I am Grateful, I am Grateful,

"I am grateful"
"I am grateful".
"I am grateful for my alarm clock".

Remember when you had to write lines because of bad behaviour? It was meant to change your attitude and your behaviour, for the better.

This past week I have been rudely awakened by my alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. every day. In my stupor I shut it off but did not disengage it, so day after day, same wake up call.  Sometimes I wish for 'the good ole days' when turning clocks and televisions off and on was a simple task.  Modern technology is wonderful if you grasp it and very frustrating and annoying if you don't.

My alarm clock was only doing what I had asked it to, a few weeks ago.  I needed to be up at 4:30 in order to catch an early flight to a conference.  But now, back home, my mornings are to be relaxed, no alarm clocks, rising when I'm done sleeping.  Eventually I got the message that I needed to disengage the alarm setting in order to stop the torture.  I considered a hammer but thought better of it because I like the large illuminated numbers in the dark, reminding me I can turn over and sleep for another few hours.  Waking myself sufficiently to figure out how to disengage the alarm has finally allowed me the joy of a wake up on my terms, slow, relaxed, meditative.

I've been reminded that repetition, like writing those lines in grade school, can help to change our attitudes for the better if we focus on what we are grateful for in any good, bad, or indifferent circumstance. 

I am grateful my alarm clock is reliable.

Perpetual Winter? Narnia?

I don't recall finding a hidden door in a wardrobe?  Am I in Narnia's Kingdom of Perpetual Winter? If I am, then Aslan is nearby too.  I shall be on the lookout for him.

Knowing Calgary (my home) was the second coldest place on earth today makes it all worthwhile. I feel so special and privileged to live here.

I am grateful there were no other vehicles nearby when I lost control of my vehicle today while making a left hand turn. The ice took control and I just sat there wondering where I would end up. Pretty much did a 360. And I thought I was driving according to the road conditions, slow enough to execute my plans.   I felt a tad embarrassed. Wake up call acknowledged.  Did I mention I'm grateful no one else was near enough to be involved in this potential disaster?  Whew!

My son says, "Put winter tires on that car!" He insists winter tires make all the difference in controlling a vehicle on ice.
My husband reminded me that slipping a car into neutral gear takes the push off the drive thereby making it much easier to control.  I knew that! just forgot this technique over the intervening snow free months since last winter.

I am grateful for the promise of warmer temperatures coming to rescue us from despair.

Advent

I was surprised, and pleased, this morning to automatically receive an advent devotional in my email. I signed up for this last year and were it not for their automated efforts, advent would likely be half over before I engaged.

'The Christmas season is here'! message is difficult to ignore. Retailers happily sharing Christmas music and encouraging us to deposit money in their cash registers; promotions for Christmas concerts and Christmas plays or movies abound challenging us to attend their events; family members asking, "Are we doing Christmas at your house this year"? "When are we doing the family gathering? 24th? 25th? 26th"?  "Are we doing turkey or ham"?

I am grateful for the reminder to take a few moments for reflection about the reason for this season. Christ willingly left His home of glory and comfort to show us how to live in a world that has gone so very wrong. We celebrate His arrival.