Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.

Robert Caspar Lintner

Giving Thanks

My heart is full today. I genuinely realize how blessed I am. After this horrible tragedy that has come over the South recently I realize how precious life is and how precious our homes are. I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have. God has blessed me with a precious family. We laugh together and cry together. We can talk and share and encourage and challenge each other to be better. My family members are my friends. I couldn't have better. I am so grateful for them. In the past year God has given the addition of our precious neice and I am so grateful for her. I love this little baby and am so grateful for the gift of her.

Life has been difficult lately for me for various reasons that I won't get into here. I'm at some pretty serious crossroads and am making some difficult decisions. I deal with stress and anxiety and at times depression. In spite of these, though, I am still aware of God's amazing goodness and all of His blessings.

I love photos and graphics and enjoy trying to find images that relate to what I'm going through to attach to my particular blog posts. I struggled today as I was thinking about this post. What kind of photo or image depicts thanks or gratefulness? It is such an internal thing. I did find a few, though, that I really liked. I hope you enjoy.

Have a blessed day, friends. May we always have a spirit of thankfulness and realization of just how blessed we really are, and not simply on Thanksgiving day.

Great image

To me, this image has such a feel of soaking it all in,

simply being grateful for life.

I love this one

It looks like the creator of this is Maxfield Parrish.

I love this one. She looks contemplative. Maybe reflecting on her blessings.

Have a Grateful Heart Art :)

Kathleen Taylor art.

Another lovely graphic courtesy of the lovely Tracy

My friend and coworkerTracy is so very talented with these graphics. I asked her to create something for me for my signature on my school's site. This is what she came up with. Isn't it great? I've started collecting small ceramic shoes, thus the reason for the high heels, not that I'd ever try to stand on such!

Gentle Reminder of Thanks

I was gently reminded today of the words to this hymn. What precious words during this season of thanks. May it be a spirit that endures throughout the year, rather than a holiday or a season alone.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
Pleasures pure and undefiled,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For thy Church which evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

Words by Francis Pierpoint (1835-1917)

A little humor for you to start your day

A forward from my dad - one of the funniest people I know

BRAIN CRAMPS

Question:

If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever,"
--Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and "stuff."
--Mariah Carey

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life,"
--Brooke Shields, during an interview to become Spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign.

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,"
--Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"
--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

"I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president." (we are????)
--Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpoenaed documents.

"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,"
--A congressional candidate in Texas.

"Half this game is ninety percent mental."
--Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."
--Al Gore, Vice President

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix."
--Dan Quayle

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
--Lee Iacocca

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
---Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."
--Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor.

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
--Bill Clinton, President

"We are ready for an unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
--Al Gore, VP

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas."
--Keppel Enderbery

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."
--Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record."
--Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

Feeling smarter yet?

Longing Still

Frog in the Kettle

I heard a story once about a frog. As the story goes, if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, he will immediately jump out. That frog ain't stupid! He knows that staying in a pot of boiling water will NOT be pleasant. HOWEVER, if you put the same frog in a pot of lukewarm water, and gradually turn up the heat, that po frog is gonna boil to death.

The moral of the story? Well, I've just been thinking lately about how we let things into our lives; whatever our demons may be. They are small at first; and then they fester. Then they get to be larger than life. They get to be larger than we can imagine. And then we can do nothing about it.

Friends, take it from someone who is in the boiling water. Nip it in the bud while you can. Whatever your ill is. Whatever your weakness is. Whatever grabs hold of you. DO NOT think that you can control it. If it is a problem area you will wind up a dead frog.

Newspaper article

My blog was featured in the local newspaper today. It was an honor to be in the paper yet I have some frustrations too. I feel in some ways that my blog was misrepresented. The reporter called the church office and asked if anyone there had a blog. I told her that I did. She told me that the article was on using blogs as an evangelistic tool. Mine is definitely not for that purpose and I informed her of that. I am a Christian. If I do have spiritual matters on my mind or in my heart I will write about them. I am open and honest, as I stated in the article, and have no problems with sharing things that are going on with me.

I also have problems because the church where I work was mentioned and she never asked me if that was ok or informed me that she was going to do that. She also said that I was a member of the church, which is untrue. There is a policy in which office staff cannot be members of the church in fact. I guess this is the problem with the press. Articles are written by fallible people. I presume we can't always trust what we read. I just hope that my employers will not feel that I misrepresented them in any way.

Men are just happier people

I got this in a forward today. Usually I DETEST forwards (most are way too trite for my taste). This one is way too funny though. Look at my Nov. 2 post and you'll see why I said what I said. Women are just too dern complicated!

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures?

• Your last name stays put.
• The garage is all yours.
• Wedding plans take care of themselves.
• Chocolate is just another snack.
• You can be President.
• You can never be pregnant.
• You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
• You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
• Car mechanics tell you the truth.
• The world is your urinal.
• You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
• You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
• Same work, more pay.
• Wrinkles add character.
• Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
• People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
• The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
• New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
• One mood all the time.
• Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
• You know stuff about tanks.
• A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
• You can open all your own jars.
• You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
• If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
• Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
• Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
• You almost never have strap problems in public.
• You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
• Everything on your face stays its original color.
• The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
• You only have to shave your face and neck.
• You can play with toys all your life.
• Your belly usually hides your big hips.
• One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
• You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
• You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
• You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache..
• You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

How cute is this???

Grateful

Today I'm grateful for:

an evening to myself

a coworker I enjoy working and laughing with

possibilities

a good hair day

wonderful parents

my work week coming to a close

new friends

people who help me feel good about myself

seeing an old friend

hearing the voice of the one you love

2nd chances

the opportunity and freedom to express myself

the ability to seek knowledge

the hope of financial freedom

wisdom

smiles

comptuer games

getting lost for a while

my electric blanket

candles

thinks that make life easier

cooler weather

my favorite months and seasons approaching

stability

photographs

being able to be silly with a friend

calls from old friends

friends who you can pick up with right where you left off - no matter how long it's been

being able to share myself with others

my sweet bf's new home

God's provision for my bf in so many ways

the kindness of a stranger

finally having a room decorated nicely; just the way I like it

people who "get" you

warm slippers

a funny joke

taking a break

a good night's sleep

sleeping in!

rewards

wheat thins with vetetable cream cheese

Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice donuts (only around this time of the year! get 'em while you can! hee hee...)

my hair is finally growing!

progress

someone with a gentle spirit

people who are examples for us to follow

my sweet dog, Pepper

hugs from my mom

laughs and silly talk with my dad

my precious niece (I cannot believe she is almost 9 months old!!!)

a car that runs well

my brother has a great job that has recently been provided for him

saving for a rainy day

my few moments of being organized

freedom

God's grace

love

my sweet bf

family

great friends

what could be better?

Another graphic courtesy of Tracy

Thank you, Crys

I have a wonderful friend.
Her name is Crystal.
She reads my blog faithfully;
probably more than any other.
I doubt I have ever mentioned her.
But his post is written in her honor.

Crystal is a precious friend.
She is 100% low-maintentance.
She is always there.
Listening, talking, laughing, encouraging;
spending time with me;
but never needy; never clingy.

I've thought to myself lately
(and I realize this comment will sound utterly ridiculous)
"you know, I really don't like women".
Now you may think,
"hm, that's weird..she IS a woman"...
True
BUT
there are things that I don't like about myself;
and these can be typical of women.

Needy, clingy, high-maintenance, complicated;
etc., etc., etc.
One reason I love Crys is that she is none of these.
A simple girl. No fluff. Straight to the point.
Easy.
Not feathered by emotions.
Not complicated or hard to "get".
What you see is what you get.

She knows that as friends, and as people,
we can get busy.
We get caught up in our lives.
She understands.
And never expects more than I can give.

She accepts me unconditionally.
Not-judging.
Understanding and loving patiently.

I love her and am so grateful.
Thanks, Crys, for all you do

and for just being you!
I wish I was more like you!

me & Crys on her wedding day - April 2005

Don't we look good??

 

Mental Health Day - Courtesy of PJ

I urgently needed a few days off work, but I knew the Boss would not allow me to take a leave. I thought that maybe if I acted "CRAZY" then he would tell me to take a few days off. So I hung upside down on the ceiling and made funny noises.


My co-worker (who's blonde) asked me what I was doing? I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb so that the Boss would think I was "CRAZY" and give me a few days off.


A few minutes later the Boss came into the office and asked "What are you doing ?" I told him I was a light bulb. He said "You are clearly stressed out. Go home and recuperate for a couple of days".


I jumped down and walked out of the office. When my co-worker (the blonde) followed me, the Boss asked her "And where do you think you're going?" She said, "I'm going home too, I can't work in the dark!"