A Season of Gratitude

The blessing of having family on both sides of the 49th parallel is that we get to not only celebrate Thanksgiving twice, in October in Canada and then again in November down in Texas, but we have over a month to think about all we are thankful for. It creates in our lives a season of gratitude. This week we are in Texas celebrating with our Texans and so it seemed like the perfect time to share some of the things that I am grateful for in this season of my life.

The first one, as always is our family. As you can see from the pictures our entire family was together in late summer. What an incredible time of making memories which we hold very dear! There is much laughter in the walls of our home!

 Having all of our children and grandchildren home provided us with a unique opportunity to get together with my sister and her entire family, which meant that all 15 of my parents great-grandchildren were together for the first time!! Heather is holding the youngest who was sleeping but I did manage to take this picture to remember the moment.

I'm so thankful that my parents are still both alive, and that we have been able to spend some extended time with them this year, due to a couple of funerals and then a health crisis. I took this picture of my mother with her three remaining brothers at my aunt's funeral in early July and then by September we were headed back to Calgary for my oldest uncle's funeral(to the right of my mother on this picture)

I'm thankful that in spite of my debilitating back issues that I can still have a meaningful ministry with our new staff as well as writing devotionals and mentoring others both in person and online. In a season of much sitting and quiet I am grateful that I am still able to impact the lives of others in this way.

And most of all I realize as I have been reflecting on this during these sunny Texas days, I am thankful for the gift of joy that I can choose every day. What an incredible blessing! Regardless of the pain or the physical restrictions my body places on me, every day is a day to be cherished and enjoyed.