Giving Thanks Is Always Good

Giving thanks is always appropriate.

It's what can keep a human being going, even in the worst of times.

When things in front of us look bleak, even then it's good to give thanks because we know that there won't always be a black horizon.

Most of us are very blessed. We have places to live, people who love us, and enough food to keep us from starving.

Those are all good reasons to give thanks. 

The card shown at the top of this post is small but its message is powerful.

"In everything, give thanks."  That means in the bad times as well as the good.

Right now, I'm thankful it's not snowing anymore and there is heat, on this very cold day,  to keep me warm.

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT ARE YOU MOST THANKFUL FOR RIGHT NOW?

Framing Pretty Images Adds to Holiday Ambiance

Anyone who frequents thrift shops knows there is always an abundance of frames.

Many people have abandoned framed photos all together, preferring to retain digital images only.

Not me. I love framed everything.

While unearthing holiday decor from the first plastic bin this week, I found a beautiful framed print of the Blessed Mother of God and her precious little baby boy.

The frame sparkles with different colors and the print is a delight to see.

A 5X7 inch gold tone frame ended up with another beautiful Christmas card inside.  

The tree has streaks of gold that just do not show up in the photo.

The hoop la of decorating and planning future gatherings with friends and family in the weeks ahead can get a little unnerving so it's imperative to stop and just ponder.

Sometimes I simply put down the notebook with all the things that need doing and concentrate on why we celebrate the Christmas holiday, in particular.

Thinking of the baby Jesus and His mother helps me to focus on the reason for the season.

Then, returning to the hoopla is more acceptable and sustainable.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST IN THE WEEKS AHEAD?

Time Is Ticking By

Time goes by very quickly.

It seems that just yesterday, most of my time was spent tending to our two little kids, a son and a daughter.

We went to every free event within a 25 mile radius, attended "Parents and Twos" together programs at the local library, listened to music, read untold numbers of books over and over again, made thousands of freshly baked cookies, baked and decorated gingerbread houses at Christmas time, and on and on.

Now, those little kids are all grown up and living their own lives with their own little ones.

Suddenly, there are now grandchildren who brighten and lighten life with their hugs and laughter. 

Others are seen via computer because they live in another state but seeing their faces makes my heart jump for pure joy.

Yes, time marches on, whether we want it to or not.

Treasure every second given to you.

Accept those hugs, sing those songs, and plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers. 

Life is to be cherished, celebrated, and loved to the max.

Thanksgiving Is Around the Corner

Thanksgiving, with all its fragrant culinary offerings, is right around the corner.

However, this glorious holiday is not the only time to offer thanks.

Each day has the opportunity to look for things we are thankful for.

Without fail, every single day of life has literally hundreds of things for which to be thankful.

A couple of greeting cards, including the one at the top of this post, from my cousin, Patty, have arrived and I'm always thankful for those!

At an estate sale last weekend, I found an absolutely gorgeous glass/crystal vase, very tall, that had a small crack it in. 

The seller told me I could have it for $5. It still holds water for living flowers and is a beautiful vase for silk ones as well.

I am so thankful for that purchase.

Of course, I am deeply grateful for YOU, dear blog peep.

You make my day special every day.

 WHAT IS ONE SMALL THING FOR WHICH YOU ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TODAY?

A Sweet "Heartfelt" Surprise

The other day, at the post office, I slipped a card into the outside mailbox.

Then, my attention focused on something hanging off a rack near the mailbox. 

It was a blue heart on a piece of what looked like twisted yarn.  

In lovely letters, on a little note, was a tiny black heart with words next to it that read, "Take me."

Beneath that, was the phrase, "Take time to dream more."

At the very bottom of the tag it read, "PeytonHeartProject."

I put Peyton Heart Project into Google and read that its mission is to "raise global awareness about suicide, bullying, and to help end the stigma surrounding mental health issues."

It also read, "We're doing this through our campaign of distributing small, knitted and crocheted hearts with inspirational messages in locations where we hope thy'll be easilty found. To date, we've scattered over 100,000 hearts all across the country and the world."

I lifted the little blue heart off the rack and held it in my hand, thinking what a sweet and loving gesture it was to leave hearts for people to find and then inviting them to take them.

This certainly makes the world a better place in which to live while honoring the precious, little boy behind the Peyton name in Peyton Heart Project.

If this interests you, check it out on Google and read much more about this amazing project.