Peering Through Life's Window

Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to think about all of the good things in our lives and be grateful for them. We might also ask ourselves where these blessings come from.  Quite a few years ago when our daughter was in first grade, the school administration put up images illustrating Thanksgiving drawn by the children for an open house.  That night turkeys, Indians and Pilgrims lined the halls. As my husband and I toured the school, we stopped at our daughter’s offering and told her how good it was— of course.  She peered at me with wide brown eyes. “My friend had to take down her picture and do it over.” “Why?” I asked. “Here it is.” Our daughter pointed to a drawing with a boat and some stick people standing around it. “She wrote something on it the first time?” “Did she write over the picture?” I asked. “No, she wrote here.” She pointed underneath the boat. “She said the Pilgrims gave thanks to God, and that’s not allowed.” I wasn’t certain she said what she inten...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING  “The grateful heart is a happy heart,” Dr. George Simon The word thankful was originally thancful in Old English and meant grateful or obliged. Seems the days fly by so fast it’s difficult to keep up, and they’re a mixture of good and bad. In the midst of hard times, pain, illness or sorrow, we often find it difficult to think of much else. When times are good, we tend to take our gifts for granted. But Thanksgiving gives us a moment to step back and look at the many gifts God has given us and be thankful for them. Even in the bad times, we are not alone in the darkness of this imperfect world. God’s by our sides, giving us not only His love and comfort, but support from his almighty power to push us through.   Johnson Oatman, Jr.’s song “Count Your Blessings” encourages me to try to keep the spirit of Thanksgiving in my heart all year long. Here are the lyrics. “Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman, Jr. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-toss...

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8: 28 I love this verse because to me it says, "God takes care of his people."  Sharing the secret ingredient in my pecan pie! Many who eat it guess bourbon, but it's not bourbon.  Ingredients:  Pastry crust 1/4 c. butter 3/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. flour  3 eggs 1/4 c. Kahlua 1/2 c. dark corn syrup 1 c. evaporated milk pecans (to taste. I use about a cup) Topping: Whipped cream or ice cream Preheat oven to 400. Cream together butter, sugar, flour, vanilla. Mix well. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in Kahlua, corn syrup, evaporated milk, pecans. Mix well and pour into pie pan already lined with the crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake until firm (about 40 minutes). Cool. Serves 8 to 10. Happy Thanksgiving!

Clear water bubbled from the fountain and shot heavenward like liquid crystals; then, spilled into the blue pool. Strolling up to it from a sea of cars in the parking lot was like trudging through a dark, dense thicket in the forest and emerging on the other side into a bright, sunny day. The presence of water spurting triggered thankfulness for prayers answered and delight renewed. Until several years ago I’d taken the fountain for granted. In the summers I had relaxed with my family on the patio of a restaurant at the mall that overlooked the dancing water in a city in Georgia. Even shoppers walking past it and diners chatting near me hadn’t drowned out its sweet babbling / splashing sounds that had sent soothing vibrations into the busy day. Erupting from the cement, sparkling underneath the sun, it had brought nature to life amid the asphalt and concrete buildings, until the drought. Since the dry spell had lasted for a couple of long years the fountain had sat quiet. Each time I h...