Thankful for ...

... a car that fits in the garage so that I don't have to scrape the ice off of it in the mornings.
... a garage big enough to fit my extra stuff and the car.
... four walls and a roof to a house that protects me from the wind, ice and other elements.
... enough food to keep me from going hungry.
... a big warm coat to wear if I just have to get outside in the winter.

Yes, they may seem like small things to some people but on days like today I really am grateful that they all exist in my life. I'm just not an overall fan of cold weather. I have a tendency to curl up in front of the TV with chips and soda to eat and a blanket to keep me warm. I'd build a fire if it meant that I didn't have to get out from under the blanket. Winter depresses me. I realize that I would not appreciate the warm weather if I never had the cold to compare it too. I know me. I'd take that warm weather for granted. It's odd that I would be so attracted to penguins based on my aversion to being cold. I adore all the penguins but the ones that live in the harshest, coldest climates fascinate me. I'll tell you more about that another time.

I'm glad you stopped by to observe the ramblings of a simple mind. See you next time.

Oklahoma Pineapple

I've always enjoyed pineapple - from a can or even fresh. It is a sweet juicy fruit that comes in a pretty, prickly, unique container.

I learned a valuable lesson from a pineapple one summer. I had purchased a fresh pineapple for a family treat. I cut off the top, cut away the core and the rind to reveal the best part. Then, we tasted the sweet fruit. It was an every day event. Only, this time I asked my son if he wanted to plant the top.

Sure, okay. Well, we didn't really plant it. It stayed on the kitchen counter for a couple of days until I decided to do something with it. It wasn't carefully planted, I just sorta dumped it there in the compost pile with the rest of the trimmings. And then, I ignored it. But, God didn't. There was enough rain that summer to keep it watered. Then, after a period of time, I noticed that it was putting out new leaves. Hmmm... It had put down roots and begun to grow. How exciting, a pineapple in Oklahoma. This thing had been chopped off at the heart and abandoned in a pile of rotting stuff. Yet, God added some fertile soil and just enough water to cause new growth. Oh, God is good!

Did my pineapple produce any fruit? No, the harsh Oklahoma winter killed the plant before any fruit could be seen. (Of course, I didn't protect it from those harsh elements and if I had the outcome might be different.) Did that make it any less of a pineapple plant? No way. When a Christian has been cut up and tossed out - emotionally, spiritually or even physically - by this world, God still provides the soil of His Word and the water of His living Spirit to produce growth. And, for that I praise Him.

There is more that God wants to tell about Oklahoma pineapples... Stay tuned.