Gather Round The Table

Let's Celebrate What's Good In Our Lives – Who Is Amazing In Our Lives – Courtesy of MSN Clipart

Let’s Celebrate What’s Good In Our Lives – Who Is Amazing In Our Lives – Courtesy of MSN Clipart

There’s room for everyone, as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week across this great land. Families and friends travel far and wide to get together and connect once more. We eat, we talk and laugh. It’s a time of giving, a time to catch up, to share and be grateful. There is much to reflect on this year and much for which to count our blessings.

“Every time I pick up a coin on the street, I view it as a symbol of the abundance that God sends into my life, and I feel gratitude.”
— Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

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Acknowledgements: "Room At The Table" by Carrie Newcome more...

A Grateful World Is a Happy World

David Steindl-Rast It is not happiness that makes us grateful, it is gratefulness that makes us happyCreative Commons License BK via Compfight

As Thanksgiving approaches, I have to admit I’m struggling with gratitude. My emotions are mixed and my heart is conflicted with unrest from the recent Paris and Mali shootings and the rants of hate.

It’s hard to put everything into perspective and settle down to celebrate with a quiet dinner and give thanks with so much going on in the world. I will, not because of tradition, but because it’s what is so desperately needed and there is so much for which I’ve been blessed.  Continue reading

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Acknowledgements: BK Photo via Comcast at https://www.f more...

Time to Give ― Be Grateful ― Reflect

Aspens

Fall Colors in the Rockies © 2013 by Pat Ruppel

Time to give, time to be grateful, time to reflect ― it’s almost Thanksgiving in the U.S. and, like most, we’re busy planning and preparing. But, this year will be a quiet celebration for hubby and me. We’ll be hanging around home eating, watching football games and old Hallmark movies ― just the two of us.

Sounds traditional, but not really, I can already feel the closeness of home and energy of gratitude. I cherish these times together and remember it was just last year when hubby took ill suddenly and was in and out of the hospital a couple of times between Christmas and New Year’s. Continue reading

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Acknowledgements: John Koenig at "The Dictionary of Obs more...

Little Things: #Story #Poem

Fall Colors - Aspens

Fall colors in the Rockies — © Pat Ruppel

We’re moving right along into the heart of the holiday season not being too far removed from Halloween. With gratitude and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m honored to be Susan Cooper’s guest at “Finding Our Way Now” with the contribution of this month’s story.

I hope it will bring you home to the things that are important in your life. Please enjoy:

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The Little Things

What is one thing that you still remember to this day that warms your heart and puts a smile on your face? I’ll bet it was something spontaneous and incidental but you still remember it as if it was just yesterday….where you were, who was with you, the sounds and smells.

It’s not anything big – you tune into the little things. It may be a twinkle in the eyes of a loved one as they tell you some exciting news or read something to you that inspired them.

My husband wrote a poem years ago that is one of those special little things that means a lot to me. I have it hanging on the wall.

He was taking some classes in college at the time and not long before we had left our roots in Toledo and Cape Charles, VA and headed west.

It was 1969 and our trek was similar to a modern-day wagon train except we were in our Volvo station wagon with 2 dogs pulling a U-Haul. . . (read more)

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Thank you, Susan, for the opportunity to share my story with your readers. It is my hope this will kick off the month with love and gratitude and carry throughout the holidays.

Blessings ~ from Pat at the ‘ol kitchen table (also see “You Were There“)