Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction. H.A. Ironside Today in the United States we enjoy a special day; a time set aside for us to be thankful for our blessings. Both today’s blessings, and those from the past. Yet our awareness of thankfulness often proves to be fleeting.  Why? Because we may take what we have for granted. As we sit at a table full of food today, we often forget to be thankful that we even have any food at all. Most of us can fill the fridge and pantry with a quick trip to the store and without much worry…while so many in our world wonder where the next meal will come from.  Isn’t it interesting that we tend to pay so little attention to the things we consider ordinary or usual? In a sense, we “hold out”. We reserve our expressions of thanks for the big things. The unusual blessings. And we forget that our daily bread actually is a consistent reason for giving thanks.  And so, in our world of plenty, we may overlook the importan

This is the final post related to my trip to the Seattle area last month.  In my daily life, I tend to fill every moment. I do this, because my body and soul resist slowing down, and I struggle to give myself permission for downtime. However, I find this tendency slowly changing as I realize the importance of unhurried, open spaces of time to rest my soul.  Once I make specific plans, and get away for time alone with God, I find this slower rhythm to be so refreshing. It often includes inner joyful moments as God rejuvenates my soul, and reminds me of his love for me and his pleasure in just being with me.  Since the primary purpose of my trip to Washington was to speak for a women’s retreat (a time of giving out and investing in others), I decided to take a few extra days afterward for some time alone. I have gone away by myself a number of times, and have learned some “do’s and don’ts” that help me enjoy the experiences God provides when I have unscheduled time. The “d

This is fourth of five blogs about my recent trip to the Seattle area. I stole up to her bedroom door and quietly opened it. Little Eden – almost 3 years old – popped up and said that heart-melting word, “Grandma!”And with that we hugged. Downstairs, five-week-old Miranda moved her tiny fingers and looked at me with her little sweet eyes. Another heart-melting moment for Grandma.  What is it about little ones that touches our hearts…and even makes us act like children once again? When I’m with my grandkids, I find myself dancing, or singing, or racing cars. I delight in imaginative play as we share time together. Somehow paperwork and phone calls lose a great deal of interest when my grandchildren want to be explorers or ballerinas, or wants me to watch as they bob a balloon on their leg. Being with these precious children brings a sense of refreshment to my soul. And it’s clear that they so often are delighted to spend time with me. This recent visit with the little g

This is the third of five blogs about my recent trip to the Seattle area.  I approached the door, wondering how this visit with an old friend would go. We met when we were about 7 or 8 and spent many years of our childhood together. Since that time, we periodically have corresponded and seen each other occasionally for short visits…often at a social gathering with many other people. This is the first time as an adult I would spend the night at her home. Just the two of us. I found myself wondering: what would this lengthy visit actually be like? Would we discover that our only connection was the past, or would there be new ways of relating in this current season of life? It was, of course, a trip down memory lane, with lots of remembered adventures and stories from years past. Then there were the side trips, as we explained our history as “grown-ups” and our evolving families. There were some sad moments as we talked about loss. The loss of parents. The loss of friends. And