gving thanks

It's fall here.  You can kind of tell by the leaves.  Actually, I saw the leaves in the second picture yesterday - in the treeline around the property, and grabbed my camera.   We don't really get the beautiful changing leaves thing here.  Never mind that it's been in the 80's the past few weeks.  A cold front is coming through tonight, and tomorrow night's football game will be in the 40's.  Brrrr...and I don't think long johns will fit under my jeans...




 We started off this morning with Mass.  I knew that I was going - alone if needed.  But dear hubby and older child ended up coming along, too.  There was a nice crowd there.  It was short - about 35 minutes, but it never seems rushed.  Everything we have or are comes from God.  We don't deserve any of it.  It has taken  me a while to wrap my mind around that.  We were raised to work for what we wanted, and to appreciate things as the fruits of OUR labor, not God's generosity.

At Mass we witness the greatest miracle in the world - Jesus coming to us in the Eucharist (which not coincidentally means "Thanksgiving").  Do we remember to express our gratitude for that tremendous act of love?  

 We celebrated with hubby's family this year.  His older son drove in from Texas last night with his wife and six kiddos!  We ate with SIL and her crew.  We were 20+ for dinner.  Afterwards was the Saints game.  We thought all was lost, because they really didn't play well the second half, but they managed to pull out a victory at the last minute! 

We have so many blessings to be thankful for.  Thank you, Lord.