After a several month hiatus, I’m back to report on all the latest developments here in our small, rural town. Winter is setting in, and the main mountain pass that links us to the western Washington world (mainly Seattle) has closed for the season. We “locals” really enjoy the change of pace in not having the overflow of summer and autumn tourists, but traveling outside our valley is much more challenging. Even with 4 WD vehicles. (We joke about being the Subaru capital of the world!)
Next weekend, we have the annual Christmas At the End of the Road celebration to launch the holiday season. At 5 pm, the town tree is lit, along with all the businesses who throw the switches to light up their buildings with tiny white lights. Horse-drawn wagons give rides up and down main street (our only street), and excited children with their parents line up outside town hall for a chance to see Santa. It’s great fun, and I love being in a small community with its festive holiday celebrations.
Randy and I are hurrying to beat the snow as we button up outside our house. Last weekend, we erected a driveway archway with Doug Fir timbers, the completion of a fence project we’ve been working on all summer. Notice how easily I use “we”, when actually Randy has done 90% of the job! I’ve been a gopher and a holder of nails and tools. We’re going to secure the bottom of the fence today in an attempt to keep our two very active Jack Russell terriers contained. I’m trying to get motivated to venture out into the gray 20 degree weather. I’d much rather hang out indoors by the crackling wood stove in my fleece bathrobe.
But Kramer and Kosmo have been known to terrorize the neighborhood, so we’re determined to get the fence done. It’s amazing how at this time in our lives, our sons Chris and Jeremy are grown and living on their own in the Seattle area, but we have these little furry guys who are more challenging at times than toddlers! You will hear more about them, to be sure.
With Thanksgiving less than a week away, my thoughts turn toward how grateful I am for God’s abundant blessings. Just the ordinary routines, the simple life here in the country that we would never had known if we hadn’t experienced some of the painful consequences of Randy’s alcoholism–especially the loss of his career as an air traffic controller more than 10 years ago.
Life hasn’t always been easy as we left Seattle and moved to this idyllic location. We’ve faced many challenges, yet we feel overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s faithfulness to us. We have experienced his mercies, new every morning. Let us give thanks–not only as we approach Thanksgiving Day, but as a way of living every day. I’d say it’s a good habit.

Blessings,

Deb

P.S. I’d like to share the blessing of being a contributor to The New Women’s Devotional Bible which has been recently released by Zondervan. If you scroll to the end of my blog page, you can check it out!