Three Things...Gratitude Thread

[slo]

Good Morning!

#1 - I’m very grateful to have been one of my DD19’s coaches (volunteer) since she was 8 years old. So many wonderful memories, not only with her, but all the other girls she’s played with. Instead of calling me “coach” they called me “Momma O” (my last name starts with O). Several parents called and still call me that too. I’m so blessed to have been able to do this.

#2 - I’m grateful for being the go to mom last year during DD19’s high school senior season (volunteer). Her HS coach counted on me to handle everything for when the team traveled and when we had a couple events at our school that required food and drinks. Coordinating everything was a lot of work, and I’m grateful her coach trusted me with the job,

#3 - I’m grateful for my little second job on Thursdays (paid). This is where I’ve been taking my DD19 to train since she was 11yrs old. I love being able to be around all the softball and baseball families I’ve known throughout the years. I’ve also been able to meet many new families, and that’s been fun too. I’m going to miss it when DD19 comes home for the summer, because she works and I stay home. I’m working to help the owner out while she’s at school.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Haha I work for a charity - we service wounded Service Men & Woman - so rewarding makes me cry - so grateful for their Service ( the Army / Navy / Air Force / Marines ) and the major life alerting sacrifice they’ve made - I am grateful to ALL the people who donate & volunteer to help our Charity keep going it really changed the life of these Soldiers and gives them their mobility back ! It’s so sad to me how this Country just forgets about the Service Men & Women once the war is declared over - their suffering last a lifetime

Same job - my boss has several companies - I’ve learned so much working for him in so many different business areas
He can be the most generous person you will ever meet and also the meanest when you have to tell him you can’t do that ( well not in those words he really screams if you use those words ) I’ve learned over the years to choose my words wisely
But my boss if extremely lenient and pretty much has no rules - if you work great if not it’s a problem - I am only employee allowed to work from home 4 days a week since long before Covid - awesome benefit I’m so grateful for
I’ve made several lifelong friends at a couple jobs I’ve had - some of these friends are out of state from me friends - we’ve been friends for going on 35 years ! We talk on phone / text / write ( yes people still write letters ) Christmas card / instagram - you name it - but we seldom get to me up - but we are still close and I’m very grateful for each and every one of them !
Your job will end up being a big part of your life - it’s nice to get to meet people who you can connect with outside of work - I’m forever grateful I have several people who I have connected with that no matter how long it’s been I can contact them and they will be there for me I would do the same for them ! One company I worked for - we had maybe 40 employees - we were like one big family - it was one of the best jobs I ever had with some of the best people ever - I still communicate with so many of them - sadly the Owner sold the company and most of us lost our jobs
I’m still grateful for my 7 years and my lifelong friendships !!

 

[nw6675]

Jobs/volunteer

1. Local food shelter - when my DSS was a teen we used to take him to show the importance of service and kindness.

2. My first job at 15 in a jewelry store. I made $$$ cash. It was fun and a great experience - except when my first "real job" paid 1/3 of it!

3. Mission trips and choir tours as a teen. We went all over the east coast and mid west.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Ooh how did you not buy cute jewelry ?? I’m not hugely into jewelry but do love earrings and some rings

Edit - I break everything else like bracelets & necklaces

 

[mumto3girls]

1. My first job. Worked at a hardware store after school and weekends. Met my DH there.
2. Current job—we own a business together. My hours are flexible and I like what we do.
3. I was a room mom countless times while my girls were in grade school. So much fun planning all their parties and events.

 

[nw6675]

Ooh how did you not buy cute jewelry ?? I’m not hugely into jewelry but do love earrings and some rings

Edit - I break everything else like bracelets & necklaces

Oh girl....this was 1990...I was dripping with herringbone

 

[newski_mom]

1. After my sophomore year of high school, I went on a service project trip to Kentucky called ASP (Appalachia Service Project) where we did specific projects for people's houses. They were not over the top difficult because we were all kids doing the work (we were led by people who knew what they were doing lol). The year I went, we drywalled and painted 3 rooms for a family. It was so rewarding and the people were so appreciative it was just humbling and I will never forget it. My church started going again and my DS got the opportunity to go twice (after sophomore and junior years). He would have gone his senior year, but it was 2020 so all of the trips were cancelled.

2. My time being room mom / volunteering for the kids class parties, trips, etc. Great memories being able to help and spend time with the kids and their friends.

3. Our church used to do something each summer called Outflow where we had community events for one weekend in the summer. My project was working at the laundromat for a day. We paid for people's laundry and helped them with it if they wanted. Everyone was so appreciative and it was always a good day.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good Morning everyone

Aw, always glad to help you, PollyannaMom. I thank you always for this thread and all you do to keep it going!

3 jobs or volunteer/service projects that you're grateful to have had or participated in

1 Church through summer camps both as a volunteer and paid, choir, and in other ways.

2 American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. This was such a blessing to me from 9th grade-high school. I got to meet so many kind fellow volunteers and form friendships while I pray making a difference in the fight against cancer, too.

3 Preschool and School age director and teacher. To be able to learn from and teach kids was truly a gift to me from God to get to do. Children are our greatest teachers in so many ways!

 

[Allison Joy]

Hello! Hoping back into this thread, but I'm not going to try to catch up. Probably just going to do today's, unless I find one I skipped that really catches my eye.

3 jobs or volunteer/service projects that you're grateful to have had or participated in
1. Church (worship team, children's musical, missions committee, Awana working one-on-one with a student, and nursery)
2. Urbana Conference - I think I've mentioned it on here, but it's a "missions conference" (and oh so much more) for college students sponsored by InterVarsity, held every three years between Christmas and New Years. I attended in '06, '09, and '12 and now have volunteered in '15, '18, and '22 (was supposed to be '21 but postponed due to COVID)
3. Fall Conference - The college campuses that have an InterVarsity chapter (mentioned in number 2 above) have regional conferences, and I've volunteered on the prayer team a few times. Haven't helped since 2019, because even before COVID I wasn't a huge fan of sharing sleeping quarters with someone I don't know, and... well... let's just say COVID hasn't changed that. Ha!) I might help out in 2023 again. We'll see.



Looking back at the topics I missed, I LOVE the HP house ones. But it would take me too long to come up with three for each. But I appreciate the HP love nevertheless.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Never popped back on to post my own answers yesterday (had a family event) so 3 jobs/volunteer positions I was grateful for:

A summer babysitting job I was really grateful as a teen because they had a pool!
My first "real" job out of college, at a large bank.
Volunteering at a food pantry, which I did weekly for quite a while several years ago.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Today's Topic (Mon, 3/27) - 3 habits you're either grateful that you have, or grateful you were able to change


to WDWEPCOT for this idea!

 

[nw6675]

Habits

1. Gave up smoking 20+ years ago

2. Enjoy my morning quiet alone time coffee. Well, other than with lap kitty with her cold little paws.

3. Gave up alcohol.

 

[mumto3girls]

Routines:

1. I have a good, but flexible daily routine which means the house is generally neat and picked up, laundry is done, dishes are done and dinner is on the table. I need a better weekly/biweekly/monthly cleaning routine though.
2. Generally good at meal planning. Sometimes it falls apart a bit, but it typically keeps us eating at home which is healthier and cheaper than eating out and less wasteful than eating out/getting takeout when there are perishable groceries in the fridge. We do plan for occasional meals out/ordering in, but not because it’s 6 PM and we have no plan for dinner.
3. I had a huge Coke Zero habit. Loved it (actually still do). I never liked carbonated beverages very much before I had Coke Zero and still don’t like most of them. I started hearing though that the artificial sweeteners weren’t healthy and weaned myself off of it almost completely. I do have one if we are at a restaurant that serves it or on a road trip and stop at a convenience store that has it. I now drink unsweetened ice tea that I brew myself.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I don't drink as much soda as I used to
I barely eat fast food anymore
I stopped trying to be everything to everyone 24/7(huge!)

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Life is a constant change that is a given as we grow and evolve
Some things I’ve kept some I’ve strived to remove and others I struggle with daily

Coffee - I have to have my coffee even thou it’s a do not have item for my bladder issue I just can’t give up my coffee - I’ve tried

Soda - I have cut back / quit / and limit myself in soda - my migraine medicine makes bubbly things not taste bubbly which defeats drinking soda but I still enjoy my Coke not Pepsi

I try and control my temper and be kind to people - as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown and I understand more than I did when I was younger - everyone has issue and situations you may or may not know - doesn’t kill you to be kind - to reach out and offer friendship - I strive to do this daily - I may not always succeed but I do try

I strive to be grateful / I do have a lot of stress and issues right now and often I have to try and stop my brain ( it’s not easy ) and tell myself how grateful I NEED to be and How THANKFUL - I’m very grateful & Thankful for my friends who let me vent and still like me !! I’m always available for my friends any time they need to vent or they need help !

I keep saying I will eat better - but that’s never gonna happen - I just give up ! My diet is horrible at best - often I don’t eat or I eat dry cereal and piece of fruit or sometimes I’ll eat full blown meal and nothing the next day - it’s crazy always been that way - I just roll with it
I throw some milk in / meat upon occasion / vegetables and call it - bloodwork is always good so hmm must work

I rarely drink alcohol so we are good there - I do enjoy it on vacation but rarely ever to excess - but I’m weird I can drink a lot and not hit excess hence why I don’t drink a lot
Don’t need any more problems than the ones I already have !

I get massages & acupuncture to help with my spinal injury & bone problems - best thing I’ve ever done for myself besides counseling

Final - counseling - Best habit I’ve ever done for myself ! I was made fun of and ridiculed by members of my family for doing it - I ignored them because THEY were some of the reasons I needed it ! It helps me a lot and I’m proud I did it and plan to do more !

My other habit is the DIS - won’t give that up either - great people helpful info but the people are the real reason !!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Habits I'm grateful to have -

walking for a few minutes on the treadmill almost every night - I generally reserve a streaming show or YouTube video to watch on the iPad only at that time, so I look forward to it.

getting outside almost every day - I'm grateful to have pets who expect to be taken outside on nice days, because it makes me go out and relax for a few minutes. A daily dose of sunshine really makes a difference in my mental health!

eating vegetables - I'm grateful that I actually like veggies, and that salads were a staple in my house growing up. I'm glad I established good habits early in this department.

 

[slo]

It’s the start of a new week

#1 - I’m grateful I kicked the bad habit of biting my nails. I could easily go back to it, so I keep them painted 100% of the time to prevent that from happening.

#2 - I’m grateful for my habit of walking out the door, at work, with my car key in my hand. I didn't do this once, and the backdoor automatically locks and before I realized the keys were sitting on my desk, the door was locked, it was cold and I was alone. The doctor came back to work to let me in (my office key is with my car key), but while waiting I was so cold.

#3 - I'm grateful for my habit of writing the date I open a food item, on the item, with a Sharpie. This way it's never a mystery on when something was opened.

 

[newski_mom]

Having a clean sink every night before I go to bed. It's much easier now that we only have one kid at home!

Making the bed each day - DH and I actually make it together most mornings and it literally takes less than 2 minutes and makes the room look so much nicer!

Drinking water - I'm very good about it during the week when I'm at work, but not so good at home on the weekends. I still need to work on that!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good afternoon to all

Habits:

1 The pandemic has been a blessing to me this way big-time thanks to God. I've slowed down, become stiller, and I pray as such become a humbler, brighter witness to Him. I choose always Jesus and joy. Zero desire for drama or negativity. I pray to in all I do be of kind service to Him, spread some kindness as I go. To this, giving thank each day for the added blessing of this time with my beloved Dad, also in health as we go through life together.

2 Routines, especially of morning and bedtime prayer and extra Communion with God. I also enjoy reading each day in general and from my devotional.

3 To piggyback on some of what others have shared, when I was in college, I gave up drinking soda. I used to drink a ton of Pepsi. Now I drink water like a Otherwise only drink hot chocolate. I have made the choice of never drinking alcohol early on and am grateful to have stuck with that throughout my life. Zero judgment on anyone who chooses to drink responsibly just sharing that doing so is not me.

Thank you all extra for trusting in us to share todayHave a great rest of Monday, friends.

 

[PollyannaMom]

2 choices today, as there are two very fun "holidays" but both may not apply to everyone:

Today is:

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/something-on-a-stick-day/

And also:

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/respect-your-cat-day/

so....

Today's Topics (Tues, 3/28) -

3 foods served on stick you're grateful for

and/or

3 things you're grateful for about your cat(s)