Followers

25 November 2009

A Blessed Thanksgiving

I don't know how much I'll be around the next couple of days. HTB decided that he's gone meatless long enough--2 days, to be exact--so we're going out to dinner tonight--yay! And we're going to both houses tomorrow for dinner; before you ask, I'll be doing some pre-emptive ellipticalling, just so I can guiltlessly devour butter beans and stuffing. I hope that everyone has a restful, thankful Thursday.

This is the time of year to stop and think about the blessings of the year, our harvest of life! I am so blessed, mainly in that, most of the time, I get what I want, and not what I deserve. I have a good family, both birth and soon-to-be. I have a warm bed to sleep in, clean clothes to wear, there's usually food in the house, though, arguably, I don't know what to make for dinner when the meat is frozen, bread is too, and all I can lay my hands on are 7 bags of butterscotch morsels (for the record, I don't know why I have that many, it's a sensitive subject) and Rice a Roni, and I go to a job. I'm not sick, I'm not dying, I drive to work every morning and get to see the sun rise. And that is worth being thankful for.

And maybe this Thanksgiving is a bit more joyous, because the year was so hard. I don't know about anyone else, but I've learned the value of a dollar this year. I've stood in Safeway and told HTB that there is not enough difference in taste between store-brand pasta and name brand pasta to warrant spending 25 cents a box more on the name brand. I've learned I don't need new clothes all the time, and having a gym with low rates isn't a bargain if you never use it. And I can see the difference. Cash is a wonderful teaching tool, since I no longer spend thoughtlessly. My credit card balances are dropping--I've HALVED the balance on one of them--since, when you have to pay cash, having the perfect shade of red lipstick or a new outfit once a month isn't that important. They're now the treats they were supposed to be all along, and are appreciated as such. I had an appointment at the dentist yesterday to fix a broken filling and it hurt so bad that I went to CVS and treated myself to a gift set from E.L.F. $2.99 for 4 lipglosses--AWESOME, and I am getting as much pleasure from them as I did from the more expensive ones. So, there is teaching an old dog new tricks.

Enjoy your holiday. Eat plenty of stuffing. Forget that there is butter in the butterbeans. We can exercise in January.

Go Cowboys!

8 comments:

aprilmecheelesdulllife said...

I have learned a lot of the same things your have this year. I used to buy a new outfit every pay day. I no longer work, So I don't need that new outfit.. LOL Same with eveything else. I ask do I really need that?? Have a great Thanksgiving !!!

Daffycat said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Rachel!

Good for you paying off your debt! Credit cards can get one in trouble fast!

Kathy A. said...

And a Blessed Thanksgiving to you too!
I have enjoyed catching up on your blog.
Your post to the rippit frog just cracked me up!!! Wonderful

Annie said...

Have a wonderful Turkey Day!

CindyMae said...

First of all - How bout them boys? WooHoo! Ok, now that is over LOL I hope you and your family had a wonderful and Blessed Thanksgiving. Yes, this year has been a hard year and yet there is so much to be thankful for!

Lisa said...

You nailed it - your thoughts on being thankful!!! I hope that more people realized the money situation that forced many of us to gain an appreciation for what we have, having an understanding between what we "need" and what we "desire/want" and trying to full fill the need.

I have found that it has been a good education for my sons, showing them that if we have a fixed amount and most goes to support their hockey sport (along with the basic normal expenses), then we will have less for the "I-gotta-have-because-my-friend-has-it". It is a choice - if we buy the latest and greatest toy, then we might not be able to participate in a travel tournament. Life is full of those choices and lessons, best to learn now then later.

Sounds like you have a very good head on your shoulders!

Happy Holidays! Take care!

Pumpkin said...

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving Rachel :o)

Meari said...

Great post, Rachel. I've always pretty much shopped generic and rarely buy new clothes. Now with times being even tigher, it's harder because how do you save more when one already buys generics and 2nd clothes. :( *sigh*

I was going to ask in the previous post, but forgot. What do you do for a part time job? I'm assuming it's in addition to a full time one?

And you're right, being able to wake up and see the sun shine... it's worth being thankful for. :)

I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can’t be helped--Frederick Perls