Day 274

I am grateful for The Singer Trilogy.

It's an analogy of the New Testament, brought to life in the main character of the Troubadour, the Singer. I heard the audio of the first of these three stories on the radio about 16 years ago. I was captivated by the narrator's voice, the plot line, and the beautiful poetic nature of the story. I could never find it to purchase, but I always kept a watch out for it.n

We visited Brett and Lydia this summer, and I spotted this book on the dining room bookshelf. She gladly let me borrow it, and I have been savoring it all summer and now into autumn. The text is lovely and dramatic and sweeping. The word pictures are vivid and in your face. Evil is horrific, and good is blazing gold. I suppose it's not the type of book for everyone, but for anyone with a penchant for winged analogy, this is platinum.

Thank You, Lord, for this beautiful series.

Day 273

I am grateful for Corrie ten Boom.

Her family hid and aided Jews during WWII from their home in Holland. Her account of this is chronicled in her classic bestseller, The Hiding Place. This is a foundation book in my life, its contents a Bible and a testimony to what God can do in a soul fully yielded to Him in humble faith. I love it so much that I read it to Jylle just last year at bedtime. She loves Corrie ten Boom and her story now too. Another generation impacted by a soul no longer here, but whose influence still reaches, touches, and changes. She was brave, kind, humble, and good, and I love her.

Thank You, Lord, for the marvelous Miss ten Boom.

Day 272

I am grateful for photo albums.

My dad kept photo albums. I loved looking through them, always looking, of course, for my own face, but thoroughly excited to see other familiar faces. They serve as a record of souls long gone, some of those faces I recall, and others only their affiliation with my family. They witness that we went places, did things, visited people. They help me to remember.

All my albums are happy places for me. One for each of my kids, one of when Kev and I were young and just the two of us, some of my childhood, and some from just the last few years. All are welcome, and all are friends, markers of days that will live on in grateful memory.

Thank You, Lord, for these volumes of remembrance.

Day 271

I am grateful for my Kevn's 53rd birthday.

We celebrated our 30th anniversary this last August. We were married when he was 22, and I was 21. Eight years ago we celebrated being together longer married than we were single. I get to savor the knowledge today that I am embarking on a new chapter in our lives with the one, who as a young woman, wanted to grow old with. Gray hair, three grown kids, phantom aches, and wrinkles all testify to the fulfilling of that vision.

I will set aside a time to pray for my sweet Kevin every hour today. I can never be thankful enough for his devotion, hard work, and love of life, our children, me, and our God. He set out to build my dreams with his two hands, but he couldn't have known that it was the work of his golden heart that is the foundation for the great blessing of a life I have the privilege of enjoying with him. I am humbly grateful. Bless him big time today.

Thank You, Lord, for this precious birthday.

Day 270

I am grateful for Killing Lincoln.

This account of the last days of Abraham Lincoln relates the battle tactics of the leaders of the War Against the South and reveals the personality, background, and motives of the assassin, John Wilkes Booth. It is full of conversations, schemes, strategies, and peripheral figures I have never heard of until this book.

We checked out the audio and listened to it on our way to Colorado Springs last June. It was engaging, informative, and enlightening. Read by the author, he does a great job of narrating his own material with the one exception of his pronunciation of the word "cavalry," which is consistently and annoying pronounces "Calvary," something he should know better than to do as a practicing Catholic. Other than that, it's a definite recommend.

Thank You, Lord, for this good read.

Day 269

I am grateful for Abraham Lincoln.

I'm not a history buff, but even as a kid, I always enjoyed learning about our sixteenth president. He seemed like a really nice guy with a self-deprecating humor, tolerance for the less wise, and a faith he leaned on in everyday matters as well as in times of crisis. I believe he was the best man for the job in that complicated, family-rending period that tore our nation apart. I admire his courage, wisdom, intellect, faith, and devotion to his family and country.

Thank You, Lord, for this great leader for such a time as that.

Day 268

I am grateful for a new baby.

Although I am not a grandma, I can vicariously enjoy the excitement and giddiness of a new baby in the family. I know how my joy spiked through the Milky Way when I had each of my babies, so I can imagine the ecstasy of experiencing life that comes from life that came from me.

This is Berlin Royce, the newest grandchild of my Ya-Ya friend, Cheryl. She looks just like her beautiful mama. Pictures are all over Facebook, friends and family comments go on and on, and it's just plain obvious that the cheer is bottomless.

Babies bring on hope, elicit our dearest dreams for them, and can soften the Shrekest heart. They are a heavenly joy of precious worth, and the love is contagious. God bless 'em!

Thank You, Lord, for the treasure of a new baby.

Day 267

I am grateful for homemade Italian dressing.

I feel like I have tried every storebought Italian dressing and mix out there, but was never satisfied with the flavor. I finally found a recipe for a dry mix on allrecipes.com, and it was a grand slam. Kev and I have been using it for over a year and never tire of it.

I make up the dry mix and make up however much I need. It's always fresh, super easy and simple, and deluxe--just the ticket!

ITALIAN DRESSING MIX 

1 Tbl garlic salt

1 Tbl onion powder

1 Tbl white sugar

1 Tbl dried parsley

2 Tbl dried oregano

2 Tbl salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp celery salt

1. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container.
2. To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix.

Eeeyum!!

Thank You, Lord, for this delish dressing.

Day 266

I am grateful for autumn color.

I love the incredible colors of fall. Oaks, maples, locusts, sumacs, dogwoods, service berries, burning bushes, and aspens light up the landscapes all around here, creating great bursts and streaks of delight for the eyes. I never get tired of it. There's no ugly in the fields or on the hills where these glow and blaze. I love it all.

Can't believe we have only 100 more days in this year. I shall enjoy the view in the meantime whilst I can.

Thank You, Lord, for these beautiful rustic hues.

Day 265

I am grateful for Billy Graham.

This is a man who has lived a simple, straight-forward philosophy of life: "I just want to lobby for God."  He has counseled every president since Eisenhower, some more than others. His message and intention has no other motive than to present Jesus Christ, whether in word or in deed. His life is marked by integrity, consistency, humility, and humor.

One of my favorite quotes of his is, "We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding." What a difference it would make if everyone who claims to follow Christ lived this to heart.

Thank You, Lord, for the life and legacy of this truly great man.

Day 264

I am grateful for tenacity.

My Kevin is like a dog with a bone when it comes to financial justice. If we're entitled to a refund, he makes sure we get it. If we get overbilled, he will make a zillion phone calls to ensure it's corrected. Jylle says, "My father is magical!"

I hope he can work his magic this time as well. He and a friend installed decking for a widow about five years ago, decking that was supposed to last a lifetime. When he saw it decomposing this last spring, he picked up the bone and hasn't let go.

Yesterday he had her call a rep from the company who said she just needed a name, address, and phone number in order to get the refund going. When I told my friend, she was not only shocked that this might actually happen, but touched that Kev had been working on this for her. I was touched too--but not surprised. I'm anxious to see how it turns out, especially since reviews of the company online make it appear a lame and unethical organization. We shall see...

Thank You, Lord, for tenacity like this.

Day 263

I'm grateful for cool evenings.

There are SO many parts of the country and the world where humidity ruins what would be to me an otherwise perfectly lovely day. Heat just does a number on me in a way that doesn't seem to bother most of the people I know. I just can't handle high heat, and coupled with humidity, I'm a total wanny. That's why I LOVE how it cools off here in the evenings, leaving these autumn mornings with icy cool temps that demand a hoodie when I take my daily walk or hike, allowing the house to remain cool with screen doors and windows wide. It's September, and we're having glorious temps! What a great thing! The cool of the evening is a most welcome and calming decline.

Thank You, Lord, for these wonderfully cool evenings.

Day 262

I am grateful for a routine.

Our summers are loosy goosy, we do something different everyday, and each day feels like a Saturday. The dates go by in week-long chunks, and I'm never sure when I wake up what day it is.

With the school year started, I'm back into a routine, and it feels nice. It won't be too different from the last four years, but it is going to be a change from knowing that Jylle lives here. I'll adjust to that, of course, and a routine will help. I would like to slip in something different occasionally though--a visit to a friend, new recipes, letters to certain people, and tackling all those pesky boxes in the basement. I'll find a good balance.

Thank You, Lord, for the guidelines of a routine.

Day 261

I am grateful for sunny mornings.

We live in a beautiful area, and it's so lovely to wake up to a sunny morning. Most days I'd love to sleep in until eight or so, but when it's sunny and I have to get up earlier than that, it makes it so much nicer. That's the thing I miss most about winter here.

Thank You, Lord, for beautiful, sunny mornings.

Day 260

I am grateful for Jylle being able to move in with my dad. She starts college on the 26th and will encounter a routine fairly similar to the one I had when I went to college. Live at home. Drive for 20 minutes to school. Drive back. It's going to be so nice for my dad to have someone to talk to, to know there's someone else living there. And Jylle will have free room and board. She'll do the cooking and the shopping, and he'll not only provide the money for groceries, but he'll give her spending money too. I love me a symbiotic relationship.

Thank You, Lord, for this great arrangement.

Day 259

I am grateful for remotes.

When I was kid, I was the remote. Turn it up. Turn it down. Change the channel. Change it again. And again. Of course, my parents weren't mean about it, but as a kid, it was part of the deal if we were going to watch TV. I know it's a first world luxury that's pretty much taken for granted now, but it really has come a world away from how it once was. Now there are a hundred different things a remote can do. I don't watch that much TV, but when I do, it sure makes it easy. Hats off to whoever invented it!

Thank You, Lord, for this most pleasant luxury.

Day 258

I am grateful for airplanes.

I don't love to fly, but I'm grateful for transportation that takes hours to get me somewhere that might otherwise take days. While it was a whole lot simpler before 9/ll, I don't travel much, so the inconveniences don't bother me. Unless I'm randomly tagged for full body searches for the length to and from my destination. That made us almost miss our flight. They had to radio ahead to have them hold the door for us because it took so flaming long.

I'll have my juice, soda, and coffee (yes, I ask for all three), with those little British biscuits, don a pair of ear buds, and see what's new in the Sky mag. I like the window seat too. And thank you, Southwest, for still not charging me to check a bag. Cheers to you!

Thank You, Lord, for this mostly safe form of travel.

Day 257

I am grateful for Dr. James Dobson.

When I was pregnant with my first child, the private pilot for the company I worked for gifted us with a book called Dare to Discipline.  It was full of good sense, effective techniques, and wisdom for parents. As our children grew, we incorporated much of Dr. Dobson's counsel, and I think they turned out pretty solid.

I'm impressed that while he was the head of Focus on the Family, he received no salary. He made his living on book sales. He's endured slurs, unjust criticism, and personal attacks from the liberal left who hate him for his stand against living a gay lifestyle, as consistently supported by years of studies, but which is not at all PC to oppose. I've never heard him return insult for insult. I think he's a good, wise, kind patriot who has lived a life of integrity, truth, and a whole-hearted concern for marriage and family around the world.

Thank You, Lord, for this good man.

Day 256

I am grateful for rock walls.

Kev had this one made by a professional who operated his ginormous rig like a seasoned surgeon. We have piles of large rocks on the property, and some more got dug up when we dug ditches for pipe. We utilize them in rock walls like this one, and I think they're a great way to use natural materials to enhance a landscape.

Thank You, Lord, for this beautiful accent.

Day 255

I am grateful for the Paleo diet.

In an effort to get a handle on my high blood pressure and high cholesterol and the medications I take to control them, I so want to be able to treat these conditions with natural remedies. The new doctor I'm seeing left me with more hope than I've had in two years. He seems to be someone who will champion my cause and take it personally if the numbers do not cooperate. After following this meat and produce diet for about two weeks, Kev and I dropped five pounds without even trying. That's some encouragement right there.

Thank You, Lord, for this simple, straightforward diet.

Day 254

I am grateful for the fair.

Going to the interstate fair is something we did every year with my folks when the kids were little. It was something we always looked forward to and the kids loved. My mom loved to buy them all kinds of food--ice cream, burritos, donuts, chocolate milk, snow cones, caramel apples, taffy, and sausage. I'm not sure who had more fun, her or them.

This year we went with Ryan and Jylle and stayed for the rodeo. Jylle and I left before the barrel racing to get something to eat. We found deep fried cheese curds with ranch dressing--totally decadent and totally worth it. Then we found huckleberry pizza pie. Lastly, I had to have a corn dog. It's been years since I had one, and it was G-reat. The weather was perfect, the broncs were feisty, the food was wunnerful, and the company most excellent. Can't wait for next year.

Thank You, Lord,  for this annual extravaganza.

Day 253

I am grateful for Annie.

This is the third child of my friend, Cheryl. I have just connected with her since she was about 12. We could sit at basketball games and talk the entire time, oblivious to the score or even who the opponent was. I don't know if that speaks highly of her social skills or that I have the mentality of a 12 year old.

She is beautiful, creative, witty, sarcastic, geniously talented, deep, honest, sensitive, lively, well-traveled, and loves her crazy family to death. And she writes a Christmas letter like nobody's business. The English department at Whitworth had better realize the treasure they have in her.

We went to a church this morning that Ryan heard of, and I was blown away when I saw Annie on stage leading worship. I have never had the privilege of sitting under her leadership, and it was absolutely exquisite. I'd forgotten how I forget everything else when she opens up like that, singing her heart out for us. For Him. I was blessed to my utter deeps. I went up to see her afterward and was totally unprepared for her reaction. She started trembling and kept saying, "Oh, my gosh!" We both cried, good tears, and I just drank her in like a needy plant. It was just so. good. to hold her again. It's been so long. I can't wait to go back again. Bless her on this, her birthday...

Thank You, Lord, for our precious Angel Belle.

Day 252

I am grateful for the right to free speech.

In so many parts of the world, you can get jailed or executed for speaking out against your reigning government. This privilege is our first amendment right, and it's one of the things that makes this country so great. The morons who apologize for our nation and what it was founded on are protected by this amendment. Men and women gave their lives to maintain this and our other vital freedoms. I know military people who have said they fight to allow the unpatriotic the right to speak against the very ones who keep their freedom to do just that. Ticks me off, but I can see their point. Now if the media would only quit defining hate speech as anything that's not PC...

Thank You, Lord, for this dear privilege.

Day 251

I am grateful for weather forecasts.

They're right more often than they're wrong, so I'm thankful for a fairly correct prediction of what to expect for weather. I have a garden and like to protect the more sensitive veggies when I need to. I also like to have a handle on what to wear if I go somewhere since I'm usually gone all day and don't want to be too warm or too cold. I'm grateful for the technology that allows forecasters to be pretty spot on.

Thank You, Lord, for this indulgence.

Day 250

I am grateful for hangers.

It's just that simple. Without hangers, half of my clothes would be wrinkled messes. I have no idea when they were invented, but I'm sure grateful to whoever thought of them.

Thank You, Lord, for this oh-so-useful tool.

Day 249

I am grateful for my Jewelee.

When our friendship was new, I reveled in how real and fun she was. As time went on and we became best friends, we found out that we'd had the same reaction to each other:  She's so normal! Seems we had the same history of attracting the attention of people we didn't really mean to, but somehow just did. We were utterly grateful to have found our kindred spirit.

I will always be thankful for this loving heart who has been through such deep trial and sorrow. My prayer is that she is on her way back up and that He captivates her all over again with exquisite communion and utterly satisfying companionship. I love this girl with all my heart.

Thank You, Lord, for my Jewelee.

Day 248

I am grateful for weddings.

Some ceremonies are grievous at worst, stupendous at best. I find weddings to be in the upper ten percent of fun ceremonies. I'm charmed by young love, sincere vows, lace, fresh flowers, abundant joy, exuberant toasts, and verdant hope. There is an expectancy of a happily ever after, even in a world that bears down and assails to tear asunder. Marriage is a sacred union, and I love the honor and reverence it is given in a godly ceremony.

This is the outdoor wedding we attended where Jylle was the maid of honor. It's her second wedding, but her first in that role. She rocked. It was hard to stay focused on the beauty of the bride because I was so distracted by that of my own daughter. Shame on me.

Thank You, Lord, for these wonderful occasions.

Day 247

I am grateful for George Washington.

He set the bar for the integrity, honor, and respect due the office of the President of the United States of America. His life, conduct, and faith in God are shining standards that define what we as Americans want to stand for. I have always admired him for that.

A story is told of the general as he was about to cross a river on horseback. A poor man went up to him and asked if he could ride across with him. The general agreed. On the other side, a soldier asked the man why, of all people, he would ask General George Washington for a ride. The man answered, "He had a 'yes' face." A great general with an approachable countenance. Ya gotta love it.

Most people don't know this, but factoring in what the dollar stood for then and now, he remains the richest president we have ever had. And on another note, he didn't have wooden teeth. He lost all but one of his teeth by age 57, and his first set of dentures were made of hippopotamus tusks and gold. He would have been 280 years old last February if we lived that long. A little useless trivia for ya.

Thank You, Lord, for this wise, brave, intelligent, and humble man.

Day 246

I am grateful for patriotism.

The dictionary defines it as devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty. In the midst of the presidential conventions, at least one speaker is able to strike a chord that reverberates  in me I love this country. I absolutely love the idea of standing together as one nation in that mind.

My family has loved, supported, and defended it, and our loyalty extends to the belief in her as the greatest nation on earth. May God continue to "stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above."

Thank You, Lord, for a unity of love for this amazing land.

Day 245

I am grateful for footwear.

There are SO many people in this world who own none. I have always remembered the shoe drive at our church years ago. A man from Malawi came and shared that hundreds of children walk around with no protection for their feet whatsoever, contracting disease and wounding their soles. I was overwhelmed. I have SO much.

Thank You, Lord, for this vital protection and luxury.