Thursday Thankfulness

This was the sunrise on the first day of Autumn, (actually on 9/22/2026) 

A beautiful way to start my favorite season!

Yes, to answer my question on my last post, "is it fall yet?"...Yes, it's finally fall, both legally and atmospherically! At least for us here in Florida...The low today was 70, and the high was 80, and it was fairly cloudy and breezy all day, which feels like fall for us...still a little bit too humid to be perfect, but it's getting there...and tomorrow morning promises to be even better! It's supposed to be 64 degrees tomorrow morning, and a high of 80, and it should be bright and sunny, so I'm assuming lower humidity too. Which is all great since we are traveling tomorrow to visit the family as I've already told you, and the only glitch is my hubby will be performing that baptism of our niece in the swimming pool in the morning, and the pool isn't heated!  I did order him a pair of "waders" to wear in the water, which will cover his clothes and hopefully add a little warmth.

We shall see...but poor Shannon will just have to grin and bear it!  However, she's young and a very experienced swimmer in that pool, so hopefully the temperature won't bother her too much.  We had to move the actual time of the baptism up a bit earlier because Shannon has to go to work a little earlier than originally expected...so there's no time to let the sun warm up the water! Nevertheless, I know the Lord will warm all our hearts and hopefully our bodies too as we witness this very special event.  Thank you for so many who have sent words of blessing!

It felt so nice out we took a little  brief walk this morning, and here's some pretty things along the way:

Beautiful Coral Vine growing up the trunk of an old palm tree...

Can you see the bee?  I didn't notice him until I took the picture! Good thing I didn't get any closer! There were actually several bees buzzing arounf those flowers!

This pretty purple lantana was also blooming and climbing up the tree trunk...

A  little further down the walkway was this old oak tree and some more coral vine growing on that trunk! Interesting design where an old branch was cut off...

So I received a wonderful birthday package from a dear blogging friend today, who shall remain unnamed, but she knows who she is, and she always sends so many fun things to open.  Among them were four of these really cute placemats with a Black Cat on them...Looks like our Blackie, doesn't it? 

So I put one on the floor to see what Blackie would do...and well, see for yourself! 

He walked right over to that mat and laid right down on top of it!

I think he thought there was another cat on it that looked just like him! LOL.  Anyway, I guess that's Blackie's placemat from now on! LOL.

Here's a picture of Blackie and me, very early this morning, as you can tell by my "bedhead"! LOL.

He has definitely claimed this spot on my desk every morning while I am trying to read and write to you all (I think that's "Just Simply Linda's" blog post up there right now below... This is why I can't get anything done.  I had to move my mouse to the right side (I'm a lefty, and normally it's on the left) just to get it away from him so I could  work. At least in this picture he has turned his back on me so that gives me a few minutes to work without him grabbing my hand! LOL (I must have told him "No!" rather sternly when he tried to grab my hand and he got his feelings hurt so he turned his back on me. LOL)

Then he goes and sits in MY RECLINER, and I have this cover on it to help keep it from getting too covered with cat hair and whatever else he brings in with him, and to get him out of the chair so I can sit down I have to roll him up in it and roll him onto the floor, but in this case, I rolled him up and he wouldn't budge...so I just covered him up and left him there to finish his nap.  Guess who rules the roost in this house? And he doesn't even live inside full time! LOL! (nor does he pay rent! LOL)

Yes, this is my Thursday Thankfulness post. I may not have specified exactly what I am thankful for in words, but I think you can see it all in the pictures and hear it in my voice. Well, I guess you can't literally hear it, but you know what I mean! Yes, I am VERY thankful for dear friends...oh, and several more cards have come in the mail this week from blogging friends as well as other dear friends! You all are so sweet. I am not that thoughtful, I'm afraid. I rarely remember in time to send a card, and I apologize for that. I have a hard time keeping up with dates, etc., it seems anymore.  

And I am thankful for our family, with whom we will be tomorrow to celebrate Shannon's baptism and also my birthday. 

And I am thankful for this furry black kitty who drives me crazy sometimes, but he sure does make life more fun and interesting. He is definitely a gift from God.  I think God knows what we need even when we don't really think we need something...

I am thankful to be able to take a walk with my hubby in the mornings, especially now that it is starting to get a little cooler.  But especially also because yesterday morning I woke up with a severe burning pain going around my heel and up my ankle/shin.  It scared me because I had just recently finished a round of a very strong antibiotic that is notorious for causing serious issues with the Achille's Tendon, Levofloxacin, and I was very concerned that something bad was about to happen. So I called the Doctor's office and told them about it and they wanted me to come in to see the Doctor. He checked me over and determined that I should not ever take this kind of antibiotic again, which includes the other one known more commonly as "Cipro". However, he did not think that my Achille's tendon was in danger of rupturing, but he said I may have some discomfort for about three weeks until the medicine is out of my system. Thankfully, my foot/ankle/heel felt a little better as I got up and moved it around a bit, but it still felt like I was walking on pins and needles all day. Today has been better, but not perfect yet.  But thankfully I can walk without pain.

I am thankful on this eve of my 76th birthday that God hs given me another year of life on this earth, and I pray that He will continually guide me and guard me and use me for His honor and glory. 

I will close with this old hymn, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord".  How many of you remember this song? Throughout my life God has used this little song to truly speak to my heart and bring me to a place of surrender and commitment when He was preparing us for some new mission or ministry. At the ripe old age of 76 I don't foresee any new  "missions or ministries" in the immediate future, but then again, one never knows when God will say as He did to the prophet Isaiah in the book of Isaiah 6:8,

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

May I always be ready to answer His call, no matter how big or how small...

 

"Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Thou art the potter I am the clay

Mold me and make me after Thy will

While I am waiting yielded and still

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Search me and try me Master today

Whiter than snow Lord wash me just now

As in Thy presence humbly I bow

Have Thine own way, Lord,

Have Thine own way;

Wounded and weary,

Help me, I pray.

Power, all power,

Surely is Thine,

Touch me and heal me,

Savior divine.

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Hold over my being absolute sway

Filled with Thy spirit till all can see

Christ only always living in me"

Just a little side note (via Google) on the history of the hymn "Have Thine Own Way, Lord", it was written by Adelaide A. Pollard in 1902, with the music composed by George C. Stebbins. [1, 2]
Inspiration: Pollard wrote the text after hearing an elderly woman pray at a meeting, saying it did not matter what happened as long as God had His way. [1, 2, 3]

This "elderly woman" humbly says "Amen".   And Good night to you all...on the last evening of my 75 year! Now I will soon be over 3/4 of a century old!   UPDATE:  I stand corrected by my not much younger cousin! LOL.  My cousin Becky, who is 9 months younger than I am, just saw this post and said that she "hated to inform me, but this is actually the last evening of my 76th year! And tomorrow I will begin my 77th year!"   The sad thing is, she's right!  As the "world turns" tonight into tomorrow,  I am completing 76 years on the earth. And so tomorrow I will begin the journey into my 77th year, and when it is complete, I will attain my 77th birthday!  Wow! This is too mind blowing for this old gal! I'd better get to bed and get some rest. I'm older than I thought! LOL!  Good Night!