It’s Tuesday and boy do I have a lot to share with you from over the hilltop in Norwood. First is the gratefulness of so many blessings when I look around for them. November isn’t just about a day on the calendar that tells us to celebrate Thanksgiving. For me, it is a reminder to be deliberately thankful all month, every day, and to continue throughout the year.
I read a quote recently paraphrased, “If you are happy, you don’t realize whether it is summer or winter.” Isn’t that true? Though the winds are more penetrating, the sky grayer, and the starkness of trees more pronounced, I can see deeper into the woods, the individual twigs on a tree, and the movement of animals as they prepare for the coming days. Yes, each season holds its own magic and glory.
Victory was won whether or not the cancer was survived
Second is the two anniversaries we celebrated this last week. The closing of our new home a year ago so we went to The Lobster House for supper Saturday. But greater still is the rejoicing of being cancer-free for now twenty-two years. I remember the fear and trembling when it was discovered and then the struggle to find a plan to fight it. And fight I did with the help of my family, friends, and faith. God had given me a particular verse from the Psalms to cling to during that time. “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse; he taken not pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” I learned from that verse not to fear the cancer, but rather to fear (not the same as being afraid) God and continued to hope in his mercy. Victory was won whether or not the cancer was survived.
Fun Activities
Now on to the very full week. The West Potsdam Retired Ladies met for a delicious lunch at Bonnie’s filled with laughter and pointers on health issues. Seems the older one gets the more health comes into conversations. That night the writers’ group met here to share their talent in poems, essays, and blogs. On Friday I sang with the ladies group at Maplewood in Canton, once again being blessed by the smiles of those wonderful aged faces. A face can say so much.
so long and happy trails!
Friday evening we went to a going-away party for friends who are moving across the country next week. Our children grew up together, some of them worked for me at the diner, and now the miles will seperate us for a time. But the memories won’t, the last and one of the best was attending a hymn sing with them Sunday evening at their church. It was heavenly! “So long and happy trails” to the Molineros.
It was Hobble Gobble time and Dick walked in the walk/run race for local charities on Saturday. This is a yearly event that he looks forward to and quite often sees the same familiar people in the crowd of over 550. His heart is doing well and he loves this small town event.
Bed and Breakfast updates
Dick had stripped and re-wallpapered the fireplace wall in the living room. One more project completed and it looks beautiful and fits with the age of the house. He also put new twinkle lights along the inside of the porch roof, but I’m still deciding if I like them. They are LED and don’t have the same soft glow as the previous lights. I’m sure I’ll get accustomed to their light eventually and I am grateful for Dick climbing the stepladder to put them up.
finally had to “turn the page” and let the diner go
The Certificate of Authority has come so I can collect the bed tax! Yeah. Now we are just waiting on the village variance. Because Peter is leaving for the west coast next week, he came by on Saturday afternoon to help me with the final website information, Paypal issues, and a new facebook page for the bed and breakfast. He thought we could change the Mom’s Schoolhouse Diner page and just rename it Rose of Sharon Bed and Breakfast, thus saving all my photos and posts from the diner. I finally had to “turn the page,” as my cousin Alice talked about when she was here, and let the diner go completely. That was hard but I finally agreed. Anyway, facebook said it might take seven days to review our request, make sure no one else was using that name, and then approve the new page. So….I thought I’d see the old page and bask in Mom’s Schoolhouse Diner for a while longer. Sort of giving me time to fully adjust. No luck. It changed over in what seemed to be only seven minutes. Good-bye to Mom’s and hello to the future Rose of Sharon. All will be well.
I will sign off for this Tuesday and if you read this far – God bless you and have a Happy Thanksgiving. This week I am reading the last five chapters of Psalms over and over rejoicing in the power of a grateful heart. Love and blessings from Sharon