Ten Things of Thankful

This has been a week of activity, but all good. I'll share some of that here with you at the Ten Things of Thankful post which I plan to link to the blog hop by the same name which Kristi of Thankful Me hosts each week. She has a few of us helping as co-hosts: Clark, Dyanne, Lisa as well as me. 

First of all I am thankful for the time and the energy to do things that I have had to put aside the past few years. While I don't know how long this will be the case, it is wonderful while it lasts. So what does that exactly mean in real time? Well, first of all, I actually got some Christmas decorations up the first week in December!

Years ago I bought a nativity set in a  second-hand store. It was in a box, and I didn't realize that it was missing a very important person.

Do you see who is missing? If anyone asks, I just say, he is on an errand for Mary. (We have other smaller nativities with no one missing.)

Nativity (Where is Joseph?)

Also, a few years ago a granddaughter gave me a Christmas decoration that I continue to display. She was going to be moving and the family was downsizing. The decoration was a little on the heavy side, so I gladly accepted her offer. I love how certain things remind me of family members.

A clever use of a glass block to make a
Christmas decoration

Some decorations I display year round, but seem so appropriate at this season of the year.

Someone did this stitching on a large piece
of plastic canvas. I am glad that I discovered
it in a second-hand shop. Some messages
are never too old.

Recently I attended an activity where people shared some tips and tricks for making life easier. This week I tried an idea for how to hang a wreath on a door. Although this idea probably has been around for a while, it was new to me. Best of all it was easy to do, worked and required no nails. Have you tried something new this week?

An easy way to hang a wreath on a door

When there is a big job to be accomplished in a short amount of time, many hands make light work. It was surprising how quickly a group of the helpers were able to decorate the tables for the Christmas breakfast held at my church this morning. I am thankful for those who see the bigger picture and for all the helpers.

One of many decorated tables in
a large meeting room

Have you ever hesitated to do something? I think we all do at one time or another, perhaps for good reasons, or at least the reasons may have seemed good at the time. My husband and I had both noticed a leaf that has clung to the top of a branch long after all the other leaves have fallen. I am thankful for the times I have had the courage to tackle something seemingly impossible for me to do.

If you look very carefully, you will see a
little yellow leaf still attached to the top
of a bare branch. It is the only leaf left on
the tree.

I am thankful for the cute Christmas sweater I was given at Thanksgiving, in time for me to wear it to some Christmas activities. I am also thankful for becoming instant friends with a little boy at the Christmas breakfast this morning when he saw the animals on my sweater.

Christmas sweater adorned with
alpacas

After a year of writing in response to weekly questions about my life, I finally received a copy of my book in the mail today. This whole project started almost a year ago, when I received a gift subscription to a company that promotes the idea of writing a story about one's life. This book is not one I am selling, but is for the sake of posterity.

My book for my family.

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