Thirty Days of Thanksgiving

Day 30

• a son ~ born on this day fourteen years ago, after four daughters
• his hugs ~ when he was little he used to sit on my lap and reach his arms backward, up and around my neck and squeeeeeeeeeeeeze; now he has to reach down to hug me, but he still does
• his eyes ~ big and blue, like his uncle from whom he got his middle name and his grandmother whom he never knew on his dad's side, and his grandfather and uncle on my side ~ and his blonde curls, which i couldn't bear to cut off for about the first five years, until he got tired of people thinking he was a girl and insisted!
• his wit ~ sometimes he says things that just take me by surprise
• his talents ~ writing, playing the guitar, figuring out how things work, problem-solving; he is quite brilliant

Happy Birthday, Joshua; i am so very glad you were born!

Oh, he is also a huge Johnny Cash fan, so this is in honour of him:

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving

Day 29

• the dear friend of my mother's after whom I was named; yesterday was her birthday.  she is an amazing lady, and I would love to be able to live up to her example
• my past (Romans 8:28)
• my present (Psalm 118:24)
• my future (Jeremiah 29:11)
• everything He has given me (James 1:17)

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving

Day 28

• Advent
• hope
• two sons both born during this season of the year
• cool, crisp days and chilly nights
• "The people who walked in darkness
     have seen a great light;
  those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
     on them has light shined." ~Isaiah 9:2

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving

Day 27

We Thank Thee
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

Keeping Advent ~ week 1

Please visit the Nativity Carnival over at A Ten O'Clock Scholar.

Our wreath is all ready to go this evening.  

We have green and purple candles, because I am using leftovers from my daughter's June wedding.  The wreath was given to me by my oldest daughter; it will go on the door Christmas morning when the tree has replaced it on the table.  I stole borrowed Kerry's idea and placed some gold, purple, and clear "gems" I had on the cake plate around the candles.  I also have four little brass angels that I bought at the thrift store several years ago that stand between the candles.  The only thing I had to purchase was the Christ candle for the center; my 15yo daughter and I decided to use a gold one this year.

The rest of our Advent-keeping will not begin until December 1st, because my son's birthday is November 30th.  

Last year I found these beautiful Jesse Tree ornaments, but not in time to use:

http://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/2010/11/the-jesse-tree.html

We will be using them this year.  

Each day we will open our little Advent box, take out the ornament and read the scripture passage.  Inside the box there will also be a little treat and, on certain days, a card with a special activity for that day written on it.