Thanksgiving 2017
Families are flying in or driving great distances to be with the ones they love on this day, Thanksgiving 2017. Our friend-of-the-family for 20 years drove all the way from Illinois this week, and while he didn’t solely do so to visit with us for Thanksgiving, he is, indeed, joining us on this holiday. We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for so long, we’re family. Almost like nails in a house that have been a part of the structure from the very beginning, that is how it feels here with our friendship. Friends turned into family. That is a better description, for they are the family we choose for ourselves.
Some folks have started the 30 days of Thanksgiving, where they share what they are grateful for each day for the entire month of November. This is a great exercise to get people to focus on how good they have it, instead of focusing on the negatives that run so prominently through our minds at times.
What are you truly grateful for?
For me, I cannot adequately put into words the love, appreciation, and thankfulness I have in my heart for my family. My two blonde haired, blue-eyed daughters, who are my heart, soul, and reason for living; my parents, who didn’t have much when we were growing up but gave us all they had and guided us on the right path; my sister, who I miss with all my soul and would do anything to have her here with me now; my husband, who isn’t perfect (and neither am I) but works hard to provide for our family and comes home to massage my feet nightly because he knows how much I enjoy it; for my daughter’s boyfriend, who restored her faith in relationships and showed her what it means to be loved; and for my family of choice, the ones I choose to welcome into my home, into my heart, and into my life. My heart is grateful as I extend this to my work family as well; the ones I see day in and day out, who share laughter, as well as tears, with me inside the walls of that office. They have no idea how grateful I am for them. We pick at each other relentlessly at times, but deep in my heart, there is a great love and appreciation for my work family.
Health. We often times take this for granted, until we are forced to face an ordeal where our health and happiness is threatened. Then we realize how precious our health is, and we strive to safeguard it and protect it to the best of our ability.
My animals. They are my little furry (or feathered) therapists who calm my troubled heart, soothe my nerves, and provide unconditional love. From my 1200 pound quarter horses, with their fluffy winter coats just starting to come in, to my ever demanding two-pound dog that insists on being in my lap with her 11 pound sister fighting for my undivided attention, to my yellow and white Cockatiel with the orange dot on his face, they are all precious to me and provide unconditional love and are always so happy to see me no matter if I’ve been gone five hours or five minutes.
The beauty that surrounds us. The ever-changing leaves of Fall; the sky God uses as a canvas for His masterpieces we call Sunrises and Sunsets; waterfalls cascading down the side of a mountain; all the things we rush around without noticing the majority of the time, but oh how it would speak to our souls if we would slow down enough to appreciate them more!
These are just a few of the things my heart is grateful for on this Thanksgiving 2017.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family! May God pour out His blessings upon you all!
Letters of Gold
As I was getting ready for work one morning, my daughter slipped into my room and picked up the blue “box” to see what was inside. I watched her expressions from across the room as I put my makeup on. Soon realizing this wasn’t just any ole “box,” she slid the content of the “box” into her hands. Turning it over, almost seeing the oohs and aahs on her face, she realized she now held a bible in her hands. This wasn’t just any bible, though, as it appeared to be one made for royalty with letters of gold on thick pages lined with as equally striking gold edges.
Having received the bible a few days before her grand discovery, I had already had time to carefully turn the pages to reveal artwork and special verses along the margins. As she began to flip the pages, she commented about how beautiful this bible truly was. I asked her if she would like to have it for her very own, but she quickly responded with, “Oh, I can’t … I would mess this bible up by highlighting and writing all in the margins!” She was quite surprised when I responded, “That’s what it’s made for. Notice the extra room in the margins for you to make your own notes or for you to draw your own artwork. It’s perfectly okay to do this in THIS bible!”
A shocked look came forth upon those words exiting my lips, as she could not believe she was actually allowed to write in this bible; in fact, it was encouraged! In the past, it was almost like you were defacing the bible or God’s words He spoke if you were to dare write in the bible. Yet, I remember my grandmother’s bible with the cover worn, with her handwriting all inside of it, along the margins and any which way she could get the words on the page. She’d reflect on the passage of scripture the preacher’s sermon was on that particular day, or she’d write special prayers inside of her bible for her family.
It’s the holiday season, and can you imagine someone’s face lighting up feeling as if they were truly royalty when they open this bible? This breathtakingly beautiful blue and gold covered bible, with gold letters leaping off the thick, creme colored pages speaking straight to our hearts, is available for purchase by clicking here for the Illuminated Bible.
What a precious gift for your loved ones!
I keep thinking about reading the bible that speaks of the King of Kings and all the treasures in Heaven, and I imagine the streets of pure gold … thoughts brought forth by this bible so eloquently decorated with artwork.
Special thanks to #FlyByProductions for providing me with a copy and allowing me to review the #ESVIlluminatedBible.
Excuse
As the weather turns colder, we seem to get more calls in our line of business. Providing individualized care to each family we serve is our top priority. In doing so, it requires us to be available during evening hours, overnight, as well as on weekends.
This particular weekend, I worked Saturday and Sunday to help assist with services and with the families. Sunday, we were so busy that we didn’t get lunch until 3:15 p.m.
As we sat in the front office eating lunch, a lady appeared in my doorway. Inside, I cringed, as our previous encounter was less than desirable. This lady had gotten upset due to a misunderstanding, and she really showed out in my office a few months back. I tried to handle this adversity with grace, but the kinder and more apologetic I was, over an error that wasn’t even mine, the harsher and more verbally abusive she became! As you can imagine, after 15 minutes of taking this, I finally told her that I did not deserve to be beat over this.
Our confrontation from months ago remained fresh in my mind, but I smiled and said, “Hey there, come on in.” She smiled back at me as she walked closer to my desk. She paused for a moment before she began.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I wanted to come apologize to you face to face for my behavior a few months ago. I’m sure you remember. I don’t know what came over me, I’m normally not like that, and I apologize. There was no excuse for my behavior, and I am very sorry.”
Wow!
I did not even hesitate when I said, “That really means a lot to me. Thank you so much.”
My boss, needing to be present for the next service and also feeling more than a little uncomfortable at that point, excused himself at that time.
I rose from my chair as I added, “I smell like food, but I’m going to hug you!”
As I placed my arms around her shoulders, I could feel her become emotional in my embrace. As I pulled away and smiled at her, tears filled her eyes as she said again, “I am truly sorry.”
We talked for a few minutes more before she turned to leave, pausing once more to say again how sorry she was. I tried to reassure her that everything was okay, and all was forgiven.
After she left, my boss made his way back to the office. A wide smile formed across his red, wind chapped face, as he said, “Shirley … a few months ago when she was in here, you extended grace even when she was not seemingly deserving of it. What you did was just like in the bible. When you face adversity and yet extend grace, it is like heaping hot coals onto their heads. That is what you did, and it bothered her all this time!”
Then he turned on his heels and headed back to the service.
