thankfulness

Washing Dishes

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Today I am thankful for dirty dishes.

When I was a little I washed many dirty dishes. After every evening meal it was my job to wash the dishes. Above the kitchen sink my mother had taped several rhyming verses she had clipped from the newspaper or a magazine. One was about being thankful for the dirty dishes. 

Years later I saw the verse still taped above her sink along with several others. It had moved with her to a different house but was reinstalled in its proper place in her kitchen. 

The paper was brown and tattered, just barely being held together by two pieces of dried cracked cellophane tape. There were water marks where she, Mother, no doubt had straightened it out to read it as she washed dishes over the years. 

The words are engraved in my memory. 

Thank God for Dirty Dishes.
They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
We are eating well.
With home and health and happiness,
I no cause to fuss,
For by this stack of evidence,
God’s been very good to us.
                       ~ Mary Arlis Stuber

I don’t wash as many dishes these days. I mostly load and unload a dish washing machine.  But when I do wash dishes too delicate for the dishwasher, I find it very relaxing and peaceful as I gently swish soap over each piece and then rinse it clean in warm water. It does not seem so much a dreary task as it is a comforting memory.

My mind goes back to those days when washing dishes was a chore. I can still see that verse taped to the window frame above the sink. I pause, take a deep breath and say a prayer of thanks.

Support your local food bank ❤️

Photo credit: Martin de Arriba, Unsplash

Incredible Blessing

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Happy Thanksgiving Monday. Today I am thankful for my husband, Chris.

He can be fun and lighthearted. On the flip side he can be all business. He is smart. I am often amazed how he can hold all that information in his brain. He works hard. He is not afraid to take risks and often it is the secret to his success.

He is passionate about his dreams. He never lets setbacks keep him discouraged for long. His optimism is unwavering and he always full of hope.

Beyond that he is generous to many without pursing any acknowledgment or gratitude. He shows mercy and offers support to those who have hit bottom or need a helping hand.

He brings breakfast in bed and then cleans the kitchen. He chokes up over sentimental movies (more than I do). He can be mischievous.

He loves God. He loves his sons. He loves me.

He is a blessing (a favor or gift bestowed by God) and I am blessed to have shared so many Thanksgivings with him.

Blue Skies

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Blue skies smilin’ at me
Nothin’ but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin’ but blue skies from now on. ~ Irving Berlin 1926

Thankful today for everyday of life. Life is a precious gift, yet so fragile. I try to remind myself that each day could be the last, tomorrow is not guaranteed.

I have shared this quote from many times from Reporter Lee Cowan at CBS who said, [tragedies] serve … “as reminder that we don’t get to set life’s clock.” and that while we all think we have a tomorrow to say whatever we need to say sometimes tomorrow never comes.

I want to live purposefully, with gratitude and hope for the blue skies in my future.

(Actually blue skies with big white fluffy clouds are my favorite ❤️ the clouds seems like big happy puffs or whipped cream floating by.)

Nature’s Gifts

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I am thankful this today for the awesome beauty in nature. All around the world but especially for the beauty I see every morning when I wake.

In this season I have enjoyed the beautiful changing colors of the trees, gorgeous sunrises over Mt Si and a first dusting of snow on its highest peak.

Often in morning the elk are in my yard or I see them grazing in the fields along my four mile route to work. Several times I’ve seen them crossing in the middle of the Snoqualmie River.

It has been raining for days and on that same route I cross two bridges over the river. It is full and pushing the limits of its banks. To see it meandering through the tree lines banks brings a calm and peace to my heart.

The flowers are gone for the season but the birds still visit my patio. From my kitchen window I can see the Anna hummingbird drinking from the bright yellow blown glass feeder.

Last week a small sparrow splashed about in the deep red bird bath. He seemed so full of joy. I was amazed because it was quite chilly out and I know that was an ice cold bath but he didn’t seem to care.

I hung a suet cake for him only to see it ravenously consumed in a day by the regal deep blue Steller Jays with the prominent black crests. They are lovely but quite the naughty rascals.

A few weeks ago the black bear crossed the lawn looking for food in my trash. Sadly he found nothing here to fatten him up before his long winter nap.

Several times in the past few weeks the rain is interrupted by short sun breaks. When they arrive I am guaranteed to be blessed with a rainbow over the mountain.

I often have my camera ready and get photographs of these awesome events (the 4000+ pictures in my iphone are witness to this). However, when I am driving or when my phone is not around, I do something Josh told me once long ago when he was only five. He said to just blink my eyes and “Take a picture with my heart”

“For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

God Has a Plan

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I am thankful today to know that God knows already the plans He has for me. So often because of my weakness and the worries that I stress over, doubts creep in. The accuser sees my weakness and starts to chip away at my resolve. I need to remind my self of the MANY TIMES that God provided.

I’m struggling now with worries and tough decisions. I toss and turn for solutions and I remind myself several times a day… He says, “I know the plans I have for you.”

In my human condition the problem is that the anxiety sneaks in. As much as I think it would help, I cannot not see the future or predict the outcome of decisions. I pray for guidance in those decisions and trust Him when He says His plans are not for “harm” but to give me “hope.”

He always provides a way. I just need to wait, keep the faith and be patient.

Hebrews 11:1 says, ” Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.“

In His Time

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When will I get there? When will I first look to “give thanks in all circumstances”?

It is a difficult task. However, I find when I count my blessings first, I realized they far outweigh my troubles.

We never have continuous sunshine and blue skies. Storms come and toss us around but the sun returns and we are blessed with rainbows.

We see there is hope for healing and beauty after every storm.

Give thanks and keep looking up. As I read once ~ “that is where God puts the rainbows. “

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV

https://emyloomwordswovenwithinmyheart.com/2020/11/12/finding-my-grateful-heart/

~ Give thanks in all circumstances – 1 Thes 5:18

The Glorious Voice of the Psalmist

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Today I am thankful for those people who share their gifts and musical talents with songs and melodies that lift my heart and bless my soul.

My friend Pam Singer is one of those people. I met Pam in 2007 on a trip to Israel to attend a School of Ministry. Her beautiful voice and songs always lead me to an uplifting worship time where I find the Peace of God.

“… be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” Eph 5:18-19

“In Everything” from the CD “Home” by Pam Singer – Used with Permission

There is no video, just close your eyes and hear the deep gratitude for the blessings of God.

https://youtu.be/LY-ujtX2__w

He Makes My Garden Beautiful

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Sunday morning and we have another dry day in store maybe reaching 62°.

Today I am thankful for this break in the wet weather. Also thankful for Rogelio who showed up yesterday at 7:30 and worked all day to clean up the storm mess and fall leaves on this five acre paradise.

Rogelio has so many amazing qualities the at the top of the list is his skill to turn the mess of my yard into a woodland paradise. He clears the flower beds, he creates rock gardens, trims the shrubbery, and edges the lawn. In 8 hours he can accomplish more then I could in a month of weekends.

I have always told people that Rogelio got all the credit for the beauty in my garden.

Rogelio has shared many other talents with us. He has helped build fences, helped haul away junk, polished concrete floors, updated and installed lighting, laid patio bricks and the list could go on and on.

Rogelio says believes hard work is the key to happy life. He says that the struggles of life makes you strong and give you a will to live. “Man has to fight for life.”

Rogelio is not just our helper he is our friend. Thankful for his help these last 23 years.

God’s Gifts

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“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” — Eric Hoffer

Giving thanks and counting my three sons among my many blessings today.

Every time I was expecting I did hope for a daughter but God knew better what I needed.

I am blessed to have a close relationship with all of them and they show me in many ways their love for me. I was an extremely meek quiet person but through them I found so much strength. ❤️

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord..”
Psalm 127:3

https://emyloomwordswovenwithinmyheart.com/poems-and-prayers/mother-of-three-sons/

Photo: 1999

Thankfulness

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With the deepest love and gratitude, one person I am eternally thankful to is Chrissie. First and foremost, for loving me and my sons; for providing stability, for his hard work, for his generosity to others, for his optimism that never seems to fade, for loving me even when I was unlovable and never giving me reason to doubt that love. His love has helped me to trust again and not fear rejection or loss.

More importantly, I thank God for the big things and the small things in life. I thank him for provision, for showing me again and again that He is ever present. I thank him for the blue sky, for the peacefulness and beauty after the snow, for the multitude of flowers, for the people He has put on my path to help through this journey.

He arranged reconnections that brought parts of my family back together and chance meetings of friends in the most unlikely places. I thank him for the basics of life, food, shelter, friends. I thank Him that even though I toss and turn in my doubts, He never has given up on me.

“Thankful that in this ever changing world there are some things that remain the same and bring balance to my life. Day and night rise and fall; the seasons change, sunshine comes after rain, young people still fall in love, children are born and the old pass away. There is a rhythm and flow to life that encourages me to tune out the noise and remind myself I am not in control of these things but a never changing God is and He never forgets to take care of the details.” ~ Me 11/15/21

Photo Credit: Megan Watson at UnSplash

Revisiting – No Fight Left ~ Only Love

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In this month of love I am reblogging this post about one of the last sweet visits I had with my mom.

It was a January visit and I came down because she had a brief hospital stay. When she came back to the nursing facility, she had to be an isolation because Covid protocols were still being practiced.

I am so thankful I had these few days with her, even though visits were limited to one hour because of Covid.

After this visit, I came home and did not return until Mother’s Day in May. When I saw her, she had declined dramatically.

We had no conversations, and she was in so much pain and agony. It was hard to see her suffer.

This one day in January was a beautiful final chapter of the era of dementia. It was a healing day for me and it helped me walk with my mother through her final days.

https://emyloomwordswovenwithinmyheart.com/2021/01/10/no-fight-left-only-love/

Gratitude

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GRATITUDE: “If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” — Rabbi Harold Kushner
Looking back through the history of just my life, I am wondering if I can find good in every situation? This is a tall order. It cannot be done with my own power but only by endeavoring to see it through the lens of God’s eyes.
Yes, there were hardships and obstacles that dominated my youth but they helped form who I am today. In many ways I think those experiences help me look at others who struggle with a compassionate heart and less of a judging mindset.
In the bigger picture of things I AM SO BLESSED. I really have nothing to complain about, yet I do complain. Praying my grumbles are be at a minimum today.

Giving Thanks

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Thankful Monday #1: With the deepest love and gratitude, one person I am eternally thankful to is Chris. First and foremost, for loving me and my sons; for providing stability, for his hard work, for his generosity to others, for his optimism that never seems to fade, for loving me even when I was unlovable and never giving me reason to doubt that love. His love has helped me to trust again and not fear rejection or loss.

More importantly, everyday I thank God for the big things and the small things in life. I thank him for provision, for showing me again and again that He is ever present. I thank him for the blue sky, for the peacefulness and beauty after the snow, for the multitude of flowers, for the people He has put on my path to help through this journey.

He arranged reconnections that brought parts of my family back together and chance meetings of friends in the most unlikely places. I thank him for the basics of life, food, shelter, friends. I thank Him that even though I toss and turn in my doubts, He never has given up on me.

“Thankful that in this ever changing world there are some things that remain the same and bring balance to my life. Day and night rise and fall; the seasons change, sunshine comes after rain, young people still fall in love, children are born and the old pass away. There is a rhythm and flow to life that encourages me to tune out the noise and remind myself I am not in control of these things but a never changing God is and He never forgets to take care of the details.” ~ Me 11/ 15/ 2021

Photo Credit: Megan Watson at UnSplash

In All Things Give Thanks

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It is November, and I am thankful for all things in my life. I often take this month to to take a special accounting of all the blessings in my life, whether they be large and small, and I share them each day. However, this year my heart feels heavy. I still remind myself everyday, I am just finding it hard to share when so many are suffering.

My hope in the future is waning and it seems everyday there is more and more discourse, more incidents that indicate we as a society are in trouble. I cannot escape the sense of foreboding or shut out the noise, the hate, or the insanity that I am bombarded with everyday, as it seems it is now every moment of everyday.

Truly, lately, I feel as the old hymn says…”This world is not my home.” and daily I am telling myself that, ” I am just passing through.”

Today two posts from the past expressions of gratitude brought me some peace. They reminded me that even in all the chaos around me and in the world, there is still so much to be thankful for. I can still count my blessings and be thankful when others are struggling. I do so with a humble heart knowing that I have done nothing to deserve even one blessing or even my next breath.

The first post follows this simple instruction from Psalm 69 says, “…praise the name of God with Song”… meaning to worship. When I sing and praise God it lifts my spirit, it eases my deep sighs and fill my heart with gratitude.

“I will praise the name of God with song, And exalt Him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30 NASB

“I have learned that in every circumstance that comes my way, I can choose to respond in one of two ways: I can whine or I can worship! And I can’t worship without giving thanks. It just isn’t possible. When we choose the pathway of worship and giving thanks, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, there is a fragrance, a radiance, that issues forth out of our lives to bless the Lord and others.” ~Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The second post was more personal, of all the gifts I have received, my sons are among the greatest. They are unique and each one touches my heart in different way.

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust

This picture, taken in 1999, makes me smile each time I see it and I see it everyday. These three people are the ones that make me happy and bring joy to my heart. ❤️

It is November, a month for giving thanks. I thank God for everything because He has given me Everything.