A tree falls

We had a tree die in our back yard last fall. It was surrounded by pine and fir trees and could not be reached by a bucket truck.

Of course I thought I could climb the tree and cut it down

I cut a lot of the limbs off but at 50 foot in the air my courage got a little lacking.

Time to bring in a pro. here he is about 60 foot up the tree.

You can see the top of the tree falling to the left. He had just cut it and given it a push.

I did not get a picture of it, but he sat on top of the cut off tree about 40 foot up and just looked around.

He was standing back as he cut the base.

And then he was standing exactly where the tree was going to fall. His chain saw was stuck and I think he was honestly wondering how he was going to save it before he stepped around the tree out of the way. For a couple of seconds I thought we were going to be looking for a way to get him out from under the trunk.

The tree fell far enough off the stump that his chain saw was not damaged.

Fire wood anyone?

Thanksgiving and Thanksliving

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you”

William A. Ward

“In daily life we must learn that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.”

Brother David Steindl-Rast

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

Apostle Paul - I Thess 5:18

Thanksgiving and Thanksliving

 – Living thankfully on a daily basis.

Take a few minutes and start writing a thank you letter to God. Make a Thankful List. Post it on your fridge. Add to it every day.

Listen to children pray. They often offer a refreshing list of thank yous.

Exercise the right and privilege to vote. We have a wonderful chance make a difference in our country. There are many in this world who cannot. Take the time to research what the candidates really said/did. Often propaganda arrives on our doorstep that involves mainly half-truths.

Go outside. Use your senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, touching maybe even tasting  (an apple on a tree?) to remind yourself of God’s awesome creation. Look up, down and around.

Say a prayer of thankfulness when you rise in the morning and before you go to sleep at night.

Give money. Give some more. Give time.  Give some more. God uses both.

These boxes were packed by a group in our church for Samaritan's Purse.

Share your Thanksgiving meal with someone.

Be content. Someone recently said their definition of a successful person was a contented person. To be content is an incredible blessing.

Thank someone in your life that has helped you in your Christian walk. Write a note, make a phone call. Encouraging someone else is another way to honor God.

Daily devotions. What better way to say thank you to God than to spend time in his Word, the Bible.

Can you knit, crochet or sew? Make it and give it away. Bring a meal or tray of cookies to someone who could use encouragement.

2 Corinthians 9:13 – This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.                                SS