50. My Oregon Trip

Activities, Events, Family 0

OregonCoast1

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Oregon.

I like to make this blog about *present* blessings, but I was not able to do much posting on my trip.  So I will first be thankful for the whole trip, that I was able to go and had a wonderful time.  My subsequent posts will get into specifics.

Overall — I got to take a week off work and go to Portland.  The excuse was a Young Adult Library Services Association Symposium.  But I stayed before and after the symposium to see various loved family members.

And it was a simply wonderful week.

49. My Church Community

Friends, Spiritual Blessings 0

Today my pastor preached a dynamic message, which tied closely with things I’d been thinking about.  And then friends both after church and at my small group, discussed those things, and in general gave me great emotional support.

Being part of a Community of Christ-followers is such a blessing.  I’ve had some emotional issues come up in my life lately.  And not everyone in my church or small group necessarily thinks exactly the same way as I do about these issues.  But they care about me, help me think things through, pray for me, and in general make me feel loved and supported.

They make me feel that we’re walking this life together.  And that’s a beautiful thing, and such a blessing.

48. Glowing Leaves

Nature 0

GlowingLeaves2 The day after I mentioned being thankful for Autumn was my day off.  It dawned on me that I hadn’t been home at sundown in weeks (because the sun goes down while I’m driving home from work, and I’d had weekend activities lately).  When I looked out my window in the late afternoon, I was stunned to see the sun spotlighting the line of red maple trees on the hill on the other side of my lake.  They were at their peak of colorfulness and looked stunning. I had to go out!

GlowingLeaves3

Instead of my usual walk on the path around the lake, I walked through the corridor of bright and shining leaves.

These pictures only begin to give the idea of the amazing display.  All of the pictures I took here had me exclaiming aloud when I first saw how beautiful it was.  It sounds silly to say I gasped at the beauty, but that’s the truth.  What a tremendous blessing that evening was.  It felt like my own private astonishing display.

GlowingLeaves1

47. Cleaning Up After Only Myself

Activities, General 0

I think I need to remind myself of some of the perks of living alone!

And Saturday night I did a housecleaning — and it was so easy!  And it’s just not going to get dirty very fast!  And I have so much time for more interesting things!  And I don’t have to clean up any disgusting Man-Mess.  (Yes, a husband and kids are worth it — but there’s always a good side!  Just reminding myself.)  Other people’s messes are always a little harder to tolerate than your own.  And I simply don’t have to deal with that for this season in my life.

46. Autumn

Nature 0

Autumn

I lived in southern California from the year I turned 6 to the year I turned 26 — and to me, Autumn still seems like a miracle.

I don’t get tired of taking pictures of colored leaves (as my Facebook friends are well aware).  And I don’t get tired of looking at them.

So beautiful.  Such a blessing to get to live where the trees turn into glorious works of art!

Autumn2

45. Committee Work

Activities, Libraries 0

So — It’s kind of a funny thing.  I got on ALSC’s Grants Administration Committee as a way of doing my time in hopes I’d be considered a good candidate for the Newbery Committee some day.  After two years on the Children and Technology Committee, I did two years on the Grants Administration Committee — and this year I’m committee chair.

The funny thing?  I’m really enjoying it.  Yes, it is tough to evaluate the different applications.  (Fortunately, it’s not all up to me.  We’ve got a committee for that.)  But hearing what people are doing in their libraries helps make me excited about being a librarian.  And touching the lives of children.

And now I get to help generous people give money to help that happen for other librarians in other libraries.  And that’s a blessing.

44. KidLitCon 2015

Books, Events, Friends 0

I spent Friday and Saturday at KidLitCon in Baltimore!

KidLitCon is a yearly conference for children’s book bloggers.  The location rotates, so this year with it in driving distance — I had to go!  This was my fourth KidLitCon, and again it was such a treat to be with “my people” — people who love children’s books as much as I do!

43. My Friendly Neighborhood Great Blue Heron

Nature 0

Heron

 

This morning I was having my quiet time and wondering a little bit if I’m in the right place.  I’d been looking at photos from my time in Germany last night, and remembering what a boost I’d get from visiting castles.  Maybe I should try to go back?  But when I was there before, I had a husband and two sons to do the castling with.  People really make all the difference.

And here I have a super meaningful job and wonderful connections with people at church.  And I was thinking about lots of good things in my life right now, while staring out the window down at my lake — when the great blue heron walked right through my view.

He quickly went behind grasses, so I couldn’t get a picture of him from my house, but you can be sure I brought my camera when I went for my walk later.  And yes, I got my heron fix!

I laugh about the idea of a heron fix, but I have to admit that regularly seeing my friendly neighborhood great blue heron never fails to remind me that I have a beautiful life, here and now.

42. Headache Free!

Health 0

I have gotten headaches frequently since at least fourth grade.  I used to go out and play on a cement playground in southern California in bright sunshine.  Funny thing, but I used to frequently get a headache after lunchtime recess.

Anyway, they have gotten significantly, hugely, wonderfully less frequent since I turned 50 and hit “the change.”

Mind you, last week I had a very low-grade headache that lasted four days.

But that was just enough to remind me that I used to think that on the days I didn’t have a headache, I should be sure to thank God.

So I am doing so today.

THANK YOU, GOD!!!  I DON’T HAVE A HEADACHE TODAY!!!

And that is a blessing indeed.

41. Dinner with a Lifelong Friend

Friends 0

I am so blessed to live near two friends I’ve known since 3rd grade.  Which now is a large enough percentage of my life, I can call them my lifelong friends.

Tonight I had dinner with one of them, Darlene, for her birthday.  Since we went to the same place we went to last June for my birthday, we think we’ve started a tradition!

But when I spend a couple hours with someone I’ve known so long, someone who knows me through and through and knows my family and cares about me and who’s just fun to be with — well, it’s going to be a long time before I feel lonely.  Even when I go home to my solitary snuggery.

I have some of the best friends a person could ever wish to have.  I am tremendously blessed.