Friday night grateful moment

It's Friday night. What shall we be grateful for? (I'll give you a hint: For so very much.)

For love. Divine love, earthly love, all love. Such a blessing, is love.

(Total aside: did you know that a bunch of unicorns is called a blessing of unicorns? Me neither. How awesome is that?)

For seasons. There is wind in the trees outside our bedroom, blowing in exactly the right direction so that I can hear and enjoy it, and not be chilled. It's trying to rain a little, and acting quite like spring again, rather than the full-on summer we had a week ago. This is good.

For quiet. Other than the trees and my own typing, it is silent. And lovely.

For good health. Not to be taken for granted, for a moment.

For bright spots in our days. Laughter, an encouraging word (given or received), a pause to reflect. The sunset, cloud formations, rain on the sidewalk. A happy pup greeting at the end of the day. A happy son greeting at the end of the day. Seeing my guys together, enjoying each other.

For music. I blame my wallawallamusicmama friend Jen for the recent ELO fixation. This song takes me back to walking through carefully through a cow-pie riddled field to catch a ride to school, somewhere around 1982. And this song, too.

Jen got me started with this video:



I love the energy of the group singing and strumming! If you want to get lost in YouTube for a bit, keep following the Wellington International (and/or UK) Ukelele Orchestra from video to video. It's a little bit magical. I can also waste a bit of time in college acapella groups...

For the strength to not be completely wrecked by a new fitness regimen. Slightly (well, OK a little more than slightly for a day or two) sore, but not wrecked.

For seasonal eating. Salads! Love all the fresh greens available. Especially baby kale. So delicate and healthy! And our strawberry plants are loaded with berries--now for some sunshine to turn them red! And I'm back on the green breakfast smoothie wagon too, this time with kale--it's awesome. Seth took one look at my mug 'o smoothie this week and made a face, gah, too healthy. Nope, it's really the perfect way to kick off the day, for me. (Well, with a coffee prequel and chaser, of course!)

For new takes on old favorites. Sometimes I get a little exasperated at how many times we collectively circle around ideas and themes (fairy tales retold and REtold, anyone?!), but if we're talking Shakespeare, I can always take a few more stabs at the same idea. I have long been a big fan of Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing, but here comes Joss Whedon and his spin. Looking forward to it, so very much.



For down to earth people. I am so grateful for real people. I know, you probably think, doh, of course, Sher, you live in rural Washington state. How much more real can it get? Ha. Setting is not always an accurate predictor of real vs. silly fake. Amazingly, even in Walla Walla, Wash., one can run into pretense, positioning, ridiculous politics, taking things too seriously or personally... Which makes me grateful for real. Salt of the earth, baby. Bring it.

At the end of every week, I am grateful for the pause. The rest. The ability to step away from the pull of the everyday and express thanks and praise to my Creator for this life, these people, these opportunities to live and give and serve. Blessings abound. Just gotta pause and take it all in.

I hope your weekend brings you all the fun you can handle, and a little rest to go along with it.

Peace.