Thankful Thursday - Fall Changes

Goodness!  September is already long over and October is well on its way.  Fall is in the air everywhere we look. No more orange moons caused by the smoke lingering in the air from the wildfires.  At last the rains have returned to make the sky fresh and clean again.





The Virginia Creeper has turned red and is covered with little berries.

A few tendrils have escaped to begin climbing up the shade tree.  I will have to coax them back to where they belong.

I love looking out over the bench and watching the seasons change.  This is one of my favorite spots in the yard.  Two weeks ago the Flame Maple was just beginning to turn.

Even though the Dogwood tree is still green, soon it will be too wet and cold to sit outside on the bench.

The last of the summer flowers are still hanging on, bravely awaiting the first kiss of frost.

Meanwhile, over the last couple of weeks, the maple has, oh, so quickly, begun the gentle dropping of its leaves, its full glory will be gone much too soon.

Oh! How I love Autumn!  Thankful for eyes that see.

~~~~~~~

"Every Leaf speaks bliss

to me, fluttering from

the autumn tree."

Emily Bronte

Thankful Thursday 16 - A Summer rain

I sit reading in the early evening.  Dinner is over and the washing up is done.  All is quiet as I turn the pages. Gradually I become aware of an unexpected sound.  It's raindrops falling on the roof.  I close my book and walk over to the door to peer out, and as I watch the water falling from the sky I suddenly have this need to be outside savoring this moment.

Sitting in a chair under the tap tapping sounds on the roof of the gazebo I gaze around watching puddles form on the bricks as I take in the cool refreshment of a summer rain at the end of a hot and sultry day.  The air is redolent with the fresh earthy smells of water and dirt and newly cut trees... heaven!  Fat raindrops splash hundreds of ripples in growing pools of liquid.   How does one capture the moment in pictures?  I can't, so I must use words instead.

The rain gradually comes to a stop.  I continue to sit quietly.  The chimes softly ring to the sounds of water trickling down the gutters and dripping off the trees.  In the quiet, I hear a solitary bird begin calling to another as it flies overhead.  Branches wave in the cool gentle breeze.  Off in the distance is the murmur of voices as families begin to return outdoors in the summer evening.

At this moment in the gathering twilight, all seems right with the world, and I feel a sense of peace, gratitude, joy... Eucharisteo

Thankful Thursday - 15

Since beginning my own list of One Thousand Gifts I have noticed a few things about myself.  After three months I still have less than 100 things written down.  I realize that my life is actually pretty repetitious so I find myself thanking God for the same things over and over.  I also have to take the time to be purposeful in noticing the little as well as the big blessings. Otherwise, I miss them.  Here are a few things I noticed this week.

1.  I hosted my book club this week.  Our book for the month was Soul Print by Mark Batterson.  What a wonderful discussion we had as we shared our insights into the unique experiences God has given to each of us so that we may become all he has designed us to be.  How blessed I am to be a part of this group of women who have become my friends.

2.  The summer fruit season is just beginning and one of the wonderful treats I served to my friends this week was this lovely bowl of fresh red strawberries.  They were so perfectly ripe and lusciously sweet that I had to thank God for the gift of taste.

3.  One of the things I love about living in my home is all the wildlife we see in the area.  It's not unusual to see a couple of deer eating apples from the trees in the fall, or a pair of eagles sitting in a tree nearby.  This week I stepped outside to the sound of quacking in my front yard.  As I went out to investigate I noticed a female mallard duck sitting on the roof of my neighbor's shed.  She soon stopped over to check out our front courtyard. 

It wasn't long before her beau showed on the roof of our garage.  

No doubt they were courting and probably looking for a place to nest. They hung around for about twenty minutes before flying back down to the lake.  Once again I am thankful for God's creation.

4.  Over the winter months my husband was busy redoing our dining room which was sadly in need of a fresh look.  We changed it from the 90's look of red and gold walls to a nice neutral brown.  Then we tore up the old carpet and laid a new wood floor.  Isn't it beautiful?  I am constantly thanking God for my husband's talent and hard work.

5. We moved this bookcase from the living room into the dining room.  As you can see, I keep forgetting that I forgot to put these Christmas bulbs away!

  We are often given the advice to surround ourselves only with those things which are useful or we find beautiful.   All beauty is a gift from the Lord.  This lovely hand painted chocolate set is not really very useful in today's day and age but it is certainly very pretty and I treasure it because it was a gift from my mother.

And of course there are few things that bring more joy to my heart than pictures of my family.  Both my older son and my daughter have been married for three years and I am thankful not only for each of them but for their wonderful spouses as well.  We are indeed very blessed.
 

It's always so good to take the time to remember the blessings of each day.  I hope that you too have seen and felt the Lord's hand of blessing upon your life this week.

Thankul Thursday - 14

This is the time of the year when it's not always easy to get motivated.  The days are often dark and cold and the leaden skies are filled with a mass of gray clouds.  Even when it isn't raining, the sky can look dull and gloomy.  The other day I asked someone at school how she was doing and her answer was that she was just sloshing through the day.  Sloshing...there's a good word that describes the month of January around here.  

In the ordinary routines of just getting up and going to work everyday, coming home to a house that needs to be cleaned and dinner that needs to be put on the table, it's sometimes hard to capture Eucharisteo but just when I get to the point where I want to put up my hands in despair God reminds me again of the blessings that are all around me when I stop to remember.

I get up each morning to a day that is still black, but as I stumble into the shower and hot water begins to flow down my face I remember the blessings of clean hair and clean clothes followed by a warm cup of tea.

 I look outside and see the pink light of an early morning sunrise peeking through the clouds before everything closes up again and it begins to rain.  In the quiet I can hear the soft song of the wind chimes on the morning breeze.

 And I remember some of the blessings of these past couple of weeks.

1.  A softly whispered, "Good Morning" that starts my day.
2.  The smell of fresh cookies baking in the oven.
3.  Holding the hand of a grieving friend and sharing prayers and tears as we remember together the life of a husband of 60 years.
4.  The flash of  blue as a jay hops from branch to branch in the tree outside my window.
5.  The scream of an eagle off in the distance as I step out my door.



But one of the best reminders of God's blessings came as I was driving to work yesterday.  As I made my way down the hill to the lake road and headed around the corner, suddenly, there spread before my eyes was this reminder of God's majesty and the mighty works of his hands, and I was transfixed with the beauty of it.  I wanted so badly to just stop and drink it all in and let it fill my soul but I was on my way to school and I wasn't able stop.  All morning that's all I could think about.   So I went back out during my lunch with the only camera I had with me.  I couldn't even begin to capture my awesome wonder of that moment and how it filled me up with deep thanksgiving and joy.  God...the creator of this amazing scene loves puny little me...Eucharisteo

 Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, from eternity past to eternity future you are God.

Psalm 90:2

Thankful Thursday #8

1.  I was dozing on the sofa on Friday night after a long and tiring week when the phone suddenly rang.  When my husband answered, it was our number one son and his wife calling to ask if we wanted to join them for dinner at the local Mexican restaurant.  When we arrived we discovered he had called both his siblings as well.  After dinner everyone came back to the house for a couple of hours of just hanging out and having conversation.  It's such a blessing when your children want to be,  not just your kids, but your friends as well.

2.  Finding time to start crocheting a new baby afghan for my niece's first baby expected in a few months.   Amateur that I am, it may take me that long to get it done!

3.  Enjoying spring weather in January.  Normally this would be the rainy season and some years we even get some snow but this year we have been basking in some lovely sunshine and April temperatures.

4.  A wonderful husband who does laundry.  So nice to come home from work to find it all done.

5. The comfort of a pet sleeping on your lap.  There is something really relaxing about having a kitty quietly purring on your lap. I don't really own a pet of my own anymore.  My son brought his cat when he returned home  and I take care of my mother's cat Molly whenever she is out of town.  Molly isn't what you would call a "lap cat"and whenever you reach for her she is gone in a flash, but at the end of the day when we are beginning to settle back in our easy chairs for the evening she will jump onto my lap for long snooze.  It's nice.

Thankful Thursday #7

1.  My thoughts seem to be running towards the personal comfort of morning hot showers.  There is something so soothing about getting up on a cool morning and being able to just turn on a faucet then stand under a waterfall of steamy hot water and letting it just warm you to the bones.

2.  Follow that with a nice cup of tea.  I used to be a major coffee drinker and I do still enjoy a cup of decaf coffee at times ( gourmet of course)  However, since I no longer do the whole caffeine thing I have discovered there is an endless selection of different herbal and decaf teas to suit any mood I am in.  My daughter gave me a lovely little teapot for Christmas this year.  A cup of tea in a pretty little cup from a pretty little teapot is another one of those soothing morning comforts. 

3. One of the best things of the mornings though is standing at the dining room windows with a warm cup in my hand watching the day wake up.  Some mornings the sky is still dark and I can see the last morning star going over the horizon.  There are the lights of the places below where other people are just waking up to start the day.  Sometimes I can see the occasional lights of a car belonging to some early morning commuter heading to the city.

Then the sky begins to lighten and I can see the outlines of the mountains.  Some mornings they just look like shadows barely seen in the mist.  Other days they rise up starkly black outlined by a sky of red and orange.  Then suddenly the sun rises up over the tops and the morning has come.  It might be a day of clouds and rain or golden sunshine.  It might be a day that brings sorrow or joy or something in between.  I only know that God is on his throne and with the gift of this day he will be with me.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Thankful Thursday #6

Between Christmas, New Year's Day, and an out-of-state trip there has been much to be thankful for over the past few weeks.

1. I am grateful for people who remain professional and courteous in airports when passengers are anxious and frustrated.  When our plane wasn't able to fly due to mechanical problems there were people ready to help get us booked onto another plane, provide hotel accommodations so we wouldn't have to spend the night in an airport and see that our luggage arrived at it's final destination and all with a friendly smile.  When you think that there were over a hundred people to be accommodated my hat is off to them all for their patience.

2.I am grateful for northwest sunshine and temperatures in the 30's and 40's.  After spending a week in the mid-west where a day with a high of 20 degrees seemed positively balmy compared to the below 0 temps of the day before I will never complain about Northwest winters again.

Here is the Investigator shivering in 3 degree temperatures in front of my brother's house.

3. I am grateful for being able to spend some really quality time with my brother and his family.

We ate lots of holiday goodies

Played games

Watched football games and just generally hung out together

 

As my niece said, it was a time of bliss.

I have always enjoyed spending time with my brother and his family but this trip will hold a special place in my heart.  Remembering the goodness of God in allowing us this time together.   Thanks be to God.

Thankful Thursday #4

With so many things going on my Thankful Thursday was started but finished very late.  Looking back of the past week, here are some of my favorites.

1.  Spending time with the kids at my school.  They are all so excited for the holidays.  Their unrestrained joy has kept me going day after day.  In spite of the bitter-sweetness of the season for me this year my heart lifted in genuine happiness today as I shared their laughter during our lessons today.  Praise God for his blessings.

2.  Two weeks of Christmas Break!  Time to relax (really? with shopping to finish, wrapping to be done, cookies to bake and Christmas meals to plan and prepare?)  OK. Time to make preparations for the birthday celebration coming on Christmas Day.  Then, time to relax.

3.  A chance to visit with out of town extended family last weekend.  We had a chance to see a play, do a little sight-seeing and just hang out together.  Every opportunity to share love with our families is a blessing from God to be remembered and savored.

4.  Just the little blessings of being able to get up in the mornings, have a cup of coffee or tea and read my Advent meditations in the quiet of the early day before going to work which is a blessing all of it's own.

5.  Opening and reading all the lovely Christmas cards and letters that have arrived.  It's the only time of the year that we really get letters in the mail.

 God is good all the time.

Thankful for my mom

On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful for my mom who is celebrating her birthday today.  At 82 years old her body might be wearing out but not her spirit.  She is still going strong with places to go, things to do. and people to see.  She volunteers with several organizations, entertains regularly, visits family members around the country and travels the world whenever she gets the opportunity.  And no matter what the challenges of her life she rises above as an example of how to live life well.

Looking at the flowers in Costa Rica

Sailing down the river in Guatemala

Hanging with her great-grandson on the wedding day of one of her granddaughters in Wisconsin last summer.

Happy Birthday to my mom. May she be able to look back on her 82 years on this earth and see the hand of God in every situation and know she has always been loved and cherished through every moment of her life.

Thankful Thursday

Here we are back to Friday already and time for the favorite five.  Except I think that after spending yesterday in thanksgiving I prefer the thought of a Thankful Thursday. It suits my personality.  So that's when I am going to start sharing my thankful, grateful, joyful thoughts.  This week it's just going to be a day late.   

1. Receiving these beautiful flowers at the beginning of the week which had opened to perfection by yesterday.  I don't know who left them for me at work.  I only know that I was feeling a little down that day and these were a wonderful gift from God given through the kindness of a friend.  They have filled me with joy every time I have looked at them all week.

2.  I had fun hanging some new drapes in the living room this week.  I have had the same silly floral window toppers that didn't match anything in the room for YEARS.  And they were PINK flowers at that! What was I thinking?  Just too lazy to take that last step needed for completely changing this room from the cottage look I had 20 years ago.  They are nothing fancy but I do like the more traditional and calming feel they give to the room  It really is morning in this picture but there is a big storm outside at the moment and the skies are very dark.

3.  I am so proud of my mom.  She has been having a hard time with the news of my brother and has also been very depressed and weepy.  But she pulled herself together and put on her best face to come and share Thanksgiving with us.  Here she is with my daughter-in-law who brought all the wonderful snacks for the day.

 4.. Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving day filled with good food including this delicious turkey roasted to perfection.

 And wonder of wonders my son actually ate some of that said turkey.  He usually passes on the turkey.  He prefers the other foods on the table like the mashed potatos and gravy, the broccoli and rice in cheese sauce I make for him every year and the corn pudding better known as scalloped corn in some parts of the country.

But best of all was just spending the day together.  We indeed have so much to be thankful for not just on Thanksgiving Day but every day.  Blessings to all.