Things I’m grateful for

I try to count my blessings with regularity. It takes my mind off the negative and focuses on what positive things I do have in my life. I have been taking it to a new level lately by witnessing what I am using in a day. Here is my list.

Electricity. In 1938, 81 years ago in rural America, we did not have electricity in our homes, until local cooperatives joined together and strung the line and equipment necessary to access it. I try to imagine my life now without it. I got the opportunity to do so when the power went out during a storm. The things I take for granted, like flipping a switch to see in the dark. Reading before I go to bed. The ability to make coffee in my Bunn coffee maker. By the way, several years back, we got a powerful backup battery, like you would use for a computer system, and plugged the coffee maker into it, so if the power went out, we could still make coffee. Priorities people! If that runs out, we also have a backup to the backup and have a percolating coffee pot you put on the gas stove. Like I said, priorities.

Refrigeration. The ability to keep food cold, or frozen. The first unit to keep your food stored cold was in 1834. Before that you had to cure your meat with salt to preserve it, and daily gather veggies, fruit milk, etc. Here at the ranch, when we were building the house, before we had the fridge, we would put our bottles of water in the ditch to keep them cold. I am spoiled by getting ice cubes and water from inside the house, and I’m grateful for this convenience.

Indoor plumbing. This has been around since the late 1800’s. When my husband and I were first married, we drove a semi for Bekins Van Lines. We drove all 48 state and parts of Canada. Now if you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you had to get dressed, walk from your truck into the truck stop and go to the bathroom. By then you are completely awake and cannot fall back asleep. When we were building the house at the ranch, before the plumbing was hooked up, we had a port-a-potty to use. Super fun in the Colorado winter! You usually had to shovel a path to the outhouse, clean it away from the front of the door so you could open it, then sit on the freezing cold plastic to do your business. So yes, I am very fond of indoor plumbing and bathrooms.

Indoor plumbing-2.0. Along the same lines I am grateful that I can turn on a faucet and water flows freely for me to drink and use, I do not have to walk a great distance carry a jug on my head to get water for my family. Again, before the plumbing was hooked up at the ranch house, we would get the water to fill the pig’s troughs from the ditch, one five gallon bucket at a time. So I love my hose! I also know my water is clean and free of disease and bad things, so I can drink of it freely. Oh yes, I cannot forget the availability of hot water to clean and shower with, and not having to bring it in from the ditch and heat it up on the stove first.

Window screens. (Since 1823) Once again when we were driving truck over the road out, our semi had a sleeper cab. It was a queen size bed, so we were comfortable. Except in the summer. We had to keep the windows open in the sleeper to allow air in and had a fan to help circulate it. Unfortunately, we did not have screens on the windows like we do in our house. Subsequently, the mosquitoes felt it necessary to bite me at their leisure. I would be covered in itchy welts and was miserable. Also during the day flies made the cab their playpen, which was no fun either. I love screen windows that keep out all the biting, stinging creatures of God’s creation.

Paper clips. (Invented in 1867) How cool are they? One tiny piece of twisted metal and it can hold together a group of papers!

Post it notes. (Invented in 1968) How did the world ever function before these? Slightly sticky backing on a small square of paper and you can leave yourself a reminder wherever you need it.

Scotch tape. (Invented in the 1930’s) Another wow. Tear off a piece and you can repair a rip or hold something together. Then take it up a notch with duct tape which has a million and one uses, which you can find if you just Google it.

Toilet paper. (Since 1857) I don’t even want to know how people wiped and kept themselves clean before the invention of this simple, yet unbelievably important product. No, no, do not leave a comment and tell me how they did it, I am completely happy just being in the dark on this one, thank you.

While these are all good things to have on anyone’s grateful list, the most important thing I am grateful for is that God loved me so much, that He sent His Son to earth, to die and rise again, taking away all my sins and giving me the chance to live with Him for all eternity! That is one I am grateful for even though I cannot really fathom the depth of it. Know this, He loves you just the same and wants to do the same for you, all you need to do is ask Him!

“We are writing these things to you because we want to release to you our fullness of joy.” (1 John 1:4 [TPT])

So join me in seeing what in your life you are grateful for, that is there all the time, (just like Jesus) that we might take for granted until we really see and focus on it! And those you can leave in the comment section, thank you!

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