Blessings

The post about our truck being stolen is starting to sound too whiney to me. In the grand scheme of human suffering, a stolen vehicle is pretty insignificant, plus I'm getting super discouraged trying to remember what all was in the truck and attempt to put a value on it, so I'm going to change gears and count my blessings for awhile. Here, in no particular order, are just a few of them:

• Prosperity - We are prosperous enough to have just purchased a new pickup truck, plus afford to travel.


• Family and friends - we wanted the crew cab pickup because of the new grandbaby we're expecting in August, plus all of the great friends we go road tripping with. Both wonderful blessings to be thankful for.
  


• Memories - Yes, I may have lost my cameras and the pictures and video on the computer and other storage devices, but we have had a great time making all those memories those images represent. That doesn't go away with the loss of a device.
  


• People - just one single person stole our vehicle, but we have met HUNDREDS of fantastic people on our travels, including this trip. From the homeowner whose house we had parked in front of, to the clerks at the hotel, the owner of the convenience store where our stolen credit card was used and the person who called to say they found our check books - everyone helped where they could and offered encouraging words to uplift our spirits. This includes all of my amazing friends in cyber space, some whom I've met in person and some not.


• Technology - A large part of our losses were technology related, but thank goodness for technology - We had cell phones to call the police, insurance, banks and credit card companies; Google to find the phone numbers we needed; I've blogged and posted many pictures and videos on the Internet, so these memories are safe; thanks to the video cameras at the convenience store, we have a picture of the thief; borrowed computers make it possible to keep in touch online. It does make everything easier, and if we had had the right app installed on the phone that was stolen along with the truck, we probably would have located it by now!


• Insurance - though it's a hassle to go through everything, we do have full coverage on the vehicle, plus homeowners insurance to cover our belongings. All in all, we aren't going to take much of a financial hit from the experience.


• Each other - Relationships aren't just strengthened through the good times, but also how you pull together during the adversities. Standing together, we can get through anything, and this is a chance to help each other through a tough time.

The list could go on and on, and it's helpful just to begin thinking about everything that is good in our lives. Having gone through some of life's upheavals before, I know that the days go by and you just work through each challenge as it comes up. Pretty soon you emerge on the other side and you've survived!

What ever you're going through today - something much worse than this or just a bad day... count your blessings. You'll find that they are many!

Thanks for stopping by. The coffee is always on.