Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful for little things: a shady parking space

Florida is not the hottest state these days but it's pretty muggy. So, I'm sure thankful when I head out for groceries to find a shady parking spot!  Another reason to shop Sam's Club during business early hours!

Easy Preparation of a Turkey

With Thanksgiving just behind us, here is a tip for future preparation of a turkey.  This was my first year to prepare a frozen turkey. I have always paid a little more and purchased a fresh one.  I'll definitely do that next year.  I bought a 20-lb. turkey and the second day in the frig it was still as hard as a rock.  I called the Butterball hotline and got some advice.   If I had not soaked it in water for 4 hours one day and 2 hours the next, we would not have had turkey on our Thanksgiving table this year.  It took four days to thaw even with this process and I still had to yank some of the giblets out that were frozen in the center.

How to Roast a Turkey

My usual method is to bake it the day before we eat it (I use the Reynolds' Oven Bags), and have my husband carve it that day as well.  I save the drippings in a ziplock bag and put everything in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day I skim off the fat and then put the congealed drippings on top of the sliced turkey.  Be sure to save 2-3 tbsp. of drippings to add to your gravy!  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees for one hour.  It tastes just like you baked it that day and there's not a huge mess all over your kitchen OR your dining table.  This simple process sure saves me on Thanksgiving or the day of the actual meal so I can relax a bit, too.  Try it.  I think you'll like it.

How to Make Almost Homemade Gravy

I make gravy for the turkey every year generally just for holiday meals like the one we had yesterday for Thanksgiving.   My husband absolutely loves it and I have to admit, it does taste pretty good.  My mother used to make it totally from scratch using just pan drippings and flour with seasonings.  I have never mastered that ... always turns out lumpy and unflavorful for me.   Here is my doctored up recipe which uses this as a base...

To this, I add:

• the fresh giblets (insides of the turkey that come in the little bags), boiled and chopped 
• one sliced, hard-boiled egg
• 2 tbsp. pan drippings from the turkey

I boil the giblets and the egg (separately) the day before and let them cool, then chop them all up and keep in the frig until needed.  Be sure to save a bit of the drippings (more on those tomorrow) to add to this gravy.

Stir together with the jar of gravy and heat slowly on the stove for about 20 minutes on a low setting.  Pour into a gravy boat to serve.  This gravy has texture and  is delicious.

How to Make Homemade Gravy

Thanksgiving Menu

What's on your Thanksgiving Day menu?  Here is ours...all are time-tested favorites which everyone loves.  Some years I add a dish or two new (raspberry sweet potatoes, fresh green beans), but the traditional favorites are always here.  I usually have a pineapple/cherry ambrosia fruit salad but I happen to have a lot of fresh strawberries right now, so we're having those with homemade whipped cream.  No matter what you serve during this special meal with your family,  it's the people that make the time at the table a delight and the food just adds to the pleasure of being with your loved ones.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and/or family!

Thanksgiving Day Give Thanks

 Thanksgiving Day Menu 2012

Sparkling grape juice

Wine 

Rolls

 Roast turkey with gravy

Oyster dressing

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Baby corn

Green bean casserole

Sliced strawberries with homemade whipped cream

Homemade pumpkin pie 

Homemade whipped cream

Pumpkin spice cookies

Coffee 

Thanksgiving Day Menu

Thanksgiving Day Menu

1 Chr 16:34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; 

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Happy Thanksgiving Day to You and Your Family

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Psalm 107:1 

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, 

For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 

Thanksgiving Day Menu

Here is our menu for Thanksgiving Day.   You've probably got some or all of these on yours, too. :)

THANKSGIVING DAY MENU

Cranberry juice / ginger ale punch

Baby corn

Roasted turkey

Oyster dressing

Homemade gravy w. giblets

Twice baked potatoes**

Green bean casserole

Fresh green beans

Whole cranberry sauce

Rolls

Almond Toffy**
Chocolate Trifle** 

Coffee / Hot Tea

**We have friends coming to join us and they are bringing these two items. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe: Homemade Oyster Dressing for Thanksgiving Christmas Holidays

Almost everyone has stuffing / dressing for Thanksgiving and often for Christmas or New Year's as well.  Here is my recipe for Oyster Dressing (my husband's favorite) which always gets devoured to the last little bit...

INGREDIENTS

• Stove Top Stuffing, 1 -2 boxes (or Pepperidge Farm)
• Bread of any type
• Water chestnuts
• Pecans or walnuts
• Whole cranberry sauce
•  Smoked oysters, 2 small tins
• Butter, 1 stick, melted
• Chicken broth (canned or homemade) to moisten

I start with one box of Stove Top stuffing because it is seasoned so well.  Then I grind up bread to crumbs in my little food processor.  You can use 2 boxes of stuffing or just one and have more natural bread if you prefer.  That's what I usually do.  You just need about 4-5 cups of bread something with seasonings in it.

  

Next, I process  a can of water chestnuts...and other nuts (pecans or walnuts taste great in this).

Then add an entire can of whole cranberry sauce...

Then the oysters.  It doesn't look very tasty at this point but the oyster flavor is spread throughout the dressing when you process it in to a paste like this.

Then pour on the butter.  For this quantity I added 1 cup of broth, either homemade or canned.  Add enough to moisten the dressing.

Mix it all together ... I use my hands to make sure it's all moist.  It will be quite dense, and put it into a large covered casserole dish.  I'll bake it on Thanksgiving Day for about an hour at 300 degrees, just before we sit down to dinner.  It really is delicious.

I'll add the final photo after it is cooked tomorrow.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Animated Card

HERE is a cute animated pumpkin pie card  an old friend sent me. Enjoy!

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Family Travel

Updated Nov. 16. 2012:  

No big trips this year but from 2011...

While my husband was in Europe (England, Scotland, France) for a  10-day architectural/history tour with Reformed Theological Seminary, my two sons and I took a short trip to Washington, DC together.  I love DC...so many things to do and many are free, and how exciting when you watch the news to realize that everything is happening right there!  And the bonus is I got to spend some special, fun times with our two sons.   My older son was only 8 and the younger, age 3, when our family last visited DC.  This time, at 21 and 16, there were many more memories to add to our previous visit.   The Lord has miraculously provided the funding for both trips (my husband can even count his as a class for continuing education and a consequent tax write-off) so the family budget has not even taken a hit on these travels.   We were hit hard (literally--fallen trees, property damage, etc.) by some tropical storms the previous two years so we didn't go far from home due to the expenses we incurred.  I am so thankful to be able to have taken this special trip  with my children.  This picture below says it all...  :)    

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I came across this blog post from 2009...

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

12. I am thankful that I have been able to travel to other countries and to have visited about half of the United States.

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When I was growing up, our family traveled primarily to Daytona Beach in the summer from Augusta, Georgia. Once we visited my grandmother in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. That was the extent of our travels as a family to other states. When I graduated from college my parents gave me a 3-piece set of red Samsonite luggage. Believe me, it really was this red (see below). It was certainly very easy to find in the airport baggage claim areas. I finally donated all of it to Goodwill last year--32 years later!  It was still in good condition!  :)

In the fall of 1977 (after graduation) I began traveling regularly to a different place I have never been each year. While I was single (age 18 - 30) I would usually travel alone and meet friends in other states and countries. Some of my favorite places were New York City and the Adirondacks, Pasadena, Los Angeles  and Santa Barbara, CA, Washington, DC/Virginia, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Salt Lake City, Utah, Venezuela, Italy and Germany.

After my husband and I were married we took a two-week honeymoon and drove up the eastern coast of the United States to New England, stopping at bed and breakfasts all along the way for at least a couple of days in each location--St. Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, Washington DC, Boston, Rockport, Newport, Williamsburg... What a wonderful trip that was. 

Since we have had children most of our trips have been in and throughout the South, mainly Florida (for economic reasons)--St. Augustine, Palm Beach, Tampa, State Parks, Atlanta & North Georgia-- and of course, the beaches. Disney World exposes us to the "look" of faraway places as well and we have been regulars there ever since our sons were small. We have taken two "big" trips with them to Charleston, SC, Washington, DC and also to Washington State and British Columbia, Canada. Butchart Gardens and Botany Bay on Vancouver Island in Canada are probably two of the most beautiful, peaceful places I have ever visited.

A very generous family that my husband met at a Super Bowl party (that my son dragged him to) provided us with a free place to stay in a beautiful expansive log "cabin" in the mountains of Tennessee for four years in a row. It was a blessing beyond belief to be there (it was really a 3-story lodge, not what we would call a cabin) and we are so thankful for their graciousness to us. We traveled with another family each time so that there was someone for everyone to play with, talk to, adventure with...and had wonderful family trips together there.

I/We indeed have been blessed to be able to see different parts of the country and the world. My older son has had the travel bug since college and took a 5-week mission/arts trip to New York City in 2009.  He's also been to New Orleans, Atlanta and Nashville on spring and winter break trips.  I am happy for my children to be able to see places that I was not able to when I was their ages. Some places show the wonder of man's designs and ideas; others show the wonder of God's. I am thankful that I have been able to experience both-- alone, as well as with my family and dear friends.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, This Time in History

Well, this is the final item in my Thanksgiving list although certainly not the end of things / people that I am thankful for. To review my entire list, go to the blog archives and click on NOVEMBER to see them all. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family and give thanks with a grateful heart. [NOTE: My blog will continue with Christmas items beginning tomorrow.]

26. I am thankful to be alive at this appointed time in history.

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Now that I am out of school and testing (except for homeschooling) I love reading about history. My particular favorite is pioneer women of the western U.S. and medieval women in Europe. I don't know how they survived and I realize how wimpy I am when I read their stories and their journals. But, God ordains the days of our lives and I was born (as you were) in this part of the timeline with all its troubles, modern conveniences, politics and culture. Sometimes I complain about the "way things are" but in reality, it must be exactly where I am supposed to be. As one of my favorite Bible passages says, maybe we re here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14) to make a difference.

To close, here is a Thanksgiving meditation by John Piper which was in our church newsletter this week:

David said, I will magnify God with Thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30-32). The word "magnify" can be used in two different senses. It can mean: make something appear greater than it is, as with a microscope or a magnifying glass. Or it can mean, make something that may seem small or insignificant appear to be as great as it really is. This is what our great telescopes help us begin to do with the magnificent universe which once upon a time spilled over from the brim of God's glory. So there are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, I will magnify God with thanksgiving, he does not mean: "I will make a small God look bigger than He is. He means: "I will make a big God begin to look as big as He really is." We are not called to be microscopes, but telescopes. Christians are not called to be con men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality when they know the competitor's product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is. The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think and act in a way that will make God look as great as He really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God. http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper80/112380m.htm

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Christian Businesses

My 26 days of Thanksgiving list continues:

25. I am thankful for Christian businesses that build and maintain their companies based on biblical standards.

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Whether you are a Christian or not, I'm sure you appreciate businesses with the highest ethical and moral standards whose profits are invested into ministry and/or their employees. The most obvious example is Chick-Fil-A. I know many young people who have worked there, one currently in their management training program. It is a company that is closed on Sundays with the intention that its employees will spend time with their families, to rest and to attend church that day. There are a variety of community-oriented programs that Chick-Fil-A sponsors long-term foster care programs, summer camps for boys and girls and other community oriented events.

I like purchasing from Christian-owned (and run) companies. We have a good friend who is a mobile mechanic whom we hire to work on our cars. He is trustworthy and does excellent work. Often I am hired by other Christians to teach piano, to play for weddings, funerals or other events for the same reasons.  We have another friend who has a business doing home mainatenance.  It is good for us to support each other with our time and our finances whenever possible. If you live in the Orlando area, check out the Orlando Christian Directory the next time you need to purchase an item or need a service. I am thankful to have these choices available to us.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Our Neighbors

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

24. I am thankful for the gift of our neighbors.

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I've mentioned our home previously but what always comes with a home is the people, the neighbors that surround it. We live in a suburb north of Orlando. Currently, our nearest neighbors--next door on either side of us and across the street--are the ones we know the best and have developed relationships with. We have had two sets of next-door neighbors who trashed their home and yard (thankfully they have moved), and now everyone who is nearby is very considerate of everyone else. All of us have shared two outdoor neighborhood cookouts this summer as well as an ice cream social. In December we usually host a Christmas caroling party. Everyone brings something to share and we sing carols to those around our block. It's always a fun time together. Sometimes we exchange gifts, sometimes we don't, but it's the pleasure of company that is important.

We don't have a Neighborhood Watch sign up but we all really do watch out for each other. If we forget to close our garage door, someone will call us to remind us to do so. If my husband's car is seen on weekdays, someone will generally call and ask if he's sick. We share produce and other food when we have too much (i.e. fruit trees, gardens) and help one another if we know of the need. There is one young family across from us whom we have seen their two children born and grow up. I have taught piano lessons to many in the neighborhood through word of mouth. They in turn, have watched our sons grow up, play basketball, ride bikes, cut lawns, etc.

I am thankful for these dear people, their kindness and the pleasure of their company.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Christian Radio

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

23. I am thankful to have a variety of Christian radio ministries and other programs to listen to and learn from.

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I really enjoy listening to the radio, in fact, I tend to favor it more than listening to specific music choices or CD's that I have. I enjoy talk shows as well as music broadcasts. I generally listen when I am driving in the car or working in the kitchen. I like to download podcasts to my iPod so I can listen when I walk in the mornings, go to the YMCA and do routine chores such as ironing or dusting. Some of my favorite programs and stations are:

• Focus on the Family / Dr. James Dobson (link)
• Family Life Today / Campus Crusade (link)
• Money Matters / Crown Ministries (link)
• In Touch Ministries / Dr. Charles Stanley (link)
• WTLN (link)
• Z88.3 (link)
• Sean Hannity / Fox News (link)
• Clark Howard (link)

These are uplifting and encouraging and I usually learn something new each time I listen or refine what I already know. I am so thankful that these are not censored or prohibited in the U.S. like they are in some countries around the world. They are a blessing to many.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, God at Work in the Lives of Others

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

22. I am thankful to hear how God is at work in the lives of others.

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Ephesians 5:18-21

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

This morning at our church in lieu of offertory music, a young woman recited Psalm 119 (all 24 verses). After that, instead of a sermon we had congregational sharing of how God has been at work in our lives, testimonies of His goodness and grace. Some people were thankful for things that had happened in their youth, two young teens were thankful for the influence of other godly teens and their families, one man shared about the recent salvation of his elderly grandmother and aunt in their 80's, others were thankful for their jobs and provision during these tough economic times...this went on for about 45 minutes. One person commented that she was glad that she was not God because she would not have chosen her circumstances the way that He did, but over the course of the last few months realized that it was by far a better choice. I never get tired of hearing from others how He is working. Just because we may not see Him working on our behalf every day does not mean that He's not doing something, all for our good and for His glory. It has been a good day.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Internet & Computers and Our Home

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues.

20. I am thankful for computers, email and the internet.

21. I am thankful for our home.

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Computers, email and the internet enable me to do two things I just love-- (1) keep in touch with family and friends, both new and old--and (2) learn. Taking photos (with digital cameras), editing them and then sharing them is a breeze. Research, if done using reliable sources, can be done on an almost unlimited variety of topics. I recently received an iPod Touch as a birthday gift from my brother. It's a little computer in your hands and so much fun to use. (Plus it looks pretty cool, too.) :) I know I'll continue to be a lifelong student due to someone's genius in designing computers. As an added bonus, they enable us to have home businesses with little or no additional expense. I am thankful to be able to have these pieces of equipment in our household.

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I am also thankful for the home we live in. It has been our residence for 11 years and has been a safe place for our sons to grow up (they were 9 and 4 when we moved here) with plenty of room for friends and activities, a pool, and a neighborhood where we can bike and/or walk without fear. It is close to our church, most of our friends and family, shopping. We husband bit the bullet and has a 40 minute+ drive to work each day, but he made the final decision to live here. We spent the first half of our marriage in a 1,000 s.f. condo not far from here. It had nice amenities and was the perfect size when we were married (I bought it when I was single) but when son #2 was born and my husband brought his office home, it started getting smaller. We were content to stay there until we paid off some debt and my husband was hired in a new job. We required a large down payment on the sale of our condo which went toward the down payment on this house. The closings were in the same room, 30 minutes apart, so we never had to pay two mortgages at the same time. The Lord blessed us more than I would ever have imagined by providing this home, especially on one income alone. Even in these economic times it has doubled in value. It is not a mansion but it is just what we need--a comfortable place to live, affordable, and a haven from the outside world with lots of special family memories. I am so thankful that our family has happily lived here together.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Mercy of God and People

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

19. I am thankful for mercy, particularly that of God, which I am reminded of when people manifest it to me.

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This article is #19 in my 26 days of Thanksgiving but is certainly not ranked #19. I generally write as events happen in daily life. Since I was shown mercy yesterday afternoon I am writing about it this morning.

Mercy: A blessing that is an act of favor or compassion. (Webster's Dictionary)

At 2:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon I was on my way to pick up my younger son from his Spanish class on a neighborhood street not far from our home. I was running late and rushing to get there on time. As soon as I rounded a curve I saw three police officers with one holding the radar gun pointed at me and another motioning me to pull over. Ever had that sinking feeling in your stomach? I was going 34 in a 25 mile zone, and I knew that I deserved a speeding ticket. Ching-ching-ching...$$$. The officer took my license, insurance and registration and checked my driving record. After walking back to my car he asked me if I knew how long it had been since I had gotten a ticket; I didn't remember, so he told me--2001. He handed me my cards, said slow down and smiled. What a relief! Especially when my speeding ticket would have cost us $80.50.

It reminds me of God and His great mercy toward us. We all know deep down, that no matter how we look on the inside, or whatever we do that seems like a good thing, we are still not perfect. In God's economy that deserves death for all eternity. It is a marvelous mystery to us that when one accepts a specific person (Jesus) as Savior (for your sins) AND as Lord (over everything in your life) that He shows mercy and gives a free gift of eternal life.

We live in such a reciprocal culture--you do something for me, I do something for you and the cycle continues. Sometimes people try to even outdo each other. This gift from God is not like that since there is nothing we can give that is more valuable or lasting to Him, so we give of ourselves. It is a gift He loves and cherishes. Your reading this article at this moment was ordained by God. If you have never prayed to accept Jesus into your life, I urge to make today the day of your salvation. This would truly be something to give thanks for next Thursday.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Daily Routines, Living Simply, Traditions

My 26 days of Thanksgiving continues:

18. I am thankful for daily routines, living simply and family traditions.

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I can really be quite boring when I think about it. I love routines, probably because they give me time to think, pray and ponder about things while using my hands. Examples would be a day in the life of a mom--laundry, dishes, cleaning and re-cleaning, paying bills, running errands. I've got these things down so I'm quite efficient at each, usually multi-tasking them all. Since they serve a greater goal--managing a household and helping my family. I have lots of clothes in my closet but prefer to wear many of the same classic items over and over again. I could eat Cheerios or fruit smoothies for every breakfast, have a nice hot soup and sandwich every lunch, and have a little variety at dinner (I get new recipes from AllRecipes.com or cookbooks I have on hand). I am perfectly satisfied with this. Simple things are low-stress and hassle-free. As I've gotten older I appreciate this more and more in everything I do.

Family traditions are similar in that way. I think I would have a mutiny on my hands if I served fish instead of turkey for Thanksgiving, or didn't have green bean casserole, oyster dressing and pumpkin and key lime pies. I always sneak in a new dish every year just to see the reactions and generally it gets tasted, but not consumed like everything else. :) We usually decorate our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving with plenty of cookies and/or Starbucks (now that the kids are older) to go around. We go to church on Christmas Eve and Christmas stockings are always opened first on Christmas morning with just the immediate family and everything else when other relatives arrive or get up if they are staying with us. The afternoon of Christmas Day is often either with friends or at a family movie with plenty of leftovers later.

Don't get me wrong. I love surprises, meeting new people, hanging out with friends and enjoying new things, but these are even more special when occasional and sometimes spontaneous. I traveled for five years with my work when I was younger and single, eating out at different restaurants for every meal, staying in hotels during the week and in my home city on the weekends where I never slowed down until Sunday night because there was so much to see and do. I was so thankful when I changed jobs to be in my own home each evening. Vacations offer plenty of time for me to "see the world" and I have done much of that.

One of my favorite authors is Sarah Susanka who wrote the Not So Big House and its sequels. There is also one written by her titled The Not So Big Life which my husband and I are reading now about choosing what is simple and important that you really want to spend your time on, new possibilities with your life. We are so easily distracted from what is important.

People say that variety is the spice of life and I certainly agree, but too spicy of a life can be tiring and overwhelming, too, making one conditioned to something new and different on a constant basis. Traditions and routines amplify stability and home in any family where you really always want some things to never change. There are always additions (marriag

es, new babies) and losses (kids moving out, deaths in the family) in all families but if asked, most people will sincerely say they love going home simply for the comfortableness and familiarity of it. Dorothy had it right: There's no place like home.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Our Police, Law Enforcement

My 26 days of Thanksgiving list continues:

17. I am thankful for our local police and their presence in our city and neighborhood.

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I've always been taught to respect and admire policemen, just like military servicemen. They are, in fact, considered to be a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. When my children were young I would always tell them that police are here to help us. Even when we would see a policeman giving a speeding ticket, I would say that they are helping that person (hopefully not me) to learn to obey the traffic laws so no one would get hurt. To show respect, I never refer to them as "cops" but as policemen/women.

Last week in our city the police were out in full force for a shooter in our downtown district. They caught him several hours after the drama began. Last night in our neighborhood a kidnapper had turned off a main street into our subdivision with police in pursuit. Helicopters, police dogs and sirens were combing the area. These types of incidents do not generally happen in our area so it was good to know how quickly the response was from our law enforcement. We have several police officers who live in our neighborhood as well which always makes me feel even more secure. I thank God that we live in a country where the police are our friends and not our enemies or a threat to our families.

Giving Thanks, Thanksgiving, Cars

My 26 days of Thanksgiving list continues:

16. I am thankful to have a reliable car.

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This is another one of those things that seems insincere to be thankful for. Except for a period of three months about 11 years ago, I have had a car of my own since I was 18 years old. My first car was a Ford Falcon station wagon, white with red interior, a gift from my dad when I graduated from high school. I think he paid $200 for it. I loved that car and it ran well through four years of college. I've owned a Gremlin, a Toyota Corolla, a Fort Escort (another gift from an elderly relative who could no longer drive) and now a 1998 Ford Taurus station wagon which we bought at an auction. This one is red like my first car, but on the outside rather than on the inside and was bought new in early 1999 so I've had it for 10 years.

My older son took my advice and also bought a car that was affordable before he started college-- a 1998 used Honda Accord. Those cars last for many years. His drives and feels like a brand new car.

Some people have love affairs with their cars. For me, it's mainly to get me from A to B, air conditioning (since we live in Florida), a good radio (mine even has an audiocassette player) :), power steering and enough room to hold my family. I love the candy apple red which makes me happy just to look at it in the sunlight. Most of my driving is within a 5-mile radius of our home so it's not so bad with the gas mileage.

I visit the post office near our house at least 2x a week to ship eBay sale items. There is a bus stop on both side of the street near the P.O. and I regularly see people walking from all over to catch the bus and get off as well, then walking to a store or home. When it's raining it's pretty miserable to have to wait and then walk to wherever you would need to go. Some of them even have small children with them in strollers or just carrying them. You have to do what you have to do.

Having a car has almost become a "right" these days and many people live beyond their means in their choice of a car. I am thankful to have the one we own. Especially since it has no car payments and lots of memories. It helps to cultivatte a heart of gratitude by also being thankful in the small things.