It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week
with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends.

Another week has gone by, and we’re another week closer to Christmas. Here are some favorites from this busy week:

1. A 35% off coupon code. I needed more long-sleeved clothes, and visited the site of an online store where I have gotten things I liked before. They had a banner across the top of their web page advertising a 35%-off coupon, applicable to your entire purchase. That was a big help: their prices are a bit more than I usually like to pay, but their quality is much better as well. I know, I know—you get what you pay for. But it was nice to have this opportunity to pay a little less.

2. A 5%-off coupon. I rotate between three grocery stores—each has some things the others don’t. I don’t go to all three in one day, but which one I go to depends on what I need. The store where I usually buy our Christmas ham, and where I planned to get our weekly groceries plus supplies for our Christmas meal, sent though the mail a 5%-off coupon for an entire order.

3. A mailing envelope. I had to mail some packages this week, and I needed a 9×12 manila envelope for one of them. But I didn’t have any: I used the last one last week. There is a store near the post office, but it’s not one of my regular stops and I wasn’t sure whether it had mailing supplies. All the other stores were a distance away. I thought about saving that mailing until after I had gone to the store, but I really didn’t want to make another trip to the Post Office, especially during this season. I checked an old cabinet where I used to keep mailing supplies, and voila, there was one lone bent but unused 9×12 envelope. A small blessing, but it really helped simplify my schedule on a busy day/week.

4. Moderate temperatures. We’ve had some icy-cold days this month, but this week the daytime temperatures have been in the 60s.

5. Christmas cards and letters, though we’ve only received three so far this year. I understand some families have foregone Christmas cards in an effort to simplify the extra tasks this time of year. And maybe they are not as needed since so many are connected more online through the year. But I still enjoy them.

We won’t have FFF next week, with it being Christmas Eve. So I’ll wish you a wonderful, meaningful Christmas. I hope you’ll be able to spend it with those you love.