Outside my window…..as my Mom used to say – it is a good day to be a duck!! Super rainy, completely gray and even a bit of wind. Actually a good day to cozy up with a warm, fall drink and stay inside, but I do have plans today. Celebrating a friend’s birthday:) And so I will greet this gray day with a smile. And lots of hairspray.
I am (not) wearing…..tights, just yet. It does seem like tights weather – and I do love tights and sweater weather – but it just seems a bit too soon. I have an entire winter to rock those tights so why rush it??
I am thinking….about someone very special to our family who was in a serious car accident three days ago. He is still not home from the hospital (but hopefully today) but his injuries could have been (truthfully, should have been) so much worse – if not tragic. God so clearly protected him and even worked miracles. Since the accident, I have been thinking/reflecting on how grateful I am that our friend is doing so well and will completely recover and, as well, just how good God is to each of us. It can be so easy to take His protection for granted. To take any of His mercies and goodness for granted. It should not take a near-tragedy to remind me – but too often it does.
I am going….out to lunch. Taking my friend to celebrate her 60th birthday. Yes, I am at the age where my friends/my people are all turning sixty. I try not to let “a number” get to me – but, if I am honest, turning sixty is a reality check. Days are fleeting and time is limited. Time to create a legacy, make an impact, and/or time to finish my race well. Yes, I do think about that things and entering a new decade is a sobering reminder. Neither of my parents lived to their mid-60s and that is sobering as well. Not depressing just a true reality check.
I am reading….the book of Hosea in my devotions each morning. That one requires reading and re-reading. I find the minor prophets a challenge, to be sure, and I will confess to often reading simply “to get it done.” I am also studying the book of Mark with an online Bible study group. Mark is my favorite of the gospels and I could easily read and re-read it. However, both books should get my full attention and even enthusiasm. Any suggestions for creating a thirst for some of the harder books of the Bible??
I am remembering….how much fun we used to have with our kiddos during the fall. The field trips to a pumpkin patch. The fun art projects with leaves and acorns and other treasures. All the hiking. Yes, even I enjoyed hiking. Our church used to have a candy give-away for the church kiddos. No costumes or decorated trunks back then…just lots and lots of candy. My children had as much fun sorting the candy and bartering trades for their favorites as they did eating the candy. Of my three – one would portion control his candy in order to make it last a while, one would eat it all in three days or less (if allowed) and, one would hoard hers away until spring!
I am hoping….this upcoming election will be fair. That it will be an answer to prayer and that it might actually make a difference in this state. I am also very much hoping it will be over soon. So many ads!!
From the kitchen…..a few pumpkin recipes. I have not completely thrown in the towel (as I suggested last week) and am so grateful for several who left me recipes in the comments and/or by email. Both pumpkin recipes and chile/soup recipes. I’m working my way through all of them! My favorite this week was baked pumpkin oatmeal. I love oatmeal – I really love baked oatmeal – and this one did not disappoint. It is actually almost gone…and I’m making another pan tomorrow. Yesterday we went to a pumpkin patch (like we were kids!) and market. The apples were so gorgeous – now I have a hankering for some apple goodness!
Around the house…..it looks like fall – but it is just about to look a bit more Thanksgiving! Do you decorate for Thanksgiving? I have quite a few turkeys and pilgrims…they are some of my favorite things and I always look forward to setting them out. I just swap a few of the pumpkins and acorns. I don’t decorate for Christmas until mid-December so I have plenty of time to enjoy this season and holiday.
Plans for the weekend….other than that Thanksgiving decorating, the next couple of days ahead looks pretty status quo. There are a few “fall bucket list” things I would like to do before it turns cold but I don’t think the weather is going to cooperate this weekend. Luckily, I am at the stage of life where the weekend and weekdays rather look alike:)
One of the favorite things…random Thursdays that include a stop at a pumpkin patch. And an order of delicious french fries!!
I’m going to check out that pumpkin oatmeal recipe you mentioned! For working through harder books of the Bible, one thing that has helped me is to try to memorize portions of the book. It helps me understand the book in a deeper way and connect it more to other portions of the Bible. I’ve been thinking I want to give the minor prophets more attention too – even though iv’e read them dozens of times, I couldn’t probably tell you what is in most of them! 😬
Oh what could be more serendipitous than a whole field of pumpkins just waiting to go home with us!
One of the great things about retirement is that every day is a weekend day 😉
I wonder why the big birthdays that end with a zero seem to be a time to reflect? We all do it! My 60th was three years ago now, I’m not sure I feel any different now to how I did then. It’s not so bad, honestly!
We don’t decorate our homes for Autumn really over here, we save ourselves for Christmas, but I see pictures of all those lovely decorated homes that you do so well over there that I wish maybe we did make more of an effort!