ESPECIALLY Thankful 287 & Counting

This week marks a year in blogging for me. Over the year I have tried to analyze my heart here, why do I blog, what, if anything, do I hope to achieve? Only as you travel a road, and take turns, do you start to see the destination that you didn't have in your sights when you began. This morning my devotional exhorted;

"Try to write through your life. In his fine autobiographies, Frederick Buechener advises us to listen to our lives, to seek those patterns and rhythms of meaning that we often miss in the living of life but can discover on looking back. Our lives are filled with significance- if only we have eyes to see. Tell stories. We love to hear stories because they are mostly about human beings surviving trouble. And we all need the encouragement that comes from discovering that others have been afflicted as we and have found a way to the other side. In stories are pain and struggle and failure but also laughter and wisdom and grace. Your stories will have these things as much as anyone's and you do not have to be good with words to tell them powerfully.

A final word of advice- write letters and tell stories that are ultimately affirming. Don't settle scores or preach old sermons. Children are flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. Their lives are and will be difficult- as yours may have been-and they need all the encouragement they can get. They might also need a kick in the seat, but there are many ways to give them that. Speak to them words of encouragement and love. They will learn thereby to speak such words to others. In writing on what you care about to those you love, you will enrich the world eternally. " Letters to My Children, Daniel Taylor.

Wow. I love that. This is what I desire for my virtual "home" here on the world wide web. A journal of God's faithfulness, my growth in faith, and an outspilling of the peace and love and joy He is planting and bringing to fruit in me. Thanks for making "me" a stop in your day, and for blessing me with your friendship and smiles along the way. It warms my heart to think that if tomorrow I were to be taken, my kids would always have access to so much of me, in a very living way right here in these words and pictures that express each day what matters to me.

Yesterday was Canadian thanksgiving. I truly think this has to be my favourite "holiday". Maybe because consumerism hasn't stolen it and turned into a materialistic gong show. Maybe because it's about acknowledging all we *have* as gifts and recognizing where they come from. Maybe because it's simple and the true sweetness of it is not tarnished by a kazillion distractions. Fall colours, fall smells, fall food, and a day to kick back and just *be* thankful.

We talked yesterday about the general rule that the more you have, the less thankful you tend to be. Almost like "things" desensitize us. I truly believe this. Rooms full of toys distract from the adventure and joy of His gifts in nature. Televisions, books, mp3's, they so easily take over and "crowd out" the stillness where we can "experience" Him in the quiet, see His touch in the everyday things that surround us. I realize I'm rambling, just some disjointed thoughts from the past few days. In closing, here is my "pictorial thanksgiving" and just a few of the many, many things I am thankful for on a daily basis.

287 This Farm.

288 This Fam.
289 These kiddos

290 This Man.
291 This Welcome Addition.

292 These great folks, who love us and bless us and enrich our lives.

293 His Peace. 294 And Presence. 295 And Patience. 296 And Promises. And.....

297 Health, 298 Amazing Friends, 300 a Phenomenal Church Family, 301 Plenty, 302 Hope, 303 Joy, 304 Grace,305 Peace, 306 Love, 307 Full Freezers, 308 Full Pantry, 309 Full Hearts.

For these amazing and beautiful gifts I am truly and thoroughly thankful.