Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

"To be at one with God is to be at peace"  Ralph Waldo Trine. 

Its been a wild week.....programs restarting, new ones happening, setting goals....just a whirlwind of excitement.  I love Autumn...especially the month of Sept. It hold so many new hopes.....new starts...new beginnings of amazing things to come. Simple pleasure...beginnings and feeling life is the way it's supposed to be...So grateful this week for:

-Amazing friendships. Went for a 2 hour walk with some good friends. We talked so much the time flew by.

-Another family and ours have been swapping things back and forth...things one of us doesn't need anymore but the other does. It's nice to recycle with buddies.....

-sold five more books today. Sometimes I think my book has run its course and then...whomp...another purchase. 

-Books. I just finished reading Sarah's Key. It's a phenomenal read and a book I couldn't put down. I was over at a friend's place who didn't know I had read the book. She said she heard about a good movie that just came out and asked if I wanted to see it.  Yep....it's Sarah's Key. We're going tomorrow.

-Peace...it still amazes me that He's given me this incredible  peace inside....a peace that's like nothing I get from anything else.....peace...it's always there.....reassuring and comforting....no matter.......a gift that's forever. 

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

"You'll not be the same person after consciously giving thanks for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will set in motion a spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."  Sarah Ban Breathnach

It's been a strange week....excitement with kids starting back to school, record breaking hot temps falling to rainy cool ones, buying a new puppy, and the start back of groups and activities. 
This week I'm grateful for a few things in particular..things like;

-puppy training doesn't last forever....soon the little guy will be able to sleep through the night.
-seeing people I've missed over the summer b/c they've been away or we've been away. 
-having my story written in an upcoming newsletter with other inspirational stories to give hope to others. The interview will happen the 3rd week this month. 
-pushing past writer's block. An award winning author read pieces of the new book I'm working on, Dancing Softly. Her encouragment and suggestions helped me push past writer's block. Since...I've been writing everyday....waking up eager to flesh out the story. 
-Creative gifts. I think He's given creative gifts to all of us - art, writing, knitting, crafting, gardening, teaching....something.  He created the big picture and He's given each of us that part of Himself that loves to make and create things.

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

Hakuna Matata! It means no worries. Pumbaa 

The week has been a squeeze to take  advantage of the last bit of summer....the week before the kids go back to school. When they do....it changes back....early bedtimes.. no more sleeping in....homework....appointments...structure...routines. The laid back no worries of summer has been great.....but it's time...to get back into routines.....and move forward into a year of new adventures. I'm grateful ......

-that the summer has been great....with awesome trips and time spent with good friends.
-for long hikes in the mountains.....through new trails and old.....
-for being able to swim, bike, be outside everyday.....in the woods...at the beach.....in the garden.....
-for warm sun, soft rain, light clothes....drives in the country....discovering quaint towns.....celebrating fun festivals
-Mostly I'm grateful He gave us the different seasons....and change.....the leaves are starting to turn colors...it's getting darker earlier. I'm looking forward to Fall....and the leaves crunching under my feet....and cool breezes and even routines. I wonder if He gave us seasons as a way to show that changes in life are necessary. Nothing ever stays the same....but that's okay...I think each season....each stage of our lives has it's own purpose and beauty. I'm grateful He made it like this.....grateful for each season and for what each offers.

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasure

“Gratitude helps you grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.” Eileen Caddy

This week we've been  away....up north...way up...in the mountains. It's true ...the hills really are alive with the sound of music and being out in them....you can hear their song everywhere you step. This week I'm thankful for

-Mountains.....we hiked. all over them....breathing in their power and awesomeness

-Dominique....someone we met who touched all of us.Her kindness to us made the trip even more special.

-Stones - we spent time fishing for stones in the lakes  - so many difference colored and shaped ones. A small thing but something that brought so much joy with each amazing find.

-Guidance -coming home we made a wrong turn and drove 5 hours before realizing we had no idea where we were. We finally found out that we were going in the wrong direction. We prayed and were led to an amazing hotel that was perfect.....the people were wonderful and it even had a waterpark for the kids.

-The beauty He provided  - He made all this...the mountains....the lakes...the variety of flowers and stones.....the animals...all of it for us to enjoy. I think He knew there would be times we would become discouraged....and going outside...in His creations renews faith and hope like nothing else could.

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle at  Simple Pleasures

"Love  life. Engage in it. Give it all you've got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it." Maya Angelou

Life...it's an adventure.....full of neat opportunities everywhere..... and amazing people....people who make a difference...who give courage..... and hope.....who offer support.....and care....His angels.....on earth....who show kindness.....and touch my life with pieces of their own....people I'll never forget and opportunities that I'm really grateful for, like....

-exchange students.....my friend is hosting three students from other countries. We went over to meet them and took two of them back to our place and then for a hike in the woods. The next day all the students met to share the highlight of their week and those two students said their highlight was meeting us
-more exchange students.....we met some more of the students. One guy, K, really stood out for me....Back in his home, he volunteers in an orphanage teaching the kids what he's learning at university. He told me orphans never have the opportunity to go to college or university and when they turn 18, they're given jobs in factories.  What a neat guy for caring so much.  
-Shortlisted....I found out my story, Murder in the Falls, shortlisted for the Polar Expressions Contest. Being shortlisted means my story will be published in their anthology in December. And it's still in the running to possibly win...winners will be chosen mid Dec.
-You guys....although I may never meet most of you.....you guys inspire and encourage me so much....I hope I do the same for you...I am totally grateful for all of you!!!

-Purpose...Knowing and being connected to Him has given my life meaning....and purpose. Because of Him....life has become a very cool adventure.....

Thankful Thrsday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

"Meditate. Breathe consciously. Listen. Pay attention. Treasure every moment. Make the connection." Oprah Winfrey
 

The week's been great - busy, fun, laid back. I have so many neat things in my world....things that make life interesting and full....things like.



-Squirrels. They're everywhere and so fun..We were hiking when this little grey one started following us. When we stopped. He stopped. When we moved...he moved. It started getting freaky so my dgt. yelled at him to quit following us. He jumped onto a tree....and my dgt.  snapped a pic of him sticking out his tongue. Too funny.
-Rain. It rained for two days and brought a cool breeze...and perfect temps. And the bonus...it's going to be like this right through the weekend!
-Close friends......there's nothing better than laughing with a buddy...especially the kind of laughing that's hard to stop.....
-Purpose....met with someone I'll be running events with. Plans are in the works for the two of us to run community forums on hope at the end of Sept.....
-Peace...mostly for Him never giving up on me...never turning away. Some people will come and go...but He never leaves...never lets go....and loves me just because.....

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Dayle a Simple Pleasures

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend" Melody Beattie

The kids have been at camp....canoeing, hiking, having fun. Me? I've been busy around the house.... writing...reading...and thinking about stuff....mostly about all the good things in my life....They're so many of them....things like....

-My youngest. She makes life fun. A few months ago my dgt. wanted a fish. Being cheap I bought her five little feeder fish for 20 cents a piece. They lasted a month. My dgt. said she wanted another one....a more expensive one. I splurged. I paid $5.00 for a fancy goldfish. She named it Jimmy. Who names their fish Jimmy? But my dgt. loves him...and he makes her happy. Jimmy has hung around for six months and still going strong.
-Rain. Last couple of days it rained. Not a downpour but still...rain. I think I heard the plants and flowers sigh.
-Opportunities. I've been booked to speak every month, once a week starting in the fall and in the first few months in 2012. I've also been talking with a distributor about the possibility of them distributing my book across North America.  
-Time spent with family. I've got an amazing family. I really do. I don't know how that happened.....but I'm so grateful for them.  
-His friendship - It boggles my mind that He created the whole earth.....every living animal...all the flowers.....and trees and plants and everybody in the world....and yet......He calls me His friend.....that's totally incredible to me. 

Thankful thursday

Linking up with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough." Oprah Winfrey

This week has been uneventful....yet at the same time...pretty amazing. I'm grateful for so much....for so many things that fill my days with His best. Things like..... 

-I was supposed to have had a large kidney stone sitting in my kidney but when I went to the specialist...he took more x-rays....amazingly now it showed nothing...clear...no stone..I think it's b/c we prayed.....and He heard.
-good friends.....all week.....we got together with friends to have fun.... hike....relax.... Friend's I've known forever and newer friends that have recently come into our lives.
-having a hawk-eye kind of kid - my ten year old notices everything...things I wouldn't see if she wasn't hanging with me. The other night we came home after a looooong walk. It was dark and I never  noticed what was right next to us with it's tail up...My youngest shouted, 'skunk!'  Even though we were afraid of getting sprayed, we loved seeing him. 
-Summertime stuff you just can't do in winter.....like wilderness water rides...swimming in the lake....eating ice cream under the stars....smelling flowers in the dark.....and so much more
-His presence....knowing no matter what....He's there....always.