Happy Thanksgiving

Be thankful...be generous...be giving...and most of all be loving. Wishing you all a very safe and blessed thanksgiving.

"No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ." ~1Thessalonians 5:18

"God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other 

in a meek and thankful heart." ~Izaak Walton

Autumn Hues

I am thankful for all the autumn hues. 

The changing seasons are perfectly timed. Right now outside the leaves are transforming. Everyday brilliant, new colors fill the branches.  The spring green has gone silent, however, we get to view the most spectacular palette. Reds, yellow, oranges and gold prepare the way for fall festivities. Here the sun sets a little sooner, and its fiery glow lingers low on the horizon. Soft golden leaves flutter in the crisp evening air and then drift effortlessly to the ground. Now the golden light gives way to the night, and the chill of winter approaches. It is all beautifully designed and programmed. God knew what He was doing. Enjoy the glorious fall foliage and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

"There is a time for everything, and everything

on earth has its special season" ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

Giggles & Laughs

I am thankful for giggles and laughs. nothing can change a mood quicker than a silly giggle or a hearty laugh. There is something so infectious about them, and once they get started they don't stop. They multiply and multiply. And pretty soon a whole room is caught up in the cacophony. What a beautiful sound! No matter whether it is family or friends, laughter is a wonderful stress reliever and a great way to get everyone together. We all can participate in the joy and feel like a kid again for just a moment. So, go ahead snicker, chuckle, giggle, laugh or guffaw...

"The human race has one really effective weapon, 

and that is laughter." ~Mark Twain

Fresh-Baked...Anything

I am thankful for fresh-baked goodies. Cookies, pie or cake...Chocolate chip, peanut butter, chocolate, pecan, cinnamon, and spice...

The wonderful aromas fill the house with vanilla and chocolate. The cake baking in the oven floats in to every nook and cranny and every open door. One by one each room begins to take on that special smell. Mouths water. Birthdays...Holidays...Any day...

My nephew just had his 12th birthday. He has been learning to cook and bake. He has a passion for food. Today he decided to bake his own birthday cake, a chocolate chip bundt cake. It floated through the entire house all afternoon. What a delight! And what a joy to see him enjoying his passion.

"Go, eat your food with gladness...with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do." ~Ecclesiastes 9:7

Pen & Paper

I am thankful for pen and paper. Being able to communicate effectively is a gift from God. Electronic communication is quick, easy, and always there. However, some days the feel of the pen between your fingers and the flow of the ink are just comforting. There is something about handwritten words. Maybe they just mean a little bit more. Write a note to someone...tell them thank you for being in your life.

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." ~1 Peter 4:10

"Either write something worth reading 

or do something worth writing." ~Benjamin Franklin

Joy In The Morning

I am thankful for joy in the morning. What is more refreshing than to wake up with yesterday's despair wiped away. The smell of freshly brewed coffee floats gently through the air. It is a brand new day! A clean start. With cup in hand you can see the golden light rising through the window. Restore, renew and relax. God has it covered for another day.

For His anger is but for a moment, 

His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, 

but joy comes in the morning. ~Psalm 30:5

"A leaf fluttered through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked." ~Anais Nin

Supportive Friends

I am truly thankful for supportive friends. They pick you up, stretch out a hand, embrace in a hug, and listen intently. They encourage and lift your spirits. They push you forward when you feel like giving up. Each and everyone of you have been placed strategically in my life at just the right time. God's special gifts. 

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. 

But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 

~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. 

It is then burst into flame by an encounter 

with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." ~Albert Schweitzer

Thankful For A Beautiful Sunset

I am thankful for beautiful sunsets. Nothing is more majestic nor awe-inspiring than the painted hues in the evening sky. Orange, gold, yellow, pink, and lilac stream across the horizon. It is God's watercolor. He brushes the heavens in angelic light and for a brief moment we gaze in to the glowing aurora. The Master's ever-changing canvas is spread before us to behold and rejoice in. Take time to view the magnificent colors.

One thing I have desired of the Lord

That will I seek:

Thai I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord.

~Psalm 27:4 

"To love beauty is to see light." ~Victor Hugo

Thankful for Peace

In moments of chaos and craziness I am thankful for peace. A wonderfully, impossible peace that comes from just simply closing your eyes for a second as the world fades away. The rushing busyness flies by, but you don't worry about it. Shut out the noise, the sounds, the bright lights and take a long, deep breath. God is there. His peace washes over you. It is wonderful. Take time to feel the peace for yourself.

"...Peace, peace, to those far and near," 

says the Lord. "And I will heal them." ~Isaiah 57:19

"The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest."

~William Blake

Encouraging People

I am thankful for encouraging people. They lift you up when you are down, make you smile, and convince you that life will go on even when it doesn't seem like it. I thank God for all those "encouragers" in my life. Be an encouragement to someone in your life and offer them the same hope that you have received. You will be blessed for doing so.

"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts." ~Henri Frederic Amiel

Reasons To Be Thankful

Can you believe that it is November already? Where have all the days gone? Still waiting on the fall foliage around here. It is a little slow going. But what better way is there to begin the holiday season than to list our reasons for being thankful. 

Today I am thankful for the silence. Silence is a gift, especially in this loud and crazy world we live in. We should be thankful for the silence, yet we usually dread it. We all look for ways to fill that void... with noise... sound from music and television to computer and video games. Sometimes it is just conversation to drown out the quiet. Make some time to just enjoy God's gift of silence today.

"A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." ~Ecclesiastes 3:7

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." ~Henry Van Dyke