Simply Thankful

For the past couple of weeks, I've been dragging.  I'm still babying my foot a bit, and was resisting the urge to close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, but I caved.  Canning tomatoes last week, it just got too hot, so I'm enjoying the cooler air, but missing the sounds of outdoors.

I knew the day of closing up the house was coming, so since July 1, I've been sleeping in the living room with the front door open.  The realization of just how blessed I am to be able to do that has washed over me, many times.  My house faces west and there has been a nice western breeze most nights, so sleeping on the living room futon was almost like camping.  Almost like camping, but much easier than getting up off the ground.

As canning season is gearing up, I find so much for which to be thankful.  I was speaking last night of the old house in town, and it was a lovely home, but I'm so glad to not have all that to maintain, and beyond thankful to not be in the city limits.  Even if I can't hear them so well right now, I still enjoy looking out the windows to see goats and chickens.  Although I'm so hesitant to close the windows and turn on the air conditioning, I'm thankful to have that luxury.  I'm also thankful to be able to wait until mid-July to turn it on.

I feel blessed beyond measure in the length of the growing season, yet the duration of hot weather is relatively short.  To be able to start my garden in February, and still enjoy a harvest through October, sometimes into November, yet only need an air conditioner for 6 to 8 weeks is truly a blessing for which I am very grateful.  As we become more and more dependent with less and less control and choices, I would encourage everyone to realize how many simple things we can still enjoy.  Take the time, make it a priority to enjoy some of the simpler things.  

So many in our society live in what seems a climate controlled environment, going from furnace to a/c, back to furnace without opening the windows.  Not to mention exchanging the sunshine of daylight hours for fluorescent lighting.  Go outdoors in the cool of the morning or evening and take a moment to just breathe deeply and thank our Heavenly Father for the air we breathe.

 And YHWH G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  

Torah of Holy Scripture