More Than A Word

Here it comes again already! Thanksgiving! It is so much more than a word. It is more than the anticipation of sitting down to a turkey dinner with all of the fixings. To me it should be a special day to set aside to acknowledge thanks,not that I am not thankful on other days, but it is good to think specifically about things I am thankful for. I am finding that when I take the time to actually sit down and think on this, I realize how very blessed I am. Try it... you will find out your life is not as bad as you may think. It is so much more than just being thankful for material things...they can be taken away. It is more than being thankful for friends. They often disappoint or betray or perhaps move away, or die. It is more than being thankful for family. They don't always meet up to our expectations or can't always be there when we want them to be. It is His presence that I am the most thankful for on this Thanksgiving.  Yes, I am thankful for all of the other many things and people in my life that I have been so blessed with, but as I think on what I am most thankful for over this past year.... it has been the presence of God.

~"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

Psalm 46:1

A Handmade Treasure

Some of the greatest gifts are handmade ones. This gift was not given to me. It was given to someone with the name of Annie and apparently a long time ago. This was one of my treasures that I found one day while I was rummaging around at yard sales and antique barns and I really don't recall where or when I came across it. I know it was handmade because it is hand-carved and the hearts are not the exact size and shape and the painting along the edge was obviously by hand as well. I picked this up the other day to take a closer look and noticed that on the inside the name "Annie" was carved. Someone took a lot of time and effort to make this for Annie and here I have it in my possession. I wonder about the music that was made on this little instrument. I imagine a little girl sitting in her bedroom spending many hours by herself playing this, or maybe entertaining her grandpa who perhaps made it for her.... who knows? I am not even sure what kind of instrument this really is. Maybe one of you reading this knows....It is missing two strings but is supposed to have four. At any rate, I am sure that Annie treasured this dearly and made beautiful music with it.

Shake IT UP

Kids nowadays maybe have no idea what this even is. Back in the day it was one of my favorite toys that I would sit and spend many hours playing with... my Etch A Sketch.... I guess it was the pre-computer toy. I would sit for hours and turn the left and right knobs to draw on the screen and write, and then if I wasn't pleased with the results would just shake it up with all of my might and it would erase the screen and I would start all over again. As the sun came up this morning I was thinking about how each new day is like a clean screen on this Etch A Sketch...there is nothing there as we start the day. What we put on there is up to us. What was there yesterday has left no trace... it is gone forever. It is a new day and I must make the most of it. No matter what ugliness was upon that screen yesterday doesn't matter this morning. All that is there is a fresh clean start. I am so very thankful for that. ~Psalm 143:8 " Let the morning bring  me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you, Show me the way I should go, for I lift up my soul."

Overwhelming Obstacles

Someone posted this hilarious roadsign picture the other day on the internet. It got me thinking about how I have been feeling lately... as if boulders and enourmous cows or what not have been literally falling out of the sky down upon me. Just when one thing seems to get worked out another "cow" comes plopping down out of nowhere to smash my windshield and steer me off course! So many stinking obstacles in life. If we let them they can be downright discouraging. They can cause all kinds of anxiety and depression. The thing is.. I don't need to let these things control how I feel. I am learning that in spite of the fact that the one up above has way more important things to take care of than my petty problems, He still does care and does take the time out of His very busy schedule to pay attention to the details of my life. When I actually turn my cares and obstacles over to Him He does give me a peace and assurance that He is working behind the scenes to take care of things. So when I become overwhelmed with these "boulders and cows" and whatever life is whirling down upon me...I look up to the one who can and will do something about it, because He is the one in my life who cares the most and sees the whole picture. ~Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."