Giving Thanks… in Triumph or Trial
I would wager heavily… that each and every one of us have had times… where coming up with a reason for praise or thanks took a bit of thought. It is so easy to get consumed by the struggles we are going through… that sometimes we have to pause for a moment of reflection to come up with a positive spin.
On the other side… I know there are also times where even the most ardent of pessimists amongst us… have cracked a smile… or maybe even chuckled. It is easy to be thankful in these moments.
Maybe it is a little easier for the optimist to find that light amongst the dark. But even they sometimes have to work for that positive attitude. Pessimism and self pity seem to come easy for most of us. But they are only easier initially… kind of like procrastination. These sentiments tend to dig us deeper into holes… that are even harder to get out of. A little optimism might help us avoid stepping in those holes in the first place.
But of course, there are holes in life we cannot avoid. And sometimes we have no choice but to take the time to deal with the grief that comes as a result. Taking the time to deal with that adequately is necessary to build the strength to climb out of that hole… and stay out. Try to climb out too soon and you may fall back in. But eventually… we need to climb out into the light. And there is a hand that can help pull us out!
I am not sure if I am an optimist… or a pessimist by nature. Although I think my Faith has tipped me toward the optimist side of that fence. What is the song?... ”I found the happy side of life…”. The song is a little cheesy for me… but a little bit of Faith can go a long way to help us deal with the challenges we face. I think the nurturing bed of Love it provides… helps to sprout Peace even amongst trials… which grows into Hope in our heart… that eventually blooms into Joy in our spirit. Like the candles representing the season of advent… that so closely follows Thanksgiving!
I pray none of you need to work too hard to come up with a number of reasons to be thankful as we go into this Thanksgiving holiday! If it does take a moment of reflection to get there… Take that Moment. Find that reason for thanks. Hold fast to it as we enter the advent season. Maybe set up some candles in a wreath… and pray as you light each candle… reflecting on the theme and reason for each. Maybe that little spark and flame can kindle a fire in your heart… that can keep you warm through the winter ahead!
Wow… and I said the song was cheesy! But there is truth in it… “I found the happy side of life… I found the happy side of life… With Jesus as my savior… (clap)… I found the way! … I found the happy side of… I found the happy side of… I found the happy side of life! The Happy Side”.
So regardless if your celebration is big… or small… Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Visit from Old Friends
I got to see a couple of old friends this month that I had not seen in a while. These friends have been there for me for about as long as I can remember. But it is funny how the circumstances under which a friend shows up… can make a difference in how it makes us feel at the moment.
One showed up about when he should have been expected. But I was not quite ready for him to show up. So even though I love the old friend… the surprise was not very pleasant as I was not prepared.
While the other also showed up about when he should have been expected. But I had thought about him earlier… and started watching for him. So when he finally showed up… I was ready and pleasantly surprised.
It is strange that I felt this way… because I really like the first friend every bit as much as the second one. In fact, I have really spent more time… and have had a lot more personal experiences with the first one. You might even say the second is really more of an old acquaintance… more so than a close personal friend. But the timing and circumstances effected the sensations/emotions I experienced when they showed up.
The first friend is named Snow. I was really hoping the kids would get a nice night for trick or treating this year. Instead, my beloved old friend showed up again for the first time this year on Halloween. Just as I headed out to take my seat and start handing out candy… I had to run back in the house to get a couple of garbage bags to cover the candy bowl so the candy did not get wet. Seems the last several years we have had a few flakes flying as I was setting out there. But this year it was coming down in earnest. I would guess it fell at about half an inch an hour… because the scarecrow beside me had about half an inch covering him after the first hour… and close to an inch before the second hour was up. At least the snow did not melt on him. I was not covered… but I was pretty wet and cold by the time the second hour was through. So November 1st… I woke up to a world of white. The old friend was much more appreciated the next morning… sparkling in the bright sunshine… with me warm and dry!
The second friend is called Orion. Another winter guest we don’t get to see all summer. I had started watching a few days ago but had not seen the massive constellation earlier. But tonight I headed out on my walk and got to a point where I could see the Eastern horizon… and there he was… just peaking out into view. By the time I finished my walk… he had made his way a bit higher into the sky… and was perched above the house as I started up the drive. I have been fascinated with Orion since early grade school when we had to research and write a paper about something… and I chose that champion of the Southern winter sky. Ever since I have watched for him to make his way across the winter sky… showing up late fall… and disappearing over the Western horizon toward spring.
How I do love the seasons… and the variety they offer! But it still takes a little adjusting to the cold… best get to it cause here it comes!
Raking leaves … Raising family… Helping friends
Think of all the things in our lives that can seem like never ending chores. This thought popped into my head out raking leaves this fall for the n’th time… which was not long after mowing the yard for n’th time… and before long I will be shoveling snow every few days. Yard work… house work… are never done!
Sure… you accomplish interim milestones as you finish individual tasks… and can look back over your work and be proud/satisfied. But after a few days of sunshine in the summer… wind in the fall… or storms in the winter… you get to start that task all over again!
Sometimes these can come to feel like thankless efforts. But then you come driving up to the house on one of those nice… sunny/snowy/windy days… and there before you is this picture perfect home. Maybe not perfect from all perspectives… but perfect enough to give you that warm fuzzy… deep down satisfied… happy peaceful smile. And all that work seems worth it!
The yard work became an analogy for raising a family… as while raking leaves… I was also contemplating things I had going on with the kids. I say kids… as they still feel like that to me. But in reality… they have not been kids for years. Then after I finished raking leaves… it dawned on me I should call Mom to say Hi… because I am still her kid… and she still wonders how I am… and prays for me… just as I do mine. I think this analogy holds true regardless the shape/size/content of your family/community (blood or buds). That is what makes it so great!
What can seem daunting… because it seems never ending. Can somehow come to be comforting… for the same reason! The winds of life are always blowing leaves into our yard (troubles into our lives). And while that means we HAVE to rake them up… it also means we GET to rake them up! This gives us a purpose… a sense of belonging! And never forget our days/years/lives are part of a greater cycle of generations/eternity with our ultimate Father in heaven… and his Son (our brother) Christ!
I pray you find peace/purpose/belonging in the tasks before you this day… and those ahead!
Shiawassee River
Many miles of paddling pleasure!
This summer I finally covered the last stretch of the Shiawassee River. I started this adventure without any clue of the big picture. Looking for a fun activity to do with the kids… I decided to take them and the dog for a ride in the canoe. And living in Holly… the Shiawassee River is a great place to go.
We started out paddling up or down the river a ways… and would then turn around and paddle back. The kids seemed to enjoy that… so one Sunday after church we paddled from Holly over to Fenton. We took other trips on other lakes and rivers… but the Shiawassee was close to home… and fun to explore.
Little did I know at the time… I would end up paddling the entire river. From the headwaters near Davisburg… through the lakes and millponds in all the little towns the river flows through. Eventually covering the last stretch through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge to where the Shiawassee and Tittabawassee merge to form the Saginaw River… and on to Saginaw.
Piece of River… Peace of Mind
I live in small town called Holly in Michigan. One of the features of our town that I enjoy is the small river running along the edge of town. The Shiawassee River has been an important asset for the town since the beginning. It has served as a route for travel, a source of water and a source of power… where I enjoy it as a source of entertainment and relaxation.
Here is something I said about it in a post some years ago…
I have always loved water. What other substance can crumble mountains, carve canyons, and build fertile plains. I suppose air deserves a solid assist. It gets water where it needs to go…and adds some polish...but water does all the heavy lifting. Yet I love water for a different reason. Sit beside any ocean, lake, or stream and listen…and your blood pressure drops. Take a dip…and it drops even more. Nothing can relax and refresh quite like water.
Nothing has the power of water…except Love. Evil may build mountains of hate, resentment, fear…but love can carve them up, tear them down, and build plains of peace and trust from what remains. Love is the ultimate healing balm…though water is still pretty cool.
And you may wish I would just leave it there…but I can’t. There was a reason Jesus proclaimed to be the living water…and stated that God is Love. Our God possesses all those powers and more. Listen to the Holy Spirit and let it guide you to those plains of peace, trust and Love…and hold fast to them as the world tries to drag you through the canyons, into those mountains of fear and despair. Hang in there baby!
So how can one relax after a day of work?
This is me after a day of too many questions from users.
Add a beautiful evening and a flowing river.
Float and paddle until mixed.
This is me after a little time on the river.
John’s Blog
National Lakeshore Trail - Through Pictured Rocks
This is just a start… as I am very new to this. But I intend to share some of what I am thinking… or have experienced recently.
My hope is you will have a look… have a laugh… and maybe respond with your thoughts!
These are all intended to be fun… maybe some will be thought provoking… maybe some just downright silly. I hope you will read what sounds interesting… and enjoy!
National Lakeshore Trail -Pictured Rocks
It all begins with an idea.
I have been on a quest… to lose a considerable amount of weight. I started finding it difficult to do the things I love… and realized if I did not do something… I would no longer be able to do what I love.
So I joined a site with an app… using it to track progress… and keep me accountable. It started working! I was making progress… and decided to come up with a challenge as a motivational goal.
Not long after moving to Michigan (back in 1985)… I made a trip to the Upper Peninsula (UP) and explored the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. While there I learned about the 42.5 mile National Lakeshore Trail though the park. For years this had been on a back burner as something I would like to do… but most friends did not seem interested.
Last winter this popped into my head as a challenge… worthy of being my motivational goal. I mentioned this to my brother… and found someone willing to jump on board!