Whispers.

Today is 3hugs&blessings Thursday and I can bearly stand it!

37f6be6f5425b6b2db6e5bcfe16d1c43

I love pausing in my week, on THIS day (before I am engulfed in all the plans for the Weekend) to reflect on the things I have scooped into the “grateful  pile.”  This Thursday of Thankfulness has developed in a twist-over-a-twirl way.

Spending a little time devoted to ‘blog-reading’ via The Reader, I discovered what a vanilla-esque life I live compared to the vibrant lives I was discovering, through the various posts in the que.  By the time my reading had completed I pushed back, palms against the temples, to rub away the gloom! I had become grumbly-grumpy and not being fond of the agitation that was clump-lumping together I collected myself, my plaid-fall coat, my award-winning (best golden-retriever in the Universe) dog, Helen, and went for a walk.IMG_6478

Three steps away from the driveway and the thorn-in-my brain, agitating thought, became clear; “I live a small life.”  IMG_6583

“Humph!”

I haven’t been to the Rain Forests of Zimbabwe.

I haven’t inoculated babies in Berma.

And I’ve never been commissioned (or been brave enough) to do a chalk-drawing in the middle of the streets of Chicago!

So what’s there to be grateful for???? My ‘pile of gratitude’ suddenly seemed sadly insignificant.

IMG_6589

“Oh, Bother!”

oh-bother

With each step I began listing in my head the things I had collected in this weeks pile, in hopes of extracting 3 at least ‘medium-than-life’ things I would lift up in Thanksgiving.  Before I realized it…I had walked over four blocks, across 3, back another four toward my home.  As I walked around the final bend to approach our driveway Helen & I came to an abrupt halt IMG_6594when I recognized I had walked this entire distance without a single pause in my mental accounting of blessings, over the course of this one week!  I Giggled as I walked up the driveway, bent down to unleash Helen, then paused to whisper in her ear…

FullSizeRender

“We may have a small life compared to most Helen, but it certainly is bountiful!

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17

For These hugs n’ 3 blessings I give Thanks!

*The women I shared a lunch with, the women I prayed with, and a God who brought us all together.

*All the beautiful spaces & places & people from our hometown who have been so wonderful to work with in the planning of our daughter & future son-in-law’s wedding.

*The forever gift my grandmother gave me when she taught me how to crochet, and the joy of now crocheting items for our grand-daughter!

whispering 3hugs&blessings to you, in whatever you do too!

tick-tock!

tick-tock!

tick-tock!

it’s that time,

to turn back our clocks!

Winnie-the-Pooh-clock
photo courtesy disney.com

Daylight-savings strikes this weekend in our Northeastern part of the country, as we slide our clocks back an hour Sunday at 2AM. However, here at hugs n’ blessings I’m sliding the publishing calendar back an ENTIRE Day to…

three-things-thursday-spreading-happiness1

The blogging world has opened up many opportunities for me to meet exciting people, travel to places right in the comfort of my home, cook recipes I may have never known, explore thoughts that expand my mind & my heart, and connect with like minded people who share my faith, my humor, and support me in my goal of reaching Heaven!

There are many many I hope to give thanks for but I give 3hugs&blessings for these three today:

Maria Velazco at Silence Speaks I could list many of the articles she has written that I have enjoyed; however, her article Forgiving and Black Sheep are two of my favorites because they are so personal & life-giving!

Vincent Egoro at Live Your Greatest Life.  I love everything Vincent writes!

One of his most recent met me at my heart’s center

The Secret to Real Strength.

Vibrant at blabberwockying! is my most eclectic-read.  His writings have exposed me to many different things and even though we have very little in common our love of “heart-matters” unites us in many ways!  Again, I could high-light a number of his writings to share with you but here is just one of my favorites Don’t Worry Too Much About Critics!  I am sure you will find many more you too will enjoy at his site!

I hope you will check their sites out soon, so that you may find a hug n’ a blessing there too!!

hugs n’ blessings as we move toward November…

when I will be joining in the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month.)

All month during November I will be giving THANKS, not just on ‘Thanksgiving Day’, but EVERYday!

7b0feefea8b6b600e6364ca70da7c8e5

And I pray something along the way will inspire THANKS within you!