Thirty Days of Thankful, Days 1-10 (Thoughts from November 2013, reposted from Facebook)

1. Thirty Days of Thankful #1: 

   I am thankful 

   that the policeman 

   on route 153 

   was sitting in a place 

   where I was driving under the speed limit. 

    S.
   
   

   Thirty Days of Thankful #2:

   We are thankful 

   that Luke is home 

   because now there is another bearded warm body in the house 

   so the cats are confused 

   and postpone their "hey-hey-get-up-and-feed-me" routine 

   for an hour. 

    And also because we love him.
   

    

    Thirty Days of Thankful #3:

    I am thankful for color, 

   for lobelia blues left in the sidewalk, 

   pinks in the morning skies, 

   the nuances of golden brown in the oak leaves, 

   and for the colors we can't see-- 

   ultraviolet 

   and infrared. 

   I am also thankful for other things unseen, 

   but that is for another day.

   
   

Thirty Days of Thankful #4:

I am so thankful to have known 
and loved 
Denny 
for 41 of his 60 years. 
Here are sixty words for sixty years:

Walt
Golda
Paul
Sue
Paul
Luke
Kate
Anna
Lucy
Clearfield
Houghton
Indiana
Tenor
Sax
Guitar
Drum
Major
Jesus
Kneel down
Tear up
Build up
House
Garage
Barn
Cabin
Teach
Retire
Feed Dogs
Cats
Horses
Deer
Birds
Turkeys
Bears
Plant
Mow mow mow
Harvest
Plow
Hike Alaska
Wales
Israel
Dominican
Tanzania
Switzerland
Montana
Hunt
Elk!
History
Plan
Write
Edit
Schmooze
Snooze

...and two words to begin the new decade: MUCH LOVE

S.






Thirty Days of Thankful #5:

We are thankful 
to have found the saw that Den wanted 
at a discount store,
just no manual. 
Not so thankful 
that it fell off the porch the first time he used it, 
but very thankful for a friend with duct tape skills,
Bill Matko, 
who repaired the handle. 
Thankful 
that Luke recognized a laser button 
(Cool! A laser saw!) 
that gave us exact corners for the first time. 
Also so thankful 
that Paul and his family live close enough 
to make door wrangling a possiblity.

 Thirty Days of Thankful #6:

We are thankful for new friends nearby-- 
you make our days more interesting. 
We are also thankful for old friends who are far away-- 
you make watching the Weather Channel more interesting. 
Hope your day is blessed 
with interesting events 
and great weather 
(or great events 
 and interesting weather....)

Thirty Days of Thankful #7:

We are thankful for our daughter-in-law, 

Kate, 

who is fun 

and smart 

and creative 

and friendly. 

 We have known her for nine years 

but prayed for her for much longer. 

She is the answer to our prayers... 

God is good. 

Birthday blessings, Kate!

(Listen for her on WPSU radio.)

Thirty Days of Thankful #8: 

I am thankful for my teeth. 
 My mom has a new friend at the nursing home 
who is 95 
with a wonderful mind 
but no teeth right now. 
Liquid diet. 
Trouble communicating. 
Yikes.

Without teeth, 
my morning peanut butter toast and conversation with Den 
would be right out. 
Try saying "love" without teeth. 
 Or "Friday!" 

Excuse me while I go floss.




Thirty Days of Thankful #9:

I am thankful for the oak tree outside my window
that is waving his remaining leaves to me
as I lie here in bed.
He has started our summer days with cooling shade,
gives the katydids a stage in August,
does a song-and-dance in October,
becomes a graceful whistler on windy winter nights,
lets the rising moon wink through his branches,
and causes much celebration each May
on Squirrel's Ear Day
when his leaves are again
the size of a squirrel's ear.

I am especially thankful
for God
who created oak trees
and seasonal changes
and root hairs
and acorn caps
(great for whistling)
and xylem
and phloem
and the lichens on the bark.






Thirty Days of Thankful #10:

I am thankful
that life is too complex
for me to figure out.
If everything were understandable to my small brain,
days would be predictable. There would be no surprise,
no wonder,
no awe.
But God,
in the middle of my faith,
I do have many questions....
How?
When?
And, particularly today, why?