Thankful Thursday ~ Happy Thanksgiving

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

I wish you, your family and your friends the best Thanksgiving!

May today find you with many blessings to be thankful for.

I wouldn't mind doing this myself...

All I do is eat and sleep. Eat and sleep. Eat and sleep. There must be more to a cat's life than that. But I hope not.



If you are patient... and wait long enough... Nothing will happen!

Anybody can exercise... but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline.

Quotes from the Garfield comic strips.

Thankful Thursday ~ Giving

Deuteronomy 15:11 (The Message)
10-11 Give freely and spontaneously. Don't have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God's, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.

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This evening, for the first time I will be partnering with the Salvation Army and ringing the bell for their annual kettle drive. I am thankful to be in the position where I can support the Salvation Army, our local Rescue Mission, Humane Society and other non-profit organizations this holiday season.




The Topeka Salvation Army hopes to raise $425,000 of which they're hoping to receive $195,000 in kettle donations. Donations to the Salvation Army help fund community programs. The picture above is the tree that sits atop a local radio station. As funds are raised, the lights will change from red to green.
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This evening I will be at Hyvee (2951 SW Wanamaker RD) from 6-8 pm. Come by and say hello, if you wish. If you are interested in ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, I'll be happy to tell you how to sign up or if you're local and you'd like to join me another evening to ring bells, I'd love to have your company!
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Proverbs 11:25 (The Message)
25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

First Snowfall

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? ~J.B. Priestley

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Monday brought the first snowfall of the season. I hear that it was beautiful, big fat flakes, but I had the day off and couldn't convince myself that I needed to get out from under the electric blanket to witness it. By the time I got up, around and made it out to the lake to take pictures, most of it had already melted.


The lake was beautiful though. Steam rose from the waters.



Though they predicted 1-3 inches and some locations near us got that much, we didn't.


For one who was born in Alaska and who has always confessed their love for winter and snow, I've decided this is enough.

Thankful Thursday ~ Veterans

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.
~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

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I am grateful for all the men and women (and their families) serving now or who have served our great country. We are free because of all of you.

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Psalm 91 (The Message)
1-13You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,

Say this: "God, you're my refuge.

I trust in you and I'm safe!"

That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,

shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you—

under them you're perfectly safe;

his arms fend off all harm.

Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,

not flying arrows in the day,

Not disease that prowls through the darkness,

not disaster that erupts at high noon.

Even though others succumb all around,

drop like flies right and left,

no harm will even graze you.

You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,

watch the wicked turn into corpses.

Yes, because God's your refuge,

the High God your very own home,

Evil can't get close to you,

harm can't get through the door.

He ordered his angels

to guard you wherever you go.

If you stumble, they'll catch you;

their job is to keep you from falling.

You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,

and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

14-16 "If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,

"I'll get you out of any trouble.

I'll give you the best of care

if you'll only get to know and trust me.

Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;

I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.

I'll give you a long life,

give you a long drink of salvation!"

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(Bible quotes are new to me, but I felt this one was appropriate.)
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Our small big town did not have a Veteran's Day parade, that I am aware of. Still, I had intended to get out and about and take pictures that would be appropriate for Veteran's Day. Plans changed and so I leave you with some of my favorite nature walk/hike pictures from the last several weeks.

Praise! The friend I mentioned in last week's Thankful Thursday is doing well. She has been off work for two weeks, but believes the treatments are working. Hopefully she'll return to work next week. A relative of a friend recently had an successful outpatient procedure. She'll have another procedure soon.

Who sleeps here?

A friend and I took a walk on a little wooded, nature trail this afternoon and came across this nest. I'd guess it to be a couple feet wide and a couple of feet up off the ground. Some distance later we came across similar nest, but it was bigger, taller and sat on the ground. Any ideas who lives here?

There is a pond in the area, but it wasn't very close.

Thankful Thursday ~ Medical Treatment

"No matter how dark the moment, love and hope are always possible."

George Chakiris

I forgot Thankful Thursday! To be honest, I've forgotten many times lately what day, hour it is. Time is flying folks, but its been a good flight!
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When I decided to do Thankful Thursday posts, I typed up a half dozen or more things I am thankful for. I thought it would be difficult to be creative or have original things to be thankful for. Granted this is only my fifth Thankful Thursday post, but I haven't had to use that list once yet.
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There are so many things I am thankful for as I type this, but the one that speaks loudest to me pertains to a good friend. Lately she's been struggling with some health issues. These issues began late winter/early spring 2008 and she hasn't gotten much of a break since then. I am thankful that there are treatments available to treat her condition and I am thankful that she continues to be in good spirits despite the fact that the current condition limits her life significantly.
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Dear friend, if you're reading this, you know who you are. I am thankful we're friends. My thoughts are with you.
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Psalm 138:1