So Much

When I was a little girl, the children used to sing a song that went like this:

   "We have so much, so much, so much, (hands spreading apart a little at a time; quiet voice)

 so much, so much, so much, (arms getting wider and wider; voice getting louder and louder)

so much, so much, so much, (arms spread as far as they can reach!; shouting!)

to be thankful for!"

It was quite rousing!  We liked it.  

It's an easy song to learn and a harder life to live, which is the way it goes.

This year I am counting gifts.  I think I will make it to 1000 by December 31st.  That's cool, but it only matters if my heart is trained to bless God in the process.  We can record on autopilot, I think, just as we can approach the Thanksgiving table tomorrow with hearts still cold toward Christ.  

This morning, my devotional asked for a bit of reflection, for me to take time to think on the last 10 years of my life and see God's faithfulness in it. 

Wow.

What a decade.

We moved, went from elementary schoolers to high school and college,

buried my dad, moved my mom, went through two surgeries with her in a year,

 found our ministries in the church, left our church, started a church, 

went back to teaching, left teaching, went back again.

We gained three dogs, lost one.

Gained three cats, lost two.

Crazy, but no crazier than yours, I'd warrant.

And God is faithful.

In ten years, He's done more than I could think or imagine.

He is more than I thought or imagined.

David Crowder said it best:

"At the start, He was there.

In the end, He'll be there.

After all our hands have wrought,

He repairs.

  He repairs."

This year is full of nostalgia for me, but my faithful Father is nudging me along, 

gently but with definite firmness, 

because, while gratitude looks backward and blesses, it looks forward with yeses,

with the "Amen" as benediction and the "Our Father" for the journey to come. 

He is faithful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Following,

Ginger

    

Reaching 100 Blessings for Thanksgiving

This will be an unusual Thanksgiving at the 'House

--if for no other reason than we will actually be at our house.  

The weather this week has sunk our travel plans, 

and much to the the OCD teens' disappointment

 (and their mom's and their granny's), 

there will be no North Carolina celebration.

So, in this time of adjustment--heck, that's been our whole year--I'm reaching for 100 blessings and beyond.
From our house to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
----
92. a Christmas project I can't wait to share!
93. chalk pens and black wrapping paper
94. snow flurries
95. listening to wind outside while lying in a warm bed
96. kneading bread dough
97. mittens
98. Christmas shopping
99. the smell of furniture polish
100. candlelight
101. homemade laundry detergent
102. bloggers who say what I'm thinking
103. organization--when I can manage it
104. watching figure skaters
Following,
Ginger

In Which I am Thankful for Cat Litter

One of my gift-counting goals is to learn to look at the flip-side of things to see the blessing.

That's sounds Pollyannaish (Look on the bright side!), but I don't mean it that way.

I want to see through the eyes of the sovereignty of the mighty and good God Who really does do all things well.

I want to major on majors and quit letting minors eat my lunch.

Take, for example, when an entire Chic-Fil-A mocha milkshake spilled under my car seat.

I'm thankful for the grace to stay calm.

I'm thankful I was on the phone with my sister, and her brilliant mind went into action.

She suggested cat litter (it absorbs liquid and odors), and I'm thankful I still had some in the basement.

I'm thankful I'm not the teen who needs money and therefore will be stuck outside in the cold today vacuuming it up.

*wink*

Following,

Ginger

-------

83. I know He's with me

84. Christmas music at the end of this week

85. updating my phone this week also--hopefully no more daily battery issues

86. warm house

87. baking

88. finding some gluten-free recipes that will help me feel a bit less left out

89. a week at home!  I love being at home.

90. secret Christmas crafting

91. Thanksgiving--my favorite

Psalm 25: Old News

Psalm 25:6-7 reads:

Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

7 

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

 This morning, I saw the contrast of young and old.

Lord, Your love--ancient, Alpha, without-beginning-or-ending--

stretches so far beyond the limit of my "young" sins 

that it's unfathomable.

The vastness of Your cleansing mercy 

contained in the crimson blood of Christ 

shed for me

covers my past, present, and future sin.

I am undone.

--------

74. early Christmas shopping with a plan!
75. pleasant time with teens
76. reading a whole book
77. Ann Voskamp's new book for Advent
78. a new exercise DVD that's leaving me ridiculously sore
79. fuzzy socks
80. a manicure
81. fun items for a care package
82. The Lord guiding me in new paths
Following,
Ginger

Sola Gratis

I tried to take a photo of the moon.

Tried--and failed.

In my photo ignorance, I didn't capture it, 

not the raw beauty of the night-

nor the wind with ice in it,

nor the rattling of leaves under my feet.

My camera missed the burn of cold in my fingers,

and steam from hot chai when I came inside,

and the warmth of laughter around the table.

My skill is inadequate,

my words feeble,

my heart full.

-----

68. warm coats on cold nights

69. clear skies and moonlight

70. bare tree limbs against a darkening sky

71. the sound of wind from inside a warm house

72. pork chops and broccoli

73. biscuits and maple syrup

Following,

Ginger

Multitude Monday: Still Counting

In a season of transition, 

I know the response of my flesh is panic, clinging to what is familiar with my fingernails. 

 I get angry

 and lash out

 and feel the tears rising--

which is why this response shouldn't surprise me in my teen.  

It came to me yesterday in a moment of conflict that I need this infusion of gratitude

 because I need to model something different 

than what I have taught in my weakness. 

 I  want my children to respond in thanks to the myriad of graces.

  So must I.

----

51. Saturday sunrises

52. a true cold snap

53. air in my lungs as I walk

54. frost

55. sapphire sky

56. orange leaves and light reflected on water

57. a good word from the Word

58. our house

59. early oranges

60. gluten-free pumpkin-chocolate-chip muffins that make me happy

61. a whole Saturday at home

62. a productive day at home

63. boots

64. a mustard yellow scarf

65. going to work

66. a good, free, online commentary of the Bible

67. knowing He fills my hunger 

Following,

Ginger

Saturday Gifts

This morning I woke up earlier than expected.

Out my window, as the sky burned orange over the pond, I suddenly knew I was looking my gift in the face.

Halfway through stripping off sheets, I abandoned the task.  I pulled on a sweatshirt, stuffed my husband's stocking cap over morning-damp curls, and pounded down the gravel drive.  

Snapping away in frosty morning air, my camera records the blessing, the moment He dreamed up in His infinite wonder and imagination to delight me, to lavish love on me.

I lap the pond once--my hands are freezing
--but with each step, I am thankful, thankful for the healing I can anticipate in the counting,
in the noticing, in the Presence Who always has been there,
even when I've refused to see. 

Following,

Ginger
Linking up at Still Saturday

The Gratitude Project

At just the right time--which is like, years behind the rest of the known world, I am reading One Thousand Gifts.  

It is eating my lunch.

Now that I, today, have said and done the absolute last thing I can say or do about some hard things,

 it is time for me to move on to some serious joy.

May I admit something?

This year I was a gift-counting drop-out.  And a scripture-memory team drop-out. 

 I made it through March on the first one and into June with the second.  

(Long about the time things slammed the wall around here, but that's neither here nor there.)

It's been intense.  I am tired.  

I need an IV--intravenous gratitude, a blood-level reboot that infuses my heart, soul, and mind.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

I need to think on these things.

--------------

1.trees along the fence line

2. walking

3. trees with all three colors of leaves

4. fall blue sky

5.dates with Big Red

6. watching a teen become more thankful and more thoughtful

7. being able to restore relationship with a prickly teen

8. Saturday morning

9. money for groceries

10. money to give away

11. woodsy, piney rosemary

12. spinach in the garden

13. baby broccoli heads

14. garden beds

15.eyes to see

16. ears to hear

17. a heart to understand

18. a Savior willing to heal me.

19. this song

20. words--poesm, songs, alliteration--how lovely that all that is possible

21. six-word autobiographies

22.blogs and blog friends

23. dishwashers

24. coffee makers

25.food to prep into make-ahead meals

26.a few more weeks of sunrises thanks to the time change

27.planning for Christmas

Following,

Ginger

A Post to Help My Memory

Happy Thanksgiving Week to you!

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, and November one of my favorite months.  It is a day of fullness--full of blessing, full of gratitude, full of anticipation, full of food.

We have had assorted Thanksgiving traditions over the years, but one that remains constant is the appearance of Butternut-Oatmeal Rolls on the menu.  

They coincide with DD#2's first Thanksgiving, which makes them extra-special.

That also means that the magazine they came out of is 13 years old.

This morning I had a brief moment of panic when I couldn't find it for a few minutes.

I might have been disowned by certain members of the family.

This post, then, is to bless your family with the yummiest rolls ever, and to save my hide next year if something happens to that magazine over the next twelve months.

Butternut Oatmeal rolls on last year's table; they get a photo op every year.

So without further ado, I present

Butternut-Oatmeal Rolls

      2(1/4 oz) envelopes active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water (100* to 110*)

5 1/2 to 5 3/4 cups bread flour, divided

1 1/4 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash (1 medium)

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup oats, divided

1 tablespoon water

Combine yeast and 1 1/4 cups warm water; let stand 5 minutes.  Combine yeast mixture, 3 cups flour, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Set two tablespoons of oats aside; gradually stir in remaining oats and 2 cups flour to make a moderately stiff dough. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). (Great stress reliever!)        Add enough of the remaining flour, a little at a time, to prevent sticking.  Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 35 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down.  Divide dough in half,and shape each portion into an 18x7 inch rectangle.  Spread each half with 2 tablespoons butter.  Cut into 1x7 inch strips; roll up strips and place in lightly greased muffin cups.  Cover and let rise in a warm place, 25 minutes or until doubled.  Bake at 350* for 15 to 18 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Yield: 3 dozen

Don't be intimidated by the long directions or by the process of making yeast bread.  Yeast breads are quite forgiving; the trickiest part is the dissolving the yeast, and candy thermometer to check the  temperature of your water takes the stress of that away.  If you're not sure the rolls have cooked long enough, pop one out of the muffin tin and tap the bottom of it; if it sounds hollow, the rolls are done.

These make awesome turkey sandwiches!
Be blessed today,
Ginger 
linking up over at Brambleberry Cottage