Tag: thanksgiving

Christmas Day

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Hello friends and…Merry Christmas!!! I am now sitting here on the couch in Tampa home and honestly don’t have long to write as me, Caisson, Laura and Maryanne are about to embark upon our third Pandemic game of the holidays and hopefully we can actually win this time because annoyingly enough we have not quite conquered it yet – and oh it must be conquered! – but before we do begin the game thought I’d write for a few minutes and chronicle the day a bit as it’s been a typical and perfectly lovely Christmas Day thus far…begun with nice hot coffee and reading time(also on aforesaid couch) and then we proceeded into the living room and opened many gifts of which I received far too many nice things(including many wonderful shirts and comfy pajamas from Mom and Dad…and a Beatles record from Maryanne…and Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ album from Laura and Caisson…and a Kvothe Kingkiller shirt from Laura and Caisson…and a few yummy looking books…and a box of (unopened and sealed!) baseball cards from 1989 from Dad…and some exciting new(old) movies from Mom and Dad(‘Talk of the Town’ with Cary Grant and Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman and ‘Random Harvest’ also with Ronald Colman and Greer Garson – and yes I may be slightly too excited by these old classics that I’ve never seen!)…and I got other things but I shall not name anything else but just must say how kind and wonderful my dear family is to me…and of course after opening gifts we enjoyed Mom’s cinnamon rolls(which were delicious and amazing!!) with nice crunchy bacon…and then we played our new invented game of Diamonds for a while in which sadly me and Laura were not able to win…and then finally I read one of my new books from Maryanne(‘Black Prism’ by Brent Weeks) here on the couch for a bit and following that me and Dad and Maryanne went for a little walk and enjoyed being outside on this Christmas day. Now is this previous sentence far too long and awkward? Well of course, but it’s fun to be silly and awkward now and again. Being with the family here is wonderful and I can never stop thanking God for placing me in this family – I am blessed far beyond all I can even comprehend. My heart is full and I cannot express in words what music is in my soul.

Merry Christmas, one and all – love and peace and joy abounding.

A Little Bit of Sunshine

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And so another week comes to a beginning. It is a nice morning, complete with peppermint mocha(as is tradition for a Monday!) and I am quite possibly a little looking forward to the work week? Shocking. The weekend was busy(my only quiet night was Friday – thankfully I did make sure to keep that night free so I had a nice evening reading Lord of the Rings…) but though I am now tired from the weekend, it was filled with lovely times with friends so I cannot complain. Game night at Erica and Emily’s last night…lots of laughter and banter and it was beautiful. Got a nice chat with Earnie and Mandy on the way home…oh do I love those guys! This morning, took my sleepy self to Starbucks and got to chat(briefly!) with Katie and Kelli there – realized that I was not the only sleepy one since Katie had pulled an all nighter for school stuff – no sleep at all!! So I suppose that I should be thankful I at least got a few hours!!

Driving to work, was listening to one of my latest mixes…and got to enjoy hearing some classic Needtobreathe. Love their song “More Heart, Less Attack”. Music is indeed so powerful and yet again I was reminded of that as my soul rejoiced to that song – hearing the piano and then the harmonica kick in just brought a chill to the back of my neck and a thrill to my heart. Gorgeous music that reminds me of my longing for something that is beyond my grasp. That yearning for a greater call, a brighter star, a deeper love, that far country.

Now as you can probably tell, this entry is sleepy itself – apparently I haven’t had enough caffeine yet – and it is just about time to start work…so I shall get to it. Excited to see what the Lord has in store for me this day. Rest in the love of our God – all ye His saints.

Little Frisky

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Hello friends – happy Monday!! You may ask why am I writing this post in the middle of the day on a Monday? Well – I guess I’ll confess that I’m not at work…still on Thanksgiving vacation here in Florida here!! This is my last day in Florida before I fly back Houston way tomorrow morning. While I’m sad to leave Florida home – I am looking forward to seeing Houston friends again! Julie graciously agreed to pick me up from airport so I’ll see her tomorrow morning…and then hopefully catch up with various other peoples throughout the week.

Anyways – I know I said in my last post(on Thanksgiving!) that I’d try to write more later that day. Well, you can see I failed miserably at that objective. Alas. It’s funny, you would think that on vacation I’d actually have more time to write…but it tends to happen that I just can’t make myself step away from the family and write because I don’t want to waste the time I have with them by going off on my own with my computer!

And now that I’ve tried to actually write a bit while Dad is off swimming…he has just returned and now it’s time to go off to Five Guys for final Florida lunch. It shall be awesome. Will try(!!) to write more later this afternoon in my continued chronicle of this break…

Love you all.

Taffy

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A short post just now! I sit down here at the computer here in the family room…minutes away from Thanksgiving dinner time. Stuffing is in the oven, turkey and mashed potatoes and asparagus and cranberries and cherry pie and apple pie await…and Mom is currently pouring the wine. A fine turkey dinner awaits – and I very much doubt any of it will taste like sand! (Wrinkle in Time reference, for you uninitiated…) The Minnesota/Detroit game is on TV, but we aren’t really watching that, as we’re all far more excited for upcoming dinner! I shall attempt(if I find time) to write a more proper Thanksgiving post at some point today…but for now, this will have to do. I am ever so thankful to my God for all that He has given me – blessings immeasurable!! Every good and perfect gift comes from our Father God – may I ne’er forget that. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Fluffy

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And so I return to this posting apparatus, though not as quickly as I thought when I wrote last post. It is now Thanksgiving Eve and I sit with my mug of coffee here, about to do some more reading…but thought I should continue my chronicle first, while it is still fresh in my mind! I must say as I type this, I am much enjoying the Tampa home keyboard…it is very mechanically responsive and fun to type on. Much more bouncy than my laptop keyboard, I approve. This may or may not contribute to my being even more verbose than usual…apologies in advance.

Anyways! I think I ended my last post talking about game night with Laura and Caisson and friends and getting to bed far too late. Thankfully the next morning we were able to sleep in a little…had some coffee together, then we went out to get breakfast(/brunch?) at one of their favorite breakfast spots – a diner that had definitely not been around when I was in Gainesville! Actually…this was a running theme throughout my time in Gainesville…so much had changed since my residency there, even though it’s been less than nine years. Whole new roads had appeared and new shopping centers and other things have replaced woods and fields(my favorite open field at corner of University and 13th is now a shining uber-modern apartment complex – the horror!). Progress(in shape of concrete and steel) marches on unimpeded by more poetic concerns…

Pardon that interlude – but onward! We had a lovely time eating breakfast(I had a delicious breakfast pie with eggs and cheeses and meats and it was wonderful alongside the good strong coffee) and of course talking. We had so much good talking times throughout this trip that I shall soon neglect to mention them, but just know they happened because Laura and Caisson are truly both so dear. Following breakfast, I’m trying to remember what we did next…if I recall correctly, it was a trip to campus! We spent a few hours wandering the gameday-crowded campus, seeing old spots(the Bunker at Graham! the new-(and improved??) Union! the Florida bookstore – I think we spent the most time there perusing random books!) and eventually ending up at Pascal’s Coffeehouse. Oh Pascal’s – truly the holder of so many memories. I even have an old adolescent lit story I wrote back in ’09 where this coffeehouse was featured prominently. And I am actually wearing one of their shirts as I write this now, randomly! Anyways – it was great fun being there again, walking past the table where Laura remembered first getting a text from Caisson, peeking into the room where so many good Creekside College Ministry Wednesday night meetings were held…and eventually, we got some drinks(a hybrid London-fog/peppermint mocha for me!) and ended up talking there for a while, the three of us. Expounding on the power of poetry and the characteristics it should contain. Caisson has a good “Three Laws of Poetry” summary that I really need to heed when I’m writing. I have discovered that I’m not really that good in presenting a clear and easily understandable theme to my audience in my works. I may know what’s there, but the readers most definitely do not always understand what I’m getting at! But I shall not attempt to summarize our whole conversation here.

Eventually, it was time to part ways…for I had told Laura and Caisson that I had wanted to spend a few hours by myself. These hours that I spent wandering campus…I don’t know if I can fully and properly put them to page here as it is something maybe best left to my heart and soul alone. But I had long desired to undertake what I have now called a pilgrimage back to the lands of my youth. And so I did walk through campus, stopping at the sites of so many hallowed memories. At each spot I was able to sit and reflect and think and meditate and pray on what God has done in me and for me and through me these past years. And as I brought back many memories…some bitter and some sweet…I could not help but thank my Father God for holding me fast throughout every dark night and every raging storm. I was able to write various things in my little notebook throughout this pilgrimage and while I shan’t reproduce them all here(partly because they’re very crude and quickly written and not at all amenable to proper editing and partly because I want the majority to remain truly personal), I will put down one…

Lake Alice
gleams prettily
in glow
of setting sun –
its quiet beauty
thrills my soul.
A heron rests
atop the stillness.
I shiver
at the
crickets’ song.

That is the least emotional(and/or personal) so I think it’s ok for sharing here!

Now eventually I realized that even over two hours of walking around by myself was not sufficient for my purposes…but I knew I must return to Laura and Caisson’s place for dinner! Laura came and picked me up and after a quick detour to Target(where asparagus and…er…the long desired new Taylor album reputation were acquired), we returned to the apartment. Caisson was in the middle of crafting a delicious Guinness-beef stew..full of beef and carrots and onions and parsnips and other savoury ingredients. This was poured over mashed potatoes and it was definitely a proper and hearty dinner! After we enjoyed that, we eventually decided a quiet movie night was in order. It may have taken us a while to decide on a movie, but eventually we did settle on an old classic I’d never seen before…10 Things I Hate About You and it was much enjoyed – full of classic Shakespeare references and fun 90s nostalgia! I do so love fun high school movies from my era and this is a well-deserved classic…Heather Ledger and Julia Stiles..simply perfect.

Now…this entry is far too long and I’ve decided to end it for the now. Going to go off with my coffee and have more reading time. Also listening to some classic hymns(And Can It Be currently playing) and I just can’t focus on writing anymore. Peace and love.

Muffy

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I really don’t have long to write so my fingers must fly! I may come back and edit this post later this afternoon, we shall see…anyways, I’m soon off to pick up Katheryn from the airport and have a nice catch-up lunch with her! I haven’t seen her since…a few years ago at Laura(once Garrow, now Helmly!)’s wedding. So – a proper face-to-face conversation is due and eagerly awaited! So that gives me approximately ten minutes to chronicle the past few days here in Tampa(also Gainesville). Hm.

Anyways! Yes I am in Tampa – arrived last Thursday morning…Dad picked me up and it was simply wonderful seeing him again(for first time since my surgery back in August – so very glad to get to properly talk with him now!). I was quite exhausted from my last few nights in Houston(in which I did a simply terrible job in going to bed at all on time…especially the last Wednesday night in which hot chocolate and good conversations figured prominently!). Anyways, I got some good naptime in on Thursday afternoon and then Mom came home and we had great times all together – a delicious homemade spaghetti dinner. Nothing better than Mom’s spaghetti. True?

And so that night ended with more lovely conversations with parents(and watching a bit of the Steelers/Titans football game!) and soon enough I woke up on Friday morning and embarked upon my Gainesville adventure! It’d been over a year(and a half?) since I’d been in Gville – so a return was due. I got to stay with Laura and Caisson for the whole weekend and it was amazing!!! On way up, listened to my classic eyes closed, Heart Open – I’d forgot how good that CD was. Then arrived at their apartment in Gainesville…got to hang out with Caisson and chat for a few hours – then Laura came home from work – hurrah! We had a delectable dinner of cube steak and mashed potatoes…though we did have to eat a bit quickly since they’d planned a game night with friends. The game night was amazing even though I didn’t know any of their friends – I’d heard some of their names but now I got to meet them and talk with them! – and so the evening was full of fun games(Four on a Couch, Code Names, Avalon…oh Avalon – what a web of lies and deceit and laughter do you weave…) and yummy Laura-made chocolate sheet cake and I have to say I’ve almost never had a more fun game night – Laura and Caisson have pretty cool friends, I must admit! When the last people left after the last cutthroat game of Avalon(in which me and Laura assassinated Merlin to win my first Avalon game of the night, hah!)…we wondered why were so tired then realized it was 12:20 and it was probably bedtime. Yup, quality game night indeed.

Now…I think I really need to roll off so I shall attempt to either finish this post later or maybe just write another one to further chronicle my Gainesville adventures…

Blast

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I have to say, it is a bit silly how much the weather affects my mood! And I’m weird, because the weather today probably didn’t positively affect anyone else the way it did me. As I drove home today I gloried in the ever-changing grey sky…and then walking to my car after shopping at Sprouts, realised why I was so pleased with the weather. It was cold, grey and there was a hint of precipitation on the breeze. In other words…Aberdeen weather. So yes, grey and cold and wet makes me nostalgic and makes me happy all at the same time and it is wonderful. I don’t know what it is about a darkening grey November sky though…there’s something faintly sad yet achingly beautiful about it. The trees are just starting to threaten to drop their leaves and the breeze softly caresses my face and my blood quickens. Beauty and wonder and love, all wrapped up in a crisp fall day. Oh how silly am I to revel so in this quiet grey evening. But I do love it so.

Boysenberries

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Hello friends – a relaxing Friday afternoon here! I suppose I should do my workout fairly soon(and I will) but thought I’d write first. Finishing up a perfectly lovely three day vacation(because I had extra vacation days to take. Why not, right?) and I thought I’d just thank God for granting me rest. I probably have spent too much of this time at Starbucks and drinking coffee…but hey, it’s vacation right? Doesn’t that mean I get to do what I want?? And I maybe possibly slightly had an ulterior motive as well – this morning asked out barista Katie(who is a pretty cool girl, I must say!). Alas she said no(due to another random boy she’s talking to in NC who I knew nothing about!) Tragic!! Nonetheless, while I usually don’t share this type of thing online(at least not this bluntly, without the facade of sweeping poetry or purple prose) – I thought I’d put this out there just to share something utterly real and my subsequent comfort in meditating on how good God is. We walk in faith and while we don’t always get what we think we want, God is with us every step of the way. Always. And His comfort is abounding. And it’s encouraging because while Katie didn’t give me the answer I “wanted”, we had a wonderful conversation, full of honesty and kindness, and we are committed to remaining friends. And so I can honestly say I’m in a good mood(which is not always the case in this sort of scenario!) and extremely grateful to God for His mercies. To me! And even this afternoon, God has blessed me. As I ate lunch, I got quite a few laughs out of watching “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” with Hepburn, Tracy, et. al. As John Wade Prentice and Joanna Drayton make an unusual relationship work(14 year age gap!), I suppose I have no idea what God has in store for me and…that’s a good thing! Even if I’m not quite as handsome as Sidney Poitier. Alas.

Now from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To God be the glory forever. Amen.

K State

James HoganLeave a comment

Hello friends!! A Friday Morning Post(hopefully that’s not plagiarizing Dad’s blog) that I decided to quickly write. Sitting here at Starbucks. Greatly enjoying my “Best of Enfield” playlist on iTunes. I really need to listen to this one more often…so many lovely amazing, truly awesome hymns that lift up my soul to heights of wonder and praise. “There Is A Fountain”, “And Can It Be?”, “Crown Him With Many Crowns”, “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken”…”Holy, Holy, Holy”…etc, etc. Simply lovely. Anyways, I shan’t write much else. My heart is full but fingers incapable of speech. I will continue to sip on my mocha americano and rest in the love of my God. Truly – sometimes it’s hard to trust in God and that He shall continue to guide my paths. But I need only look to the divine promises in His word for encouragement and comfort. My God shall always be with me. Forever and always. I trust Him and Him alone and rest in His awesome love.

A Severe Mercy

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It truly is remarkable how wonderful the love of God is.

Oft times it seems that difficult and trying times are ours for no good reason. We can easily shiver as the cold winds of tribulation blow. Yet, do we understand the love of God? Do we truly know in our heart of hearts that we have a Father in heaven? If we do, these chill winds should be as but a passing shadow and a quickly vanishing vapor. Naught more.

And still more, our Father knows what is good for us. We think we do. How wrong we usually are! Our Father God longs to make us shine e’er brighter with the glory that He has bestowed on us through His Spirit. Our Father God desires to draw us closer to Himself. And what is better than that? What is of greater value than being with our God? Is there any jewel that can compare? To know our God and to be known by Him – there is nothing better than this. And it is worth the cost. Our lives – our earthly desires and passions – are as nothing compared to the glory that awaits us when we shall see our Lord face to face. Remember that.

It truly is remarkable how beautiful the mercy of God.