Thankful only at Thanksgiving

We tend to reflect on what we are thankful for on certain occassions. Thanksgiving, recovering from illness, Christmas, birth, funeral, close call, etc..... We tend to group our thanks around family, health, shelter, transportation, etc. I challenge you to dig deeper. What are you thankful for...it can big and small it can be family and health or it could be your favorite pair of fuzzy slippers or simply put it could be for the fact you woke up and can breath on your own.

Since we are entering a Thanksgiving and reflecting on our blessings, what are yours? What gives you joy? What gives you hope? What gives you pleasure? What gives you life?

Stacey's Reflections:
God.
Jesus dying on the cross for me.
Holy Spirit that lives.
My husband who loves his family dearly.
My children who grace me with their enthusiasm daily over small things.
Plastic monkeys ....that make a family.
Photos spread out over a large area reflecting true blessings over the years.
My children's wishes to what they want to be when they grow older...
SON: transformer man or dinosaur.
DAUGHTER: artist, teacher, librarian, vet.
God showing me my children's gifts already.
Insulin pump and Diet Coke. (a match made in heaven).
YOU!

Camp Wanna........go home

I know, where is the happy camper smiling in front of the tent or cabin? Where are the beautiful trees, mountains, lakes, campfires and ooeey, gooeey, smores....that is for the camping brochure.

My daughter and her troop (did I mention and I as well) went to the mountains this weekend for a camping trip. What should have been my first clue NOT to sign up...oh, I don't know, perhaps NOVEMBER?!?!?

She had just had a "pretend" sleep over prior to the signing up for an adventure of a lifetime. "Pretend" by the fact that she went to actually sleep over but called me at 11pm to say she missed me and needed me...so I figured I better go with her for a weekend camp trip so I wouldn't get the SOS call in smoke signals..who knew I would need my own SOS call. Unfortunately, we used all our matches to rid of the stench that seeped out of the unworkable toilet and the fog that left my mouth and nostrils when I breathed out the cold air did not lift high enough for my husband to see 100 miles away.

We missed the "How to make your own campfire class" since we are after all Brownies and were only eligible for the CRAFT classes. They figured Brownies are only capable of handling glitter, glue, paper streamers and play-dough. I love crafts but this was a bit over the top.

Our cabin slept 8 girls and 5 moms all trying to work together and share 1 bathroom. The cabin had windows with screens on them and was held up on cinder blocks. The floor was a combination of dirt and wood. I didn't want to imagine the number of dust mites calling the 1 inch mattresses home on the 50 year old metal bunks that had springs ready to ....boing!

I'm thankful for cotton sheets, clean floors, indoor heating, workable plumbing, home cooked food, fluffy pillows, thick quilts, hot showers, disinfectant products and insulated walls, the good lord above to provide scripture to keep me warm all night long.

Just like childbirth....would I do it again, in a heartbeat....why? because I forgot all the details.