EXPECTATIONS AND GRATITUDE

I got up early in the morning to catch the sunrise over Flathead Lake on Saturday.  I had built up in my mind a vision of red clouds and bright sun peeking over the mountains with dramatic rays of light shooting upward.  But the photo above is what I got.  Not quite my vision.  And I was disappointed because my expectations were not met.  But then I took a look at what God did provide, and I made the decision to be grateful.

 

I expected a day of hiking in Glacier National Park, and the accompanying photography.  I got a short hike (walk really) just west of Flathead Lake and a late afternoon boat ride.

  Again, I made the decision to be grateful, even though my expectations were not met.

God gave us a wonderful weekend with friends – three families, all of whom have only one child, and all of those children are boys.  And they all go to the same school, a first grader, a fifth grader and a sixth grader.

It was a weekend of learning each others stories, praising God for the way our lives have turned out, and enjoying good company.

And I dare say those boys had a pretty great time!

Here are some other things on my gratitude this weeke:

516.  Crisp frosty mornings

517.  Sweating as I do step aerobics

518.  Fresh veggies

519.  Clear skies – smoke going away

520.  Yellow leaves on cottonwood trees.

521.  J’s improving school skills

522.  And invitation to the Flathead

523.  Realizing that J has gone tubing every summer since he was 4, and we don’t even own a boat!

524.  Safe travels

526.  J’s open conversations about things that stress him (sometimes this is the hard eucharisteo, because it might come close to breaking my heart that he is stressed, but the beauty of him being willing to share that with us is awesome).

527.  Leeks to make soup

528.  Good conversation about school with J’s teacher

529.  Photographs that are well received