Fun Times at the Georgia Aquarium (photo courtesy of Dwight Woodward : )

My brother & I returned Tuesday evening from a quick jaunt to Atlanta just in time to ‘do’ Thanksgiving for the Savvy Saints & our family. (The Cook had to don her apron for the Big Day, dashing in & out of Grocery Shops for all the trimming makings along the way!) Of course, the Cook (that would be ME) was VERY TIRED from playing Tourist in Atlanta with her ‘let’s-go-see-everything’ brother dearest.  We zoomed in to see the Georgia Aquarium (staying literally across the street.) Saturday morning dawned bright with Dwight hurrying me along (mind you, it’s 7:30 a.m. & the Aquarium doesn’t open until 9:00 a.m.) “but Ginny, we only have NINE HOURS to see it!”

Nine AMAZING hours later we trudged back in awe of God’s Heavenly Paintbrushes – BUSY at work underwater (not just in sunsets & Autumn leaves!) Then Sunday & Monday we pounded the pavement through the Art Museum, World of Coca Cola, CNN & the ZOO…& spent a lovely evening out on the town with dear family friends, Pepper & Gwen…

Back to the Tired Cook – for some reason in America our Forefathers (& Mothers) decided to be Thankful with FOOD: a feast of Thanksgiving after the harvest. Maybe all the hard Harvest work needed prayer (for things like rain, protection from wolves etc,) so the Pilgrims gave God the credit with thankful hearts (& full tummies!)

This year I am so grateful for so many things (not just all the yummy food – my sister Shere’s Scalloped Oysters & PIES & my sister Cindy’s Pea Casserole & Cranberry Salad – oh la la! : )  … & it’s nice to be HOME.  I worked through so many Thanksgivings overseas – one year zoomed my boss around to meetings the whole day in Dar & realized at 9:00PM on the way home ‘it’s Thanksgiving(!)’ so stopped at a favorite Indian restaurant for Dal takeaway, eaten with Thanksgiving in my hot African apartment!

Being Thankful IS GOOD – very good (see previous posts re: kicking the cranks by giving thanks) – but it’s also good to be thankful all the time vs. one day of the year. Check it out – all around us, within us – God’s Hand at work. Busy, busy. Sometimes we need to open our eyes a bit wider or slow our daily sprint down to a take-it-in shuffle. Even in the rough harvest patches, there’s still stuff to be thankful (maybe not for the worms – but plump worms feed birds & plump birds eventually become Thanksgiving Food for non- Vegetarians!)

If you’re reading this, you must be alive. Life is a Gift – a good start to the ‘be grateful for’ list. Life CAN be tough & not seem like a gift but a chore (to survive the next month, week, day, hour…) but HEY – asking God for  daily Grace, Joy, Peace, Wisdom & LOTS of Mercy – helps us find the Gifts around us & within us & what’s needed to face the worms in our Harvest.    A Thanksgiving Amen (!)

(Miss Blogger mush dash as The University of Virginia is playing Virginia Tech – did i mention that Virginia – from the State of Virginia – also went to The University of Virginia?? yep. Wahoo WAAAAAAAH! Papa says that UVA may even have a chance this year. My 1st year Tech trounced us 40-0; since half my high school went to Tech & roadtripped for the Game, this was quite humiliating… that continued all 4 years!  well, we’ll see…Papa always watches Tech games, so SOMEONE will be happy tonight!!)

grace, peace & LEFTOVERS!!!

    Virginia : )