Tag: USA

Thankful

This coming Thursday, in the USA, is Thanksgiving Day.  It represents the beginning of the Christmas season and a day to be thankful.

Most seem to celebrate by gathering with loved ones and feasting on a wonderful roasted (or fried or tofu-ed) turkey with stuffing and sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes and gravy and cranberry sauce and pies and rolls and………. whatever food you love.

Others celebrate by shopping for Christmas.  I did the major day after sale thing (aka Black Friday) only once.  I. Will. Never. Do. That. Again.

I’m not a great shopper.  That means that the task is not pleasant to me.  Online shopping is wonderful.

Back to Thanksgiving.  It is a time to be thankful. Well, it’s always time to be thankful. But this is the season that more people give thanks than normal.

Today I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus.  He is my best Friend and always good.

I am thankful for my Family, and that includes the Friends that have become my family also.  I have the best sons and daughters and grandkids a person could possibly ask for.  I am thankful for my husband – even though he broke my favorite mug – he is the best for me.

I am thankful for my health and for my future.  I am expecting mighty things to come to pass.

I am thankful for the one daughter I gave birth to and lost too early in life.  BUT – I truly am thankful to have been her mom and known her.  The memories I have are amazing.

Giving thanks, in general, brings smiles and peace to your heart.  It’s a good practice and I believe opens the windows and doors to a better life no matter what your circumstances.

May your mouths and hearts be full of thankfulness this season and always.  Give it a go!  You may be surprised how your perspective changes over time.

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Enjoy!

Cate B

More Around The Burg

An incredible day in the mid-west, USA.  We put the top down on “The Jeep” and the two images of sky is me looking up.  Clear, perfect temps and just plain relaxing!

Enjoy!  And have a wonderful weekend!

cate b

Looking out the top of The Jeep
sunning his wings
a new little guy
If you build it……..
enough said!
fishing
The harvest is over
and at the end of our drive ……through the top of The Jeep

This Land Was Made For You And Me

I have had the opportunity to travel across my nation at least ten times.  I have lived in about six out of fifty states.  I have entered many more – but not all fifty -yet.  There is such a vast difference in landscapes and climates in the USA.  I have yet to see the Grand Canyon and Alaska………. so much to see.

I am presently vacationing in the state where I grew up.  Therefore, this post will be short – but sweet.

This Land Is Your Land
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.

I’ve roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.”
But on the other side it didn’t say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

More pictures will follow soon.  But until then, here is a pic of the New York skyline – minus The Twin Towers of The World Trade Center 😦

New York Skyline
New York Skyline

Enjoy!

cate b

A Tribute to Moms, Mums, Mommies, Mama’s and Mother’s

Here, in the USA, we celebrate Mother’s Day once a year!  It falls on a Sunday and it happens to be tomorrow.  I do not know how many other nations celebrate their mothers – let me know in the comments.

It was awkward for me, as a child, to celebrate my mom.  I loved her and wanted to give her gifts.  But, she was a widow.  There was no father figure in our home and no one to go to to ask for money to buy her something.  I had to ask her, the very person you are buying for or making a gift for.  I think I did my best for a young child.

I want to thank my mom (who passed in 2001) for doing her best.  She had it hard as a child, herself.  She had it hard being left to raise three children without her husband.  She worked and provided well for us.  Thank you Mom.

Here is a great video honoring mothers of all sorts for their sacrifice and giving to their children. And to the mother’s who maybe you felt abandoned by or whatever the case may be – I will not justify their choices – but in reality, we do not know what they were going through on the inside, or the things they were told and taught by others.  As hard as it may be, choose to move on.  Don’t waste years of your life wishing it was better.  You may be a mom or a dad someday and your kids will need you to be present and well.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms!

Enjoy!

cate b

Groundhog Day

It is February 2nd, 2014.  Each year, on this date in the USA, we celebrate Groundhog Day.  We anxiously await the prediction of the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, to tell us when spring will come.  This winter, in particular, we want to hear of an early spring arrival.  Didn’t happen. The famous furry creature has told us six more weeks of winter .

Punxutawney Phi
Punxutawney Phil
http://www.groundhog.org
http://www.groundhog.org

 

It’s an amusing celebration that we have acquired over the years.  But what made it even more fun for us Americans was Hollywood’s production of Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andi MacDowell.  Totally enjoyable and some watch it every year to add to the fun of it.

Great movie
Great movie

This year is extra special.  The Superbowl is today also!  And the game will be in New Jersey (my home state) where it is very cold right now.  But even more special for my husband and I is the fact that five years ago, this very day, we drove all our possessions into Kansas City, Missouri to begin a new adventure.  Here we are.  It has been an adventure of ups and downs and adjustments.  Now we look forward to more………….

Here we are with our team, waiting for grub - just kidding
Here we are with our team, waiting for grub – just kidding
is that a groundhog on the side of the road?
is that a groundhog on the side of the road?

Happy Sunday everyone and oh, Happy Groundhog Day to y’all!

Enjoy!

cate b

 

 

 

 

USA Thanksgiving

I know the internet is being bombarded right now with blogs and such of Thanksgiving and being Thankful posts.  I don’t always feel compelled to join the crowd…… but here goes.

While skimming through posts and Facebook I saw someone ask what is the American Thanksgiving all about?  It has definitely lost a good portion of its meaning over the years.  Here is a nutshell of its origin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

To my family, we love to get together and just be.  We love each other and get along.  We absolutely love the feasting and talking about the feasting and next years food.  We do give a prayer of thanks to our Lord for each other and for all He has done for us.  And we eat, and eat and enjoy each other’s company and miss the ones who couldn’t be with us.

There it is.  I am thankful.  I have very little needs and have more wants than needs I think.  And I usually whittle my wants list to one or two things when I realize I really don’t need most of the wants.  We are healthy.  One thing I do want is to see more positive posts on Facebook instead of hateful and angry posts how our country and it’s politicians are so stupid and wrong.  I know they are.  I’m not blind and I don’t turn a deaf ear, but being angry at the angry and stupid people will never solve anything.  I choose to try my best to hear all sides and pray that God will have mercy and that He will be heard by all who cry out to Him for the future of our nation.  I choose to do my best and vote for the right people.  Not any one group is 100% correct.

So on that note, I wish all you Americans a wonderful and thankful Thanksgiving holiday.  And to all my friends in other nations I wish you health and prosperity in all forms.

Enjoy!

wingedprisms (cate b)

http://www.blogher.com/nablopomo
http://www.blogher.com/nablopomo

A Picture is Worth

For this fine Sunday morning where we apparently gained an hour of sleep in most parts of the USA, I bring you a simple picture of our two grand daughters.  Meet Lucy and Penny June.

Lucy and baby sis, Penny June
Lucy and baby sis, Penny June

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  What do you see?  I was there and I know how thrilled Lucy was to get a new sister.  But perhaps one could see a big sister dreaming of being, well, in control perhaps?

Enjoy your Sunday and enjoy your life.  Would love to hear your thoughts.

cate b

NaBloPoMo_November_small blogher.com

The Bruises of Life

Another tragedy for America – The Boston Marathon Bombings.  With each disaster that hits our nation comes a twinge of pain, as in an old wound that acts up from time to time.  When we experienced first hand a great loss in our family (see Prisoner of Hope series on this blog) it brought a wound that will never totally heal.  I’m not even sure that is the right phrasing – I feel I’ve healed in the sense that I got through the initial shock and severe blow of loss – but the pain of loss will always be there.  It will pop up when I hear of others pains and loss.  It acts up much like arthritis or other similar ailments due to weather change, etc.  But much harder.  With each new attack of disaster or missing children or even forecasts of severe storms, the pain twinges.

But know that with each twinge it does a good thing deep down inside of me.  I’ll try to put it into words.  I think that those who understand these words will get this and those who don’t quite, but almost, it will cause you to look deeper within.  These twinges bring to me a strong desire for fellow human beings.  We are all vulnerable to hard times, to disasters, etc.  No one is exempt from hard times.  No one.  So my heart aches and hurts for those who are hit – in any shape or form – from bullying to misunderstandings to loss and devastation.

My heart goes out to Boston and all those who attended that Marathon.  It was a day that represents great victory for all who trained and ran – and turned into such a low blow – such heart ache.

My heart goes out to those who can’t grasp this.  I saw some FB posts that implied that this is daily occurrence in other nations – so we should think more of them.  I understand that.  But here in the USA it is not a daily occurences.  It is not part of our daily lives.  My heart aches for those nations who do live this way in fear, I want that to change for them.  But I also want America to rise up and unite and stand on our roots.  I want us to want violence to stop.  I don’t know if this is realistic or not.  But THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.  ALWAYS.

I pray for our law and government safety enforcement and medical teams to be safe and to have wisdom to thwart these plots in advance.  I pray for all who attended that fear would not become a part of their lives and I pray for those who lost that healing would come and they would become stronger through such loss. and able to help others.

God bless,

cate b.

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