A Soft Heart

In a world where all too often all we hear about are the mean things, the tragic and horrific things, I often ask God to not let my heart grow hard.

I want a soft heart.

Sometimes that hurts.  Sometimes it is too much.  Sometimes I don't even want to drive in my car for fear of killing a butterfly or wooly worm caterpillar trying to cross the road.  Sometimes I am overcome with all that needs to be done, that I can't do.

But usually, it helps.

It helps me to be peaceful when things seem unfair.
It helps me to have patience when the person in front of me can't find the money they are looking for.
It helps me to be kind to servers and neighbors and strangers.
It helps me to strive for goodness in my life and the life of others....goodness of body and soul.
It helps me to be faithful in the little things that no one will ever see.
It helps me to be gentle with my words and actions.

It brings me love and joy.

I have more tears when my heart is most tender.
  Tears of joy.
  Tears of wonder.
  Tears of thanksgiving.

When my heart is soft, I am able to rise up with enthusiasm each morning and believe the best is about to be...like the sign from pinterest says:

I am more thankful when my heart is soft.  How is your heart?

Happy Thanksgiving to friends far and near!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

We are day #7 of no school for the kids and they won't be back until next Tuesday, so that makes a 10 day unscheduled vacation which might be fun except about 1/2 of our county still doesn't have electric....so, are the kids warm, safe, fed?
There are shelters all around the county, some Red Cross and some churches, so hopefully they are getting the care and attention that they need.
Here at my house, we have had electric and heat since day #2 of the whole event, but I don't turn the heat up very high and wear lots of layers....so, Skippy Jo Lohr had to take matters into his own short furred paws.

New boots (and their box) that I never got to wear last winter.

Skippy Jo Lohr has an idea.

Let me look at it from this side.

Skippy Jo Lohr got himself into the box.

And is waiting for me to put the lid back down and go away.

 He spent quite a little while napping inside the box with the lid down....snug as the proverbial but in that same rug.
This is just one of the machines that are in and about our county right now.  We have lots of people from far away working long hours in unfriendly weather and rough terrain....day after day after day.

At the end of the day the lot where the Buckwheat Festival takes place is full of 

BIG work trucks from all over the south east.

And this guy below was in the shower with me the other morning.

 
Cute, huh?


Just wondering if the real winter is going to be like the end of fall?