Thanks-living 2015, Week Two

Day 8
Sometimes we finally ask for directions after banging into walls a few times. The Internet, YouTube, and I have developed a close bond this past year, for a variety of insightful answers to simple questions. Most recently, to fix our noisy garage doors that squeak when opening and closing. Repeated times, we have pulled out WD-40, expecting the spray to reduce friction and thus noise. For only a short time, the noise decreases, but it soon returns. (An info-mercial in the next paragraph? not. A thanks-living Ding.Ding.Ding. light-bulb moment? yes.)
Over the weekend, because of overlapping efforts, also helping Jeff’s Mom with her noisy garage door, the "Aha Moment" finally came. To turn to the Internet and YouTube in particular, to learn what specific parts of the doors to oil. The first and only video opened began with critical information I was not actually seeking: “Do not use WD-40 to lubricate your garage doors. It is more a de-greaser and cleaner than a lubricant.” The helpful Lowes associate agreed with that advice. So, basically, earlier efforts had been naively counter-productive. But now, thankfully, we are headed on the right track.

Day 9
Lists are a part of everyday life. Appointments. Groceries. General to-do's. And now holiday food, gift, and activities to-do lists. Calendars and lists categorize my world and keep things moving on track. The challenge occurs, however, when I lose a list, or if a calendar appointment disappears into thin air. Even though recalling names has never been my strength, and retrieving trite things like what we ate for dinner last night is at times a guessing game (chicken wraps), today’s thanks-living thought is to be grateful for a mindset that is still flexible enough to remember today’s 10:00 a.m. Mazda service appointment that curiously vanished from my phone's calendar.

Day 10
It seems almost mysterious how a just-right reading, or a song, or a fluke appointment strategically located, (or all of them, perfectly timed)… occur at pivotal moments, and even before we are most in need. I embrace thanks-living today, with this thought keenly in mind. Feeling.Undeservedly.God-Loved.*
Today's 11/28 post-script to Day 10 is titled, The Mysterious Continues: A $100 thank-you Touch Restaurant gift card was given to us, by an overly-gracious neighbor. Rather than my husband and I using it, Thanksgiving week we gave it to the kids for a meal without us; and, that same week, my accidental and perfectly-timed 30-minute synthesizing car-ride-for-2 with my son-in-law occurred. Both were seemingly random appointments that, as I step back to gain perspective, seemed to encourage healthy and needed discussion and the beginnings of closure. Sensing.a.Good.God's.Gracious.Gifts.

Day 11

Yesterday I was feeling very God-loved. This morning I feel shot. Woke up this morning from a very scary dream. I still sail the Thanks-living adventure, thankful it was only a dream.

Day 12

TBT - 2006. Scared. Embarrassed. Feeling awkward... I lost a set of body parts and allowed a photo to be taken of my balding head. Thankful to have survived it all. Identifying with a neighbor's chemo-hat yesterday and her painful journey, which reminds me to find comfort in simple thanks-living. Thinking of this verse today, for various reasons:  "And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30).  

Day 13

(Written for Day Thirteen but actually posted the evening prior) Thinking about tomorrow’s wary day and date, FRIDAY THE 13th. I recall a pivotal Friday the 13th, on a hot and muggy August 1976. We recited our forever vows: “… to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health…”
Gushy-gush alert: Jeff’s ring finger recently swelled and rejected the wedding band; but, today, 39¼ years later, his loyal digit still holds the indentation. It represents his tried and true character. Thanks-living remembers: There is only one for me... I love him. Always have. Always will... Beyond the edge of reason.

Day 14
Some days it is harder to feel the thanks-living love. Yesterday was one of those days. For various and sundry and sad reasons. Those who witnessed the horrific Paris attacks and were then interviewed kindly spoke our language. I attempt to return the good favor: Priant pour Paris.

* It seems that Thanks-living is beginning to speak different languages. This week my husband experienced a whirlwind, including strong winds that knocked down light poles in front of his place of work. Then, on Friday, the horrific Paris attacks occurred. Il fait pleut.