Thanksgiving Day

Another Thanksgiving Day has come, and almost gone.  We spent a very relaxing weekend and were thankful that we could do that together.  I went to Estevan on Saturday afternoon and brought Howard home for two days.  Our "kids" all had busy weekends with the other side of their families but we were quite content to have the weekend to ourselves.  We can get together another weekend as everyone is close enough that we don't need a long weekend to be able to do that.  Everyone that is, except for Todd and Kristy.  They are spending this week with Kristy's folks in Prague and Vienna.  We haven't heard anything from them so guess they haven't found internet service in their hotel, or else it's too expensive to use it!

We didn't have turkey either but then it's not Howard's favourite meal.   We had meatballs and gravy, cooked carrots from the garden along with vine ripened tomatoes.  Two special items were on the menu - home made ice cream and lefse.  I guess that made up for the traditional items that we didn't have.  But it isn't the turkey and pumpkin pie that make a true Thanksgiving.  It's realizing that all the blessings that we so often take for granted are not of our own doing, but gifts from a loving God.  And that even the things in our lives that don't seem like blessings can work out for good in His hands.

I am currently reading (and rereading) the book "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Volkamp.  Here's a quote from the dust jacket: " A beautifully practical guide to living a life of joy, " One Thousand Gifts" invites you to wake up to God's everyday blessings.  As Volkamp discovered, in giving thanks for the life she already had, she found the life she'd always wanted".

I also appreciated reading excerpts in the Oct. Readers Digest from a new book, "The Wealthy Barber Returns"by David Chilton.  Just one quote from him "Obviously, people who are truly thankful for what they do have are less likely to focus on what they don't have".  He also has a favorite financial quote, not from an eminent advisor but from Doris Day "Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty".

With that I will bring this thanksgiving blog to a close.  I am grateful for friends and family who love us and pray that we can pass on your love and concern to those we connect with each day.  Goodnight.