flickrIsn't this just a beautiful collage of autumn scenery? I love it and it reminds me of fall in Utah, our home away from home. We are leaving today and returning on Monday...it will be a very short stay compared to our usual trips there, but of course we want to be with the kids for Thanksgiving if only for a few fun-filled days. We will miss Laura, Robert, Spence and Ross but will see them very soon now. That is so exciting and we are so thankful.
We have some very wonderful new things to celebrate with them. Lowell not only survived the sale of his company but has just become the new manager of the USA division. This is so amazing considering for the last few months everyone in the company was wondering if they'd even have a job at this point and sadly a lot of them don't have one anymore. He and the kids escaped injury this past week when they were in a collision with a school bus. The car was nearly totaled but they are all fine! How's that for a few things to be thankful for?
Our son, Chris, just received notification yesterday of being the recipient of a very large grant from the National Science Foundation being awarded to the University over a five year period because of a proposal he had written and submitted recently. This is a career changing opportunity for him and he is thrilled. (Mom's brag moment here...this is his second grant from them in less than four years.) Also this week they discovered their plumbing system under their house is corroded, completely shot and needs to be replaced. They now have no water in their kitchen or laundry room. Not so perfect timing with Thanksgiving and the rest of the week off for the repairmen, but he recently completed a consulting job that will cover the entire cost of the repair so, what's not to be thankful for there?
Hazel has been sick for a few weeks with her first bad cold and Jen was quite worried about her breathing, but after going to the doctor this week, her worries are relieved as Hazie has no signs of any secondary problems. Again we are thankful.
Our construction has been moving at a snail's pace due to bureaucratic problems with the permits, etc. and then our contractor and friend had a little accident with a nasty wood sliver that was more like a beam of wood. He had his heart set on getting to a certain point by today and had to actually have surgery to get the wood removed from his hand and a 24 hospital stay for IV ABs instead. He was quite worried about the delay and we were quite worried about him. We have lived with a small, inefficient bathroom for a very long time so we are thankful Steve is getting better and we have other options.... like going to Utah, while the work is at a standstill. We are just grateful for Steve's good medical care and that he is recovering from his surgery and serious infection.
I guess my point in writing this post is the fact that not every aspect of our lives needs to be perfect in order to see the blessings we do enjoy from a loving Heavenly Father. Even when some things are perfect there is always opposition in our lives to some degree. It is just part of the plan and we get to choose how we will look at the unfortunate things and discover if we will be able to find the silver lining.
And last and definitely least of the problems, is that the Sears Repairman just left and we need a new washer. I am just happy that the suitcases are packed and full of clean clothes!
This is such a predictable part of life that you can almost make a game of it when the opposition comes~what will you choose? A good attitude or wallowing? Don't you just love that that choice is completely up to us, even when the situation may be out of our hands? I sure do and I am thankful for it! Make it a happy day, no matter what else is going on. Focus on the good stuff, you'll be happier. "As a man thinketh in his heart...so is he."
We have some very wonderful new things to celebrate with them. Lowell not only survived the sale of his company but has just become the new manager of the USA division. This is so amazing considering for the last few months everyone in the company was wondering if they'd even have a job at this point and sadly a lot of them don't have one anymore. He and the kids escaped injury this past week when they were in a collision with a school bus. The car was nearly totaled but they are all fine! How's that for a few things to be thankful for?
Our son, Chris, just received notification yesterday of being the recipient of a very large grant from the National Science Foundation being awarded to the University over a five year period because of a proposal he had written and submitted recently. This is a career changing opportunity for him and he is thrilled. (Mom's brag moment here...this is his second grant from them in less than four years.) Also this week they discovered their plumbing system under their house is corroded, completely shot and needs to be replaced. They now have no water in their kitchen or laundry room. Not so perfect timing with Thanksgiving and the rest of the week off for the repairmen, but he recently completed a consulting job that will cover the entire cost of the repair so, what's not to be thankful for there?
Hazel has been sick for a few weeks with her first bad cold and Jen was quite worried about her breathing, but after going to the doctor this week, her worries are relieved as Hazie has no signs of any secondary problems. Again we are thankful.
Our construction has been moving at a snail's pace due to bureaucratic problems with the permits, etc. and then our contractor and friend had a little accident with a nasty wood sliver that was more like a beam of wood. He had his heart set on getting to a certain point by today and had to actually have surgery to get the wood removed from his hand and a 24 hospital stay for IV ABs instead. He was quite worried about the delay and we were quite worried about him. We have lived with a small, inefficient bathroom for a very long time so we are thankful Steve is getting better and we have other options.... like going to Utah, while the work is at a standstill. We are just grateful for Steve's good medical care and that he is recovering from his surgery and serious infection.
I guess my point in writing this post is the fact that not every aspect of our lives needs to be perfect in order to see the blessings we do enjoy from a loving Heavenly Father. Even when some things are perfect there is always opposition in our lives to some degree. It is just part of the plan and we get to choose how we will look at the unfortunate things and discover if we will be able to find the silver lining.
And last and definitely least of the problems, is that the Sears Repairman just left and we need a new washer. I am just happy that the suitcases are packed and full of clean clothes!
This is such a predictable part of life that you can almost make a game of it when the opposition comes~what will you choose? A good attitude or wallowing? Don't you just love that that choice is completely up to us, even when the situation may be out of our hands? I sure do and I am thankful for it! Make it a happy day, no matter what else is going on. Focus on the good stuff, you'll be happier. "As a man thinketh in his heart...so is he."
4 comments:
Safe travels! The weather is beautiful here in Utah. Enjoy being with your family!
I've been wallowing...thanks for a good reminder - you are a faithful friend and true!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Lowell must truly have a few guardian angels watching over him. So happy to hear there were no injuries. Lately I've had a wonderful opportunity to choose thankfulness and faith over fear and despair, sometimes from minute to minute I have to make that choice. But I cannot give in to the despair and fear or there truly is no moving forward in my life and I don't want to live a sad, angry life. Sometimes we even manage to find moments of laughter and that is very therapeutic. Thanks for your encouraging words and support.
..ah...sorry...I can't stop laughing at the Thanksgiving trials. I'm not laughing at Steve's trials that's terrible, but your description of life's foibles is great!
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