As we conclude our list of 10 things we are thankful for, we cannot forget to lift up a prayer of thanksgiving for our Lord whose birth we will be celebrating next week and also give thanks for the salvation we receive through His grace.  We receive grace not because we do anything to deserve it but because of His love and mercy for us. 

In reading a book recently, I came across a paragraph that said that we are better able to appreciate happiness in our lives when we've had to experience sorrow beforehand.  Sorrow teaches us to not take happiness for granted - we know how blessed we are.

As I think about that concept, I realize that when we acknowledge our need God's grace and mercy, we are better able to extend grace to others.  Having know God's love, I cannot fathom a world without a hope of salvation.  Knowing that this world is but a speck in time compared to  eternity, we are better able to handle life's ups and downs.    Know God - Know Hope. or  No God No Hope.  We can all choose which path we'll take. 

As Joshua 24:15 says:  "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Every evening lately it seems we see on the news about another company laying off employees or completely doing away with jobs.  This time of year to lose one's job has to be incredibly hard.  Not only are these laid off workers worried about buying presents for Christmas but some are concerned about even putting food on the table.  Some may have splurged on after-Thanksgiving sales with the expectation of being able to pay off bills in the upcoming months.  Had they known they were going to lose their jobs soon, many may have reconsidered some of those purchases.  I'd even guess that there was a time in those folks live when they "complained" about "the job", "the work" or their co-workers only to now wish that they had the luxury of a job and co-workers.  So on this day when I see many around me being laid off - I am thankful for my job.

Another thing I am thankful for is the cell phone.  I recall a time when I could not even imagine the need for a cell phone.  My thought process was that there are "pay phones" if I really need to make a telephone call away from home.  Who could have guessed 10 years ago that not only would we have a cell phone in our family but we actually have 2.  With one of the phones, we can even access the internet (another thankful thing by the way), correspond via email (also another thing to be thankful for) and even play video games and music on our phone.  How cool is that!   Economy being what it is today, we are all looking to cut operational expenses but I wonder how many of us would willingly give up our cell phones?

I saw on the news the other day a segment on how to prepare yourself in the event of a layoff.  One of the things mentioned was to look at your life as it was 5 years ago.  The new "stuff" is probably "stuff" that you can do without - keeping in mind - you didn't have it 5 years ago.

So in summary - yes I may complain about my job or too many phone calls at times but I am thankful to be one of the lucky ones to have a job and a cell phone.

With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us and looking forward to Christmas, I think about other things for which I am thankful.  These are not my top ten things to be thankful for and are in no particular order.  They are just some of the many blessings in our life.

I am thankful for the many folks who volunteer their time, talents and often more money than they really can afford to help ensure that homeless pets find loving forever homes.  Being a rescue/shelter worker is often a thankless job.  Volunteers may sometimes have to make difficult decisions that cause one pet to have a forever home and one pet to die.  Volunteers, at times, have to guard their heart against becoming too attached to a particular animal looking for a home.  Because early on in the life of most volunteer, they realize, as much as they'd like, they cannot save every animal that deserves a good home.

Large black male adult labs and lab mixes found at shelters may be the most loving sweet dogs you'll ever meet but many many times, they get overlooked in favor of the young puppies or lightly colored dogs.

For example, did you know that the Labrador Retriever is the number 1 breed of dog registered by the AKC for 15 years running?  Unfortunately the down side to the popularity of the breed is that too often, they are adopted by people who enter into pet ownership without considering the consequences of such action.  They don't think about the cost, time & effort involved in pet ownership. 

They think of pets as a disposable item in their life.  Whenever times get difficult or simply the "newness" wears off, it's time for a change.  They never stop to consider the effect of rehoming will have on the pet.  They may try to gloss over the fact that they entered into the pet owner relationship willingly.  No one held them at gunpoint and said "You must adopt this puppy or this kitten".  Instead they think, well if it doesn't work out they can always get rid of it.  The lowly volunteer thus has to take this pet, and give it the things the former owner neglected--such as:  manners training, vaccinations and there are even times when the volunteer has to teach the pet that people aren't something to be feared.  People can provide love, food & attention. 

I often think it is just sad that we discard the most helpless of beings because they no longer are cute and cuddley.  If the puppy or kitten were a child, would they be quite so quick to relinquish it to others?  

Every day I spend with each of my pets, I am thankful for the volunteers who played a role in saving their life.

First I thank Barb Wills of Cats Haven.  Her group saved the life of a pregnant Siamese cat who gave birth to our cats Harley & Scooter (13 years ago this February).

Next I thank the volunteers of Morgan County Humane Society.  They rescued a pregnant female black lab who gave birth to our dogs Elvis and Nosey (7 years ago this past November).

Lastly I thank Carrie Starks of ARPO.  She helped guide me into being a temporary foster home for Buster.  Our foster home ended up being a forever home for Buster.  Just knowing that he was an adult black male of undetermined breed mix, his fate would probably have been bleak at best had he gone to the shelter.  Instead the volunteers at ARPO, helped us get thru the initial stages of having Buster in our home.  

So from the top of our heads to the tips of our toes, we are thankful for the volunteers volunteers who live this mission:  "I can't do it all but at least I can do my part".

In conclusion - if you do not volunteer for a charity - please make it your New Year's resolution to join the volunteer organization of your choice.  There are many deserving charities that exist solely thru the efforts of their volunteer workforce. 

In thinking of 10 things for which I am thankful (and not necessarily in any particular order), I am thankful growing old.  Now at first this may seem a weird thing to be thankful for but after spending weekend with family, I realize again how hard it was to be young - still not quite ready to venture out on one's own - but old enough to have very strong opinions on certain things.

As I watch the interaction between my nieces and my siblings, I am glad I only have dogs and cats.  My dogs & cats pretty much listen to me when I tell them something is not right or is bad for them.  They don't disagree or argue just for the sake of proving "they are adults"   :-) unlike some teenagers I know.

Having recently turned 50 years old, I look back and realize that during those years of my life, my mom probably wished she could turn me in for a puppy or kitten instead of dealing with me.  The old saying is true - the older I get - the smarter my parents & grandparents become.

When you are young, you often view the world as black and white.  You think many of life's decisions are easy.  As you get older, life has a way of teaching you that sometimes decisions are between 2 gray choices.  You do the best you can.

My grandmother is currently in a nursing home.  This is certainly not a place that I would ever have wished for her to be.  It's lonely and probably scarey at times for her.  Not to mention a little frustrating that she cannot control her own destiny.  Even though I agree with her, I have a job and she needs 24/7 care.  So the decision to keep her in the nursing home is not black/white - its a gray decision.  Luckily being older has taught me that we are just on this earth for a short span of time in comparison with eternity.  Patience is truly a virtue.   "This too shall pass."