I am grateful

I am an Introvert

As I wrote in a blog post of the same title: I am an introvert. At times in my life I have wished that I could be an extrovert, I am glad to be an introvert. It is who I am! I gain my energy from being alone, which helps facilitate silent prayer practice. It may also be why I love to read. Being an introvert gives me the opportunity to make close, intimate friends, though I do not have lots of casual acquaintances.

ice cream

This was suggested by husband CB, who likes ice cream much more than I do, which does not suggest that don't like it. I am glad vanilla ice cream goes so well with cake and pie and under hot fudge sauce. The only kind of coffee I like is Haggen Daz coffee ice cream, which is something I am grateful for.

ink pens

This should have been under "F" for "fountain" pens; I am glad ink pens and ink bottles still exist. I really like ink pens for writing letters, though I don't write them very often anymore. One of the first fountain pens I bought was a brown striped Pelikan when BJ, MJ, and I visited AE in Germany (in 1999?). I remember the little shop so well that I am grateful I bought it there.

internet

Having high-speed internet makes life so easy and convenient, what with quick communication with e-mails, connection and information through blogging and websites, and googling for anything. I am grateful we have such easy access to the internet.

ice

I am grateful for ice, especially living in south TX. Water with ice is wonderful to drink here. Both my sons DC and BJ worked at an ice house in College Station while going to college--making, bagging, loading, and delivering bags of ice.

inner and insight

I am so grateful for the insight that Jesus did not tell people to pray in their "closet" or "inner room," as I've always heard and been taught in Sunday Schools. The homes of the peasants whom Jesus mainly spoke to did not have closets or inner rooms. Instead, he was talking about the inner journey of prayer (in silence). This seems so obvious since I read it in Richard Rohr's newest book The Naked Now on page 71.