Giving Thanks ~ Week 5

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. Psalm 95.2-3

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone but the spirit of gratitude lives on. It was a lovely celebration for us, a gathering of sweet family and relaxing times of reconnecting, sharing, laughter and love. The days preceding were busy but relaxed.  Rather than listing my daily thanks I am going to just bullet point the highlights. 

A lovely stroll along the boardwalk with my sweetie; 

a coffee date on the waterfront. Life is good.

Boulevard Park on a Sunday Afternoon

Taylor Street Dock, Bellingham Bay

Seeing the Lord provide for us in unexpected ways.

Strengthening our faith, even as we felt stretched and tested....

Plans coming together for my birthday celebration next month...

I was born the same year the Hula Hoop was invented... wonder where we're going with this.... hmmm

Road trip! Just a short one this time. 

Bruce and I with my sister and her husband. 

First thanksgiving spent with my sister in DECADES. 

We think the last time we might have spent this holiday 

together was maybe 1983? 

photo credit to my sister Anita, who isn't in the picture. phooey.

Spending the day with extended family.

A walk around the block with our grandson.

three generations of goodness.

 Love spilling over.

 Laughter.

JOY

did I say JOY? I mean, PURE JOY.

 Food.

Games. 

Phone calls. 

Skyping.

A hike for Bruce and I to work off that turkey dinner.

a hike above our town to the overlook

chocolate!

Sunny skies for the most part...

from the Deming Overlook,.

All woven together with God's grace, love and mercy. 

I am so thankful. 

As August Comes to A Close....

Oh my word!! I have never let this much time go by between blog posts. I guess I took a vacation. Well, this is the month to do it in-- last chance before fall rolls around.

Truthfully, this month has been fun and full. A week long visit with our so-grown-up grandson-- (did this ol' gramma's heart good) two camping trips, and in between. many play dates with my sister (so good to have her 'home') And, to be honest, I think a break from the blog was needed. I was feeling kinda dry there. Not writers block but just feeling tired and in need of a respite.

So, what is ahead this fall? Oh, lots of great stuff! My big exciting thing is that I have taken on a new role in my church, that of small group coordinator for our campus. We are a big church with different locations and the location we attend has not been very focused on getting small groups activated. I aim to change that! Some of my friends are hiding now when they see me coming because they think I am going to ask them to step up and lead a small group. They might be right. ;)

I am pretty passionate about the small group concept. I believe small groups are the backbone of a healthy church. So much of my spiritual growth has come about in the small groups I've participated in. I have seen amazing things take place in other people lives as a result of their small group experience. I am excited and hopeful for my church family to get connected.

I am also pretty pumped up about my renewed walking habit. Since I left my job I have been feeling physically so much better. I don't hurt! And I have energy for other things. I have been committed to walking every day-- sometimes I even manage twice a day. I am averaging 3-4 miles a day and feeling great. I have also been really, really watching my calorie intake and it's paying off!! Whoot Whoot! I am just a few pounds away from reaching my goal and I am loving and laughing over how lose my clothes are fitting. I might have to go shopping for some new outfits pretty soon!!

I have been taking advantage of every sunshiny day and I know the extra Vitamin D is complimenting my anti depressants. I feel strong. I feel confident. I feel positive. Yes, I occasionally have a day where it's hard to get motivated and I still get some flashes of anger that border on irrational...but those are few and far between and flashes really are the right word for them as they dissipate so quickly I have to wonder if they really were there. So, all in all, I am feeling good. Really good.

So good in fact that I have been able to handle today with out any pity parties. 35 years ago today I became a mom for the first time. My son and I have not had any communication in over 3 years and I don't have any solutions for changing that at this time. I have to leave it all in God's hands and trust like the father of the prodigal son, that some day he will return to me and then I can run to meet him and celebrate his return in my life. I feel sad for this separation but I can't change it. It is what it is. Still.... I am sending happy birthday wishes out over the airwaves, hoping he will know somehow, some way, that I love him very much.

August is coming to a close... and , dare I say it.....?????
Autumn is just around the corner......

this week

This week I'm a grandma.

Not a blogger.
Not an unemployed woman of leisure.
Not a busy church volunteer.
Not random or worried or frazzled.
Just a grandma.

A grandma who sits and listens.
and listens... because this boy likes to talk!
A grandma who asks questions
and gets all kinds of very interesting answers.
maybe more than I wanted to know, because, this boy really, really likes to talk. (and he knows a lot about a lot of stuff!)
A grandma who gets to see the world through his eyes for a change.

examining a very cool pencil that looks like a tree branch

I'm a grandma who bakes muffins so he can lick the bowl and the beater.
I'm a grandma who snaps pictures while he's eating ice cream.
or napping.
or mowing the lawn.

willingly mowing the lawn. such a hard worker.

A grandma who loves seeing her grandson spending time with his grandpa.

learning about power tools.

This week I'm a grandma on a mission: To build  a ton of memories as we embark on new adventures together.

visiting at a friends house and getting to drive the 4 wheeler.

This week is about reconnecting. Showing him his family roots. Seeing family members who are part of his heritage. Pointing out history (that's the school I went to and so did your mom. there's the house your mom lived in as a child. this is where MY grandma lived!)

there is a picture of my dad standing in front of this tree-- before it was moved to this rest area. I have a picture of me in front of this tree too. 

This week will go much to quickly and it might be a whirlwind. Visiting people. Camping. Going to the Fair.
Those memory building adventures taking precedent over everything else.

Because this week.... I'm a grandma.

happy grandma. blessed grandma.