When Winter Gets Long

I have a little man in my house

who tires of being inside the house.

Winter seems to be getting a little long for him.

Yes, we have a barn, but it's stacked FULL of hay right now,

and the floor has too many holes to make it a good place for little kids to play.

Someday, maybe.

So when the snow isn't too deep and the wind not so strong,

we head out for a walk.

It's so easy for me to be thankful when I'm outside and the kids are running way ahead of me.

I am listing 1,000 things that I am thankful for.  I am on...

 #31 I am thankful for the peaceful quiet of winter walks,

the sound of the snow crunching,

 the clear blue winter sky.

I reach my hand into my pocket to make sure the whale is still there that I have been commissioned to carry.

#32 I am thankful for pockets.

I am thankful for the treasures I often find in my pockets.

#33 I am thankful for silent companions

who tolerate the energy of my children,

seeming to enjoy our adventures with us.

#34 I am thankful for the air I breathe.

It's cold refreshing taste fills my lungs and then seems to take with it any of the

frustrations and cares I left in the house.

"Mommy, come see the deer prints!"

#35 I am thankful for the prints in the snow,

creatures who have come before us and enjoyed the same sights,

hurrying off in silence as we approach.

I am reminded of a verse when I see big expanse of skies like this:
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handiwork."
Psalm 19:1

#36 I am thankful for hopes and dreams and goals to work for.

We want to own that land across the street someday.

It seems an impossibility right now,

but our God owns the cows on a thousand hills;

and with Him, all things are possible.

"Come on, Levi, catch up.

Daddy said the neighbor saw a coyote the other night.

Wow, you can really move fast when you want to.

No, coyotes don't eat people.

I was just teasing you."

#37 I am thankful for guideposts,

signs in life that keep us on the right path.

I am thankful for my Bible.

When I forget to read it or get really busy and neglect it,

I yearn for just a few words from it.

I especially love the Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospels.

I love studying the things that Jesus said.

#38 I am thankful for nature,

it's twisting beautiful artwork planted out in the middle of nowhere...

and icy creeks with gurgling waters slipping by underneath.

#39 I am thankful for the way that God cares even for the birds and their needs.

#40 I am thankful for glorious sunbursts behind whispy clouds

filtering down to give us a touch of warmth

and some much needed vitamin D.

Cows are nosey creatures.

"Hello, cow."

Now here's a boy that is well exercised.

Releasing energy in the outdoors is the best way to spend an hour of his time...

and his mother and sister's, too.

I am linking up to The Time Warp Wife at this link below.  She is also having an excellent Bible Study on Ruth every Monday.  Did you know that Ruth is the only woman that the Bible refers to as "virtuous"?  It's an excellent study and I'm thankful to have found it to dig a little deeper into the Bible.

also linked to:
Raising Homemakers: Homemaking-link-up
A Southern Daydreamer: Outdoor-Wednesday
Faded Charm Cottage: White-Wednesday
Mama to 3 Blessings: Wordless-Wednesday