November 7, 2003

As I look around the corner and ponder the seasons of the year, I believe that autumn and the months in it have to be my favorite times of the year. Oh yes, the holiday seasons can be stressful and quite busy, but when spent with friends and family, they are the best of all.

Our recent trip to South Dakota to celebrate Myron’s Mother’s 90^th birthday remind me of how blessed we are and thankful that we have a mother that has her mind about her and can still get around while using her cane and a helping hand from her kids and friends. It makes me thankful that we have a sister and brother that live close by to help her out when it is needed when all of us can’t be there.

I am thankful that our mother has lived long enough to enjoy all the new great grand-daughters that she has and that we as non grandparents can enjoy them as well!

I am blessed with good health most of the time. I am thankful. Yes, sometimes I fall down and accidentally hurt my foot or wrists or whatever but God gives me the resources and doctors who care to take care of those needs.

I am thankful for a God who loves me and forgives me when I fail and fall down and for the grace he has so abundantly given and for a loving church family and pastor who become our extended family when our relatives live out of town and we can’t get home for the holidays.

I am thankful I have a husband who loves me and doesn’t beat me so I have to leave and go to a Battered Women’s shelter or the Rescue Mission. I am thankful that our town has places to help women and children who do have those problems.

I am thankful I am not homeless but pray for those who are due to the fires in California or in other ways and pray that by some way, I can have a few resources to help these people out when they need it by giving to the Rescue Mission, etc.

I am truly thankful for my sister and brother who take care of my Step Mom and help her to her appointments and visit her on a regular basis since I am far away and don’t get home as often as I would like to.

Autumn is a time to reflect on the crispy leaves to jump in and enjoy like we did when we were kids. It’s a fun time of the year to think of fun memories when we were younger and our kids were little.

I recall times spent with my boys and the neighbor girls where we would take our sleds and slide down Burnett’s mound at night when we could see by the street lights and then come in and have hot cocoa made from scratch and laugh and enjoy each other. Those

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were fun times. Yes, I would sled down also and laugh all the way when I fell off or whatever. Life was simpler then and good.

Since I started part time work at the YMCA, I try to find the positive in every person I meet as being around people is something I love to do. Call it the "Corry" in me and my upbringing or whatever, that is who I am and what I do. I am a "People" person to the fullest.

I am a dreamer. I think of simpler times and how things were when my children were younger and the outings we had when they were in preschool or school and what was allowed and what wasn’t and how I am saddened that judges in our country may have to say we can no longer say "Under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance or that soon they may think of taking "In God We Trust" off of our coins. All in all, I am thankful for being alive and living in a country where, for the most part, we are still free. I pray that we can always have that freedom and that it won’t be taken away.

I am thankful for our Veterans who have fought for us to keep us free and I remember them with love and honor. My father was one of those soldiers who fought in WW II and he was the best Dad ever.

Enjoy life and thank God every day for what you have. Give your spouse a kiss and hug, tell them you love them. Do the same with your children and your friends. You never know what will happen tomorrow. There are always obstacles to overcome but with love and perseverance, we can win the race.

I am mostly thankful we still live in a country that allows me to still worship in the church of my choice and to serve a God I love.

Sal