Thanksgiving Day 2015

"You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."

(From Bless the Lord chorus by

Jonas Myrin & Matt Redman)

 

As I stood under my shower this morning, enjoying the spray of warm water, thoughts of blessings I take for granted popped into mind.  A comfortable bed to sleep in at night; food to eat; clean water to drink; waking up to a new day and being able to see, hear, walk, and breathe; even this nice smooth shower wall that just needs to be wiped down, instead of tiles and grout to scrub.

I am thankful that the green tomatoes I picked off the tomato plant on the balcony when the weather turned cold are now ripening on my window sill...

 ...and I'm thankful for the flowering Christmas plant given to me by a friend.

I am thankful for all of my family and friends, and for the technology that makes it easy to stay in touch with those who live far away.     




This year my oldest granddaughter and her hubby were the hosts for what turned into a triple celebration--the first Thanksgiving in their new home, the announcement as to whether the baby they are expecting is a boy or a girl, and a great grandson's 10th birthday.




 




























As you can see, I was not the only photographer.





 











My grandson gave me a ride so I wouldn't have to drive home in the dark, and I was thankful for the rare chance it gave us to spend one on one time together and to share the view of a spectacular orange moon that this picture doesn't do justice to.  A very blessed ending to a very blessed day.

A very long walk

"I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me." -- (Philippians 4:13)


It was a beautiful Indian summer day, so I decided to walk to my prayer meeting at church.  I think it was only about three and a half miles round trip, but to my back it seemed a lot longer and I had to remind myself of the above verse more than a few times--especially on the way home.




Roses were blooming along the way...

























...and there were bushes full of what looked like little blue berries that I had never noticed before.  They were a much brighter blue than they look in these pictures which really don't do them justice at all.













I stood, for a while, watching the little cups on the top of this contraption as they twirled around in the breeze.  Later I found out it was a weather station.







A tree (in front of the fuller one) had only one big leaf left on it, all the way at its top.  Can you see it?





And then some more bushes with little red berries on them that look like mini pacifiers.  I've never noticed these before either.

Oh what things you miss when you drive instead of walk.

Pansies and Roses

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but
the word of our God endures forever."
(Isaiah 40:8)





Even though it's mid November, roses and pansies are still blooming all over town.

Beautifying 21st Street

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a
garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign
LORD will make righteousness and praise 
spring up before all nations."
(Isaiah 61:11)