Happy Thanksgiving

What a month this has been.  I meant to post the 30 days of thanks but time got the best of me so I thought I would just take this opportunity to list so many of the things I am thankful for this holiday season. When you read this, I hope you are blessed.

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  My amazing husband, Ray, that I just celebrated 11 years of marriage with on November 22nd.  He is my rock, my anchor, and my source of laughter on most days.  We have been farmers, golfers, motorcyclists, campers, RVers, boaters, and travelers.  We have laughed, cried, and been happy together.  What a great blessing to my life.

2.  My wonderful family but especially my sweet Mother, adorable son and baby sister.  We are all crazy, but we stick together, stick our noses in each others business and stick around through thick and thin.  No matter what, we can always count on each other.

3.  My wonderful partner, Mike, and sidekick, Kim along with the great folks at Leasor Crass.  That adventure started three and half years ago and God has blessed our business venture beyond belief.

4.  My dear friends both old and new.  The girls, the neighbors, those who are like family.  They are my support system through this crazy thing called life.

5.  Our health is a blessing.  Through a heart attack, stress, a shoulder replacement, knee replacement, chronic illness, our health is not perfect but we are blessed.

6.  Our coffers are full.  We live in a home of comfort with light, warmth, food, clothing, and entertainment.  Stuff means less and less and learning that less is more has been an amazing blessing for me this year.  

7.  I am thankful for answered prayers of resolved issues, petitions for healing, requests for specific needs and God's abundance of blessings.

On this day before the official day of Thanksgiving, I urge you to stop and thank God for all that He has done for you.  Be blessed my friends.

Changing Times

Many years ago Ray and I found this wonderful spot on the Red River.  We both fell in love with it and visit it nearly every time we have come to the mountain.  

2007

We love it so much I took a picture of it and have it hanging over my tub in the bathroom.  This picture of this stream is so peaceful to me.  We've taken so many pictures there over the years and find great peace in just sitting by the river and listening to it babble as it flows over the rocks.

Summer of 2012

We take friends and family there every opportunity.

Fisherman Seth - 2007

The Haynes 2012

Erin and Laci 2007

Stephen 2012

Rhonda and Carla - 2012

Tiger

Family - 2007

Yesterday we visited my favorite little spot to read and relax.  I took a picture of the spot because it has changed so much over the last few years.  A beetle has wreaked havoc on much of the forest in northern New Mexico.  Because of this vicious attack, many of the trees have been killed, have rotted and fallen into the river.  The view of the river is much different today.

The course of the river has changed and flow has been redirected.  If you close your eyes, you can still hear the river babble as it flows over the rocks.  The water is still the same.  Its cold, pure and continuously running, but the landscape is very different.

I began to compare that beautiful spot to our lives over the last 11 years since we first visited that beautiful, picturesque spot.  We are all born beautiful and peaceful.  But just as the beetle has invaded the forest causing damage to the stream, things invade our lives causing damage as well.  We are tempted by sin, burdened by illness, devastated in the loss of loved ones.  We are changed forever by the violence that has erupted across America and the world.  We long for the day when there was just beauty and peace among us.  The damage has changed our view of life and our lives have often taken different paths because of the damage we have suffered.  

But just as standing at the river and closing our eyes, our lives can still be grounded in greatness in spite of the vicious attacks we face.  We can cling to the promises of God.  We can still move forward in the best way possible, but we must not focus on the damage but focus on God.  He can still move mountains.  He can still make the streams run pure and cold in spite of everything. 

If I've learned one thing today from my time in New Mexico, it is that life will change and in spite of the bad things that come our way, God is still the answer.  He should always be our focus.  We should close our eyes and seek Him and resist the evil of this world.  So while I'm here, I plan to spend a little extra time each day seeking His wisdom, resting my weary soul and seeking peace in this world that has changed so very much.

Hummingbirds

As I sit here this morning in my little RV in the park in Red River, I am watching the hummingbirds.   We have one with brilliant orange colors that is apparently the alpha hummingbird.  He or she (I am not sure how to tell the sex of a hummingbird) sits on the top of the feeder and drinks at his or her pleasure.  When another hummingbird approaches, there is a short skirmish followed by the other bird being run off, and our alpha hummingbird sits atop the feeder again guarding the feeder for his or her own selfish purposes.

I ponder this and am so thankful for parents who taught me to be generous and share.  I think our nature is to always "guard our stuff", but in reality, stuff is of little importance.  What's really important are the relationships we have in our lives with our friends and family.  Those real connections are what get us through a lifetime.

Money can't buy health, friendship, love or even happiness.  

Genuine  relationships are the most valuable commodity of all.  I am so thankful for parents who taught me that concept.  The real root of all relationships is your desire to give and share.  Whether you are sharing a meal, your time, money or even your love for Christ, it forms the basis of all relationships.

I think I was blessed as my Mother and Daddy taught me to share the family meal time together.  Mother spent her time with us as children when she was not teaching.  Sundays were always spent as a family going to church followed by the visit with family either at Grannie and Daddy Bill's or at Uncle Lem and Aunt Lou's.  My parents were always generous with the tithes to the church, donations to the needy and a helping hand to whoever needed one.  

So as a lesson today, I plan to not be like the orange hummingbird that sits outside my feeder and is selfish.  I hope to build relationships by giving of my time, talents and money just as parents have taught by example!

Father's Day

This  coming weekend is not really a weekend I celebrate any longer as my Daddy passed away five years ago.  He was a school superintendent and wonderful educator.  He was a

servant leader before his time and believed that every child could succeed if given the opportunity.  I am grateful for the love of education he instilled in me which reminds me how blessed I am that I represent Texas Public Schools every day.  Although he and I won’t be celebrating this weekend, I will take this weekend to celebrate his love for me, his blessings on me, and his wisdom with me.  

I hope each of you has a Happy and Blessed Father’s Day.