine room. The color makes me smile.

Z. Zuchinni. I have a tiny one growing in my backyard.

What are your ABC’s of gratitude?