28 DAYS!

Yep that's right only 28 days till Christmas!  I wasn't going to put up a tree or decorate this year for a variety of what I first thought were valid reasons, but sanity kicked in while spending time with the kids on Thanksgiving.  As you can see I do have a tree.  It's only a small one but it is a size I can handle on my own.  I do like it.  This is the first time ever that the tree is in the living room and can be seen from the street.  For the next month the living room will be my sanctuary from the business of the season.  I hope it will be a place that will keep me in touch with the true reason we celebrate Christmas.  It is the time of year we remember that God came down and lived among us on earth beginning with the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. 

ANOTHER THANKSGIVING DAY IS OVER

Thanksgiving 2010 is pretty much history.  I should be in bed asleep resting up for a day at work tomorrow, but I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on the day.
Thanksgiving is a day when not only most Americans over eat, but more importantly we reflect back on the blessings of the past year and give thanks for them.  I did have a wonderful day with Jeremy, Nate, and Lindsay.  I got to talk with Stephanie and my mom, sister and her family.  For these things I am grateful.  I would have talked with my brother and his wife, but they are off on a weekend in northern MI.  Other friends I greeted via the Internet.
Even with everything going on during the day I did take time both this morning and again after our Thanksgiving dinner to look back over the year past year seeking things to give thanks for.  I'm not going to try and pretend it hasn't been a difficult year in many ways, but I did find much to be thankful for.  Of course I am very thankful for my children and the rest of my family.  Also for my many friends who have shown their love and support in many ways.  I am thankful for each of my jobs and the people I work with at each of them. I can honestly say there is not a one of my fellow employees or bosses that I do not enjoy being with.  I am extremely thankful that when I fell and broke my collarbone and needed stitches over my eye that that is the only damage I did to myself.  It could have been so much worse. 
The thing that I am most thankful for this year is a growing relationship with God.  Through a variety of means including daily devotional readings, bible study and prayer I am learning more about his unconditional love for me.  A love so deep and passionate that I have a hard time comprehending its fullness.  I am learning to lean on him and trust him and his direction.   The hardest part is I am having to learn to be patient to accept his timing in my life and believe that he does have a plan for where my life is headed. 
Thanksgiving for all of life's blessings is something that should take place each and every day.  Not just on the fourth Thursday of November.  I pray that I can remember this. I want to spend time each day looking for the blessing contained there in.  For no matter how bad a day might look on the surface there are always many things to be grateful for.  I want an attitude of gratitude!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

Ah, after all these years of frustration and confusion it is now official I am normal!!!
You are probably wondering what on earth is she yamering about now? 
This morning I woke up to a story on NPR's Morning Edition program talking about people going in circles.  OK, so they were talking about when people are blindfolded they may think they are walking in a straight line but after about 20 or so steps they actually begin to naturally walk in circles.   But....I choose to take comfort in the fact that it is natural for people to go in circles what ever the reason or the means by which they do so. 

WHERE DO YOU FALL?

Balance in life, where do you fall along the continuum of activity?  At one end there is little activity or involvement in life.  At the other there is so much activity there is no time to breathe.  Being on either extreme is not good for us.  We need balance.  Chances are if you are like me you move somewhere along the continuum on a daily basis.  Hopefully unlike me you have learned how to avoid the two extremes.  I am trying to work on avoiding the extremes. 
For the most part I think I stay away from the inactive end of the spectrum  at this point of my life. This is not necessarily good thing however because it does not mean that I am spending more time in the middle.  In actuality most my friends would tell you I spend way to much time out of the fringe of over commitment. I can give all sorts of justifications for this, but in truth none of them are anything but excuses. 
My morning devotions included a quote from Patsy Clairmont, one of my favorite Women of Faith.

"Doing too much is as dangerous as doing nothing at all.  Both modes present us from savoring our moments.  One causes me to rush right past the best of life without recognizing or basking in it, and the other finds me sitting quietly as life rushes past me."

So where do you fall activity of life continuum?  To the right?  To the left?  Or maybe you are blessed and have already learned the joys and benefits of a life spent roaming around in the middle.  I pray as I move toward 2011 I will do a better job of learning to live and experience life in the middle. 

ANOTHER QUOTE TO THINK ON

It's been a while that I have run across a quote that I  have wanted to record here  so I can refer back to it over time and also to share with those who happen to stop by.  I found one today in my reading.  It is by Corrie ten Boom.  Corrie was an amazing person from an amazing family.  If you would like to learn more about her you can click on her name above.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. 

~~Corrie ten Boom

Good advice to never forget.

TODAY IS INDEED BETTER!

Sorry about last night, but sometimes pressure just needs to be released. 
Yes today is a brighter day.  The sun is out and well it is warming up...slowly.
Today is one of those disjointed days however.  It is a day that I know will be steeped in celebration of life.  Celebration that on one coast will be full of joy and new beginnings.  A celebration of a new marriage and love that brings with it promises and dreams for a future as a new family unit. Also a celebration on the other side of North America, I say that because it is in Western Canada, that will be full of tears and good byes as a friend buries a loved husband and her children mourn the passing of their father and a family unit is changed forever. This I am sure will also be celebration of the love they all shared. It will be a celebration of the faithful and full, though too short life, of husband and father.  Yes there will be tears but from what I know of this family, though we have never personally met, there will be joy and laughter as they recall memories of that life.
So today is a day of celebration. It is a day to celebrate love and also to embrace loss knowing that God is with us through both.  Both Bryan and Kristen; and Edith and her family will be in my prayers today. 

NO POSTING!

Nope I will not post anything tonight as I started the evening after work feeling rather alone.  Made the mistake of openning a bottle of brandy and watching too much TV, movies and reading too many magazines; and seeing happy couples everywhere.  Not a good combination especially when facing another wedding and watching another couple vowing to love and care for each other till death do them part tomorrow.  See I told you I should not be posting tonight!

On top of it all it's COLD!

Addendum:  Sorry about the above, but sometime I just plain get tired of pretending everything is ok and I am happy!  Tomorrow I'm sure will be a better day or at least next week will be.

YEP, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE WINTER

Sigh.....5:30pm and it was pitch dark!  I so am not interested in it being winter.  I think it would be much better if humans could go into hibernation like bears do during the winter.  Think of all the money and resources we would save. 

WINTER IS COMING

The sun has been out which helps warm the air but there are definite signs that winter is coming.  Despite the sun temps have been in the low 50's and at night we are well into the 30's.  We have had frosts and even freezes!  Snow flurries were in the forecast for tonight but I think blessedly they have been removed.  I am so not ready for another winter, but I guess whether or not I want it, it will come.
I haven't been eating particularly well the last month or so. Eating alone is one thing I hate to do.  When I got home for the Arts and Craft Festival which was held at our church today I decided in honor of the cool weather and in trying to entice myself to eat I would make a pot of chili.  It sure smells good, but of course now I have a pot of chili that I used to make for five that now will be eaten over and over since it will only be for one.  Good thing I like it!  Same with the corn bread.  I had hoped by now I would figure out how to cook for one, but it doesn't seem to be happening.  Eating has never been very important to me.  It seems to me it is more important as a social event than one to feed the body.  It's hard to be sociable when alone.  Some can do it I guess, but not me. 
Other than eating it was a good day.  I got to spend it with people in a sociable setting. I also got to make some money and it is incredibly affirming to have people comment on the things I make.  It's nice if they purchase something, but I think it may even be better when they simply affirm what I make as being something they enjoy looking at and its being of value.  I thank God for the talent and skill he has given me and that I have some opportunities to share it with others. 

INTERESTING WORDS

Tomorrow is election day. Around the country we have been inundated  with a war of words.  In light of this I found the opening sentences of today's bible study very interesting.  Once again these are from Let God Love You, by Lloyd Ogilvie.

"There is a new distrust of words, speech making, and theorizing which pervades our time.  Our despair today is expressed in the demise of innocent trust in what people say.  A man's word is no longer sacred. Cynicism, criticism, and complaining pollute the atmosphere. Our nation longs to hope again and yet the diminutive gods in which we have placed our hope in cultures, institutions, and government have fallen from the throne of inerrancy."

What I find interesting in this statement is that it sounds so current.  Yet it was written in 1974!  How sad, over 30 years and the trust in and value of words spoken is no better.  It may be even worse.  Today words are cheap.  At best, at least in the political realm, the only power they seem to have is to tear down and destroy.  

 

Promises made, for the most part, are only made for momentary gain.  In today's climate of  doing what is best for oneself, promises even when made with the best of intentions can easily be just walked away from.  Promises are only words and words have no lasting meaning.  

I am concerned about tomorrows electoral outcome. Not so much as to whether the Democrats, Republicans, or Tea Party candidates win.  What I am worried about is that despite who wins, the war with worthless words and promises will go on and that we as a nation will become so bogged down in worthless rhetoric and name calling that people will continue to lose their jobs, homes, health care, and hope. 

That all said....please do go out and VOTE tomorrow.  It may seem a pointless and futile effort, but we can't give up.  Just remember to vote not on the basis of the words spoken by the candidate, but really think about what direction you would like to see our country move in.  I pray we will move forward and not back.  I pray that somewhere out there is some sanity and some people who still believes that a man's word and promises are sacred, not just vehicles for momentary self gain and profit.