Thankful heart

I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. A wonderful new man in my life, a great job, a good solid family, friends who love me and a Savior who is constantly working on me, pruning me and who is bringing new experiences and overflowing blessings into my life everyday. I couldn't ask for more and I marvel at His care and His handiwork. He is awesome. He has created awesome things.

I encourage whoever reads this to also be thankful today, even for the small things. It is by His grace that we have been saved, and he encourages us to clothe ourselves with thanksgiving.

1Thessalonians 5
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Glen's Account - Great SUP Afternoon

Today Jamie,Jessica, Karen and I went for a Sunday afternoon paddle in Broad Creek. We left from Shelter Cove Marina about noon:30 and paddled around Disney Resort to the basin where four boats were fishing for reds and trout. Jamie and I brought our poles on the paddle so we casted a few lures. Not too long before Jamie hooked on to a nice 12-13 inch trout using his mini 3ft rod w/ 4# test line. Several casts later I hooked into a trout that measured 17 inches. Jamie and I could of fished all day.. Jessica and Karen paddled back and forth doing laps as we fished. Deciding to explore, the sun beat down on a cloudless afternoon in the 55'f temp. Water temp a bit lower. We paddled over to the Long Cove area and paddled through some back creeks seeing the local wild life of birds doing their thing. Discovering a new place to paddle the tide started coming in and the sun lowered in the western sky. The shadows became longer and the colors of the marsh became vivid and crisp with cool Autumn colors. The air temp started dropping so we headed back for the hot tub. Not only was it a beautiful day paddling but I was privileged to spend my afternoon with a few of my closest friends; Jamie,
Jessica and Karen.

Cannot be shaken

Hebrews 12: 28-29

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."

Even at night

I love the Lord's Word. It even instructs me at night!
My hear rejoices in Him!
I will praise him in the morning and in the evening.
He makes my heart secure.

Psalm 16
1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." 3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. 5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Do not worry - Trust!

Do Not Worry

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

That I would remember daily

Ephesians 2
By Grace Through Faith
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Philippians 1
Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thankfulness and Prayer
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Kitten Massage

Relieve pain.Massage stimulates the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, to alleviate the soreness, aches, and pains associated with everything from chronic conditions such as arthritis to general joint and muscle pain.
Improve circulation.The rubbing and kneading motions of massage can increase blood flow throughout the body, with many benefits including reducing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and relaxing muscles.
Enhance immune system.Some studies show that massage stimulates an increase in the number of cells in the body that help protect us against illness and disease.
Rehabilitate.Whether you're recovering from surgery or an injury, massage can reduce swelling, relieve muscle aches and stiffness, and improve range of motion to help you get back on your feet.
Reduce stress.Not only does massage feel good, but it relaxes your body and your mind, fostering reduced anxiety and a general sense of well-being.

Amen

I had a beautiful weekend. Full of love and amazement. I am truly blessed and am so grateful for how much the Lord loves me and how much he loves those I love!
I am marveled by his grace. I praise him for the beauty he has created. Yesterday was amazing to bundle up on the beach in love. The majesty of His creation. The love I feel.
The joy of fellowship with friends and family. The reassurance I felt. The arms of strength. The power of His life.

Amen.

I am blessed

I am blessed by the Lord today. Lord, you are wonderful. Thank you for your blessings and showering me with your love.

I praise the Lord this morning for His salvation...for his relentless pursuit of all of us! We are his sheep, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 126:2-3
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Bible study with the gals

Bible Study - lots and lots to digest, but here's just a snipet-

Galatians 5
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

I desire to be daily 'in step' with the Spirit. I pray for more fruit! I pray I will be fruity!! - heehee!

I am humbled by my own areas that are lacking. I pray for God's grace and mercy when I fail...that I will live according to His grace, not by my strength or might, but by His Spirit within me. That I would trust Him completely, bar none. (and have peace) That I would let go and let God (patience). That joy would be anew. That the fruit would be succulent, tasty, ripe, juicy, zingy! - and fresh.

Shrimpin' on Saturday Night

So I had my first real taste of shrimping in the Low Country on Saturday night. Jamie was gracious enough to take me out with he and Rex for an evening of trying to catch some big ones! Well, the night was all set to be just perfect: the wind died down, the evening wasn't too too cold and Jamie and Rex had prepared some great bait. We put the poles out in a nice neat straight line, just like a good fisherman would do. And then we waited. But not too long. We were actually scouting out the other fisherman to see when they would start casting their nets.

Jamie set me up to be the little semi-active participant. I made my job bailing water out of the boat when needed and smiling and cheering the guys on. Rex made a valiant attempt the whole time to cast the nets as we passed by the poles. Jamie did a good job of driving the boat and not dumping Rex into the water.

However, as the hours grew longer, it was apparent that the shrimp weren't running as we had all hoped. Rex would pull in the nets, one shrimp at a time. We sadly had a low shrimp turnout --the shrmp just didn't realize that there was a big bait ball party going on!!...the shrimp really missed out!! So, after about 5 hours at about 9pm (we had started at 4pm) Jamie called the last pass for the night and we headed in.

For my part, I enjoyed the experience for what it was - good company and the stars were all starry and the half moon was shining bright. The water became a nice quiet calm when we pulled into the dock close to 10pm. I am thankful for the experience, even with the lower catch (again, the shrimp really missed out on the party!) And, I didn't freeze my tush off too much.

On Sunday, the eating was delicious and I am thankful for the hands who worked diligently on the boat to prepare us for the adventure. (And those same diligent hands went out the following day and caught more fish for the eating!)

Here are more pics!

Jazz Music

There is something about jazz music that makes me happy. It makes me want to have fun. I listen to Savannah State University's college radio station and it just puts me in a great mood. It makes me want to move and groove...makes me want to swing and dance.

Speaking of music, tonight was my best friend Melinda's birthday. Melinda was a music major in college and so often if I think of particular genres of music, I think of her. Especially Broadway. Anyhoo, I hope she enjoyed our company tonight....glad to be with her and am thankful for her.

Tonight, in addition to listening to great music I also have the pleasure of Elsie curled up in my lap. I have a very finnicky cat, and although I love her, at times she can drive me batty. But, tonight is a rare occassion when she is content to just sit. (Maybe it is because I smell nice after having taken a bath.)

Well, that's it...now more piano, drums and sax!

Silence is golden

I had several wonderful experiences last night. One being that I hadn't taken just a simple walk in quite awhile. I have been doing all of this running that I hadn't really just walked. It was heavenly...listening to the rustle of the wind in the trees and the quiet hum of the birds and tree frogs. The moon came out (I finished around 6:45pm) and things were fairly still. I had time for my body to relax in the walk, for my muscles to be stretched, and for my mind and heart to talk to the Lord.
---That lead to an evening of joy in many other ways. Of listening, of sharing of responding and of gentle silences.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Am happy for so many

I am happy for so many in this country and around the world today. I personally shed tears of joy and awe this morning as I watched the election recap. Paul said in his letter to the Galatians almost 2000 years ago,
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28

Beer, Beauty and Praise

Proverbs 31
Sayings of King Lemuel
1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him:
2 "O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,
3 do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel— not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

My Weekend Duties with Meeting Planners

For work this past weekend I spent a lot of time hosting meeting planners here on Hilton Head Island in hopes to gain their business. It was beautiful here (thank goodness) on Friday and Saturday and they got to see our beaches plus all the other amenities we offer. Also, in Harbour Town we took them up to the top of the Harbour Town Yacht Club. The picture shows the view from the top.

Signe's Thanksgiving Menu

Signe's Holiday Menu is ready to go! For the best Thanksgiving and Christmas goodies on Hilton Head Island, please check out the menu and order early!
http://signesbakery.com/images/08Signes_Holiday_menu.pdf