Saturday Gratefulness
Just some meandering musings from Miss Chris. My computer is doing various maintenance scans and I'm in a blogging mood.
Things I am especially grateful for these past few days:
* The wetness of water. I once read that G.K. Chesterton used to be literally struck with wonder at the wetness of water. I had a Chestertonian Wonder Moment about the wetness of water the other day - a terribly hot, sticky, tired, cranky day. I decided to stop fussing with some work that I was doing, and just go wash my face - with a wash cloth (face flannel for my UK readers - grin) fresh from the clothes dryer, some pretty smelling soap, and some water from the bathroom faucet heated to just the most perfect, comforting temperature. I reveled in not only the wetness of water, but the perfect, comforting warmth of water, in the cleanness and sweet smelling-ness of a lovely soap, and in the refreshment of clean face, clean ears, and clean neck. I thanked God for indoor plumbing, for clean water, for our (relatively new) water heater, and in general just for the wonder of it all. It is really very easy to make me happy most of the time. 
Let's be thankful for the little things, dear ones. A lot of people in this world don't have them.
* The miracle of electric blankets! Many of my readers are CFIDS and fibromyalgia and arthritis patients, and they know what I mean about there being certain days (especially when the weather is changing - we are walking barometers, are we not, my fellow CFIDS/fibro/arthritis friends?) when even the strongest of pain meds simply do NOT take a bite out of our very debilitating pain. After going through physical therapy for fibromyalgia a number of years ago, I learned that there are other ways complementary to taking meds which help alleviate the pain just enough to make it almost bearable to live with - among them using gentle heat. My physical therapist started me on hot rice and bean packs (think of a sock filled with uncooked rice heated in the microwave for about 60 to 90 seconds). Then, a couple of years later, on one of the fibromyalgia forums, a thread got started on the board that electric blankets help. I got one as soon as I could and I am not ashamed to admit that I use it year round (except during thunder storms, of course!). Now I have two (one for my bed, another for my bedroom Lazy-Boy recliner) and I hope to get a smaller electrical "throw" size blanket for the living room this fall. For those of you in the market for an electric blanket, they sell for less in the fall and early winter during some of the sales events at Shopko and Wal-Mart. You can get them from Amazon.com and Target as well - but for a higher price. By the way, if you have a cat, she or he will also love the electric blanket. For the record, they don't use all that much electricity, and in fact, they help cut down on your home heating costs in the winter. They're worth the investment.
* The gifts of hearing, of early morning bird symphonies, the cheerful chickadee-ness of chickadees chuckling with glee as they enjoy their breakfast repasts at the bird feeders outside my bedroom windows, the delightful purring of my little gray and white Siamese-Tiger mix cat (Maggie McGee, the Wild Celtic Kitty) as she greets me first thing in the morning - apparently glad to see me and to cuddle even though she'd been snoozing at the foot of my bed (enjoying the electric blanket, of course!) the entire night. Was there ever anything so hopeful sounding as the birds giving a concert of gladness and joy in being alive each morning (especially after a good, long awaited rainfall)? Was there ever anything so comforting as the affectionate rumbling and purring of a cat kissing you awake first thing in the morning (unless, of course, it is two or three or more cats! 
)?
* Again, the gift of hearing, with which to enjoy music (everything from Mozart to German polkas, to Rich Mullins, to Irish/Gaelic/Celtic music, to Third Day?
* Yet again, the gift of hearing, with which to hear what my favorite people are saying to me, with which to listen to audio books and audio Bibles and podcasts which lift me up and give me strength to carry on another day.
* And one more time for tonight, yet again, the gift of hearing... especially when those lonesome train whistles blow going through town in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, our small city recently banned train whistles for the most part, and now it is especially lonesome sounding without those train horns sounding off... but I imagine there are a number of people in Marshfield who are enjoying uninterrupted sleep at night now, for the first time in a number of years. Still, I wish I had a CD of the steady rolling of the trains on the tracks, punctuated beautifully by the blowing of those "lonesome whistles".
* For trains. If there is one thing I want to do before I die (and I'm not in any hurry to die, believe me!) it is to travel on the Amtrak. When I was younger (old lady of 47.5 years old talking here! 
), flying was not as much of a travel option as it is now. When I was a little girl in Milwaukee and Wausau, people came and went by train. By the time we moved to Madison, Greyhound was more the thing. I have done Greyhound in my teens and it's not something I would care to repeat. Give me the trains anyday. I would love to see railway travel for passengers revived here in the States. I am fascinated by trains. I am convinced that, when we get to heaven, we will be like the angels and be able to get from point A to point B just by praying for it and not having to mess with cars and planes and boats, et al if we don't want to. But I figure, trains are something magical and wonderful. I dare to hope there will be a glorified, heavenly version of them in our Father's House.
And now, it's time for me to fold some towels and do some laundry... and to listen to some more of the Gospel of Luke on CD.
May God bless and keep each of you, and may my friends who suffer in spirit, mind, and body enjoy and be strengthened by the consolation of the Holy Spirit of Jesus and the Father. I truly do pray for everyone who visits here, even though I don't know everyone's name. Jesus knows, and He knows what you are struggling with and suffering from and how very hard your lives can be and often are. I pray He bless, encourage, strengthen, and heal you. You are precious in His sight, and no matter how lonely you are in your pain, the Lord created you for Himself. He knew about you before He even created the world. He knew you and He knew that He wanted to spend Eternity with you. May I encourage you to hang in there and to continue to trust in our dear Lord Jesus? He is good. He knows we are but made of dust, and He knows what you are going through. Our Father in Heaven keeps a record of your pain, and keeps each tear you've shed. Please trust in Him and don't give up. There is so much at stake. You make a difference in this world for God, for love, and for the blessing of people across the world who will know and thank and love you infinitely in Heaven. God is so faithful!
Much love to you, dear ones, in Jesus. Hugs.
- Miss Chris
Tags: Gratitude Water Chesterton CFS Fibromyalgia Cats
