Senses

"From the very beginning we were meant to experience, interpret, revel in, and unravel the mysteries of this gift - Life - through our senses...  Still, all too often, we journey through our days in a dull trance, asleep to the magic of everything about us...

"Each day, in myriad ways, Spirit attempts to restore the Divine Connection through our sensory perceptions.  It doesn't matter how depressed we are, when we explore and exult in the sacredness of what we dismiss as "ordinary" - the aroma of homemade spaghetti sauce simmering or the exquisite sensation of freshly laundered linen against bare skin, we are restored to Paradise through peace and pleasure.  And if you don't believe me, change the sheets and begin chopping tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

"'The senses don't just make sense of life in bold or subtle acts of clarity,' Diane Ackerman explains.  'They tear reality apart into vibrant morsels and reassemble them into a meaningful pattern.'"
--Something More, by Sarah Ban Breathnach

On yet another day, starting grey and gloomy...  Paying attention to the exquisite details is just what I'm going to do!

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  A beautiful gift from a grandson to his grandma at last night's Turkey Dinner at church:  an ice sculpture he did at school!  It's a wolf howling at the moon.  What an incredibly sweet surprise!

(The grandson and his work of art!)

(A close up - this was only his second time carving ice.  Crazy!)

(Grandma - she was so funny!  She didn't know what to make of this!)

2.  All the people who help with our church's Turkey Dinner - it's a fun event for many people.
3.  A new restaurant a block from work:  Mendoberri.  Great tomato basil soup!
4.  The sun is supposed to come back out today!
5.  Have I mentioned Reese's peanut butter cups recently?
6.  Dinner out with the hubby last night...  An unexpected fun night out.
7.  Pastor Penny praying for my pup today - too cute.
8.  Bailey made it through her dental cleaning and tooth extraction and is sleeping soundly.
9.  The hubby making me laugh when I came home - with his crazy backpacking shennanigans.

(He bought yet ANOTHER tent - we now own a 4-person, 3-person, 2-person, and solo tent...  Good grief.  He spent last night water-proofing the tent in the garage.  So, today I pulled into the driveway and the tent is in the yard.  I told him the neighbors are going to start thinking we have marital problems and I make him sleep outside!  But no... he wanted me to spray the tent with water while he was inside so we could test the seal...

Only one tiny leak.  He was a happy "camper!"  (And yes...  He will be sleeping INside.  Ha!)

10.  The hubby doing our grocery shopping - when he really didn't want to...  Thanks, babe!