Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Thankful Thursday...

What surprised me this week?
I'm grateful for life's little (and big) surprises. For the last couple of months my son-in-law has been looking for work. He became one of those statistics that you hear about on the news when in March he was laid off from his job as an accountant at a national accounting firm. Since then he has been job hunting. That's a nerve-wracking past-time. Last Friday he had a promising interview with a reputable company in Nebraska. On Monday he was offered the job. Next Thursday they are moving from Nashville to Omaha! Even though he's been out of work for a couple of months everything happened very quickly once he got that initial interview. That's what surprised me this week. As I said, I'm so grateful for many of life's little (and big) surprises!

What moved me this week?
Some of you might know that members of our family visited Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure Park this last weekend. I had a moving experience while I was there. There is a roller coaster at California Adventure called California Screamin'. This ride is aptly named. Grown men scream like little girls on this ride. Grown women scream like little girls on this ride. Little boys scream like little girls on this ride. Little girls don't scream on this ride -- they are too scared to utter a sound. All either laugh or cry hysterically when they get off the ride -- nervous tension gone wild. The ride accelerates from zero to 55 miles per hour in 4 seconds. Honestly, I don't remember most of the ride. I'm pretty sure I passed out after the first downward spiral. No doubt about it -- that's what moved me this week.

What inspired me this week?
I'm inspired by individuals who take the initiative to get things done. I'm also inspired by those who give of themselves in a way that is more than just a token gesture. This week Randi, over at "i have to say", published a post about a project, called "Sewing Seeds," that she is sponsoring. She says it much better than I, but she is collecting little girl's skirts and little boy's shorts for a friend, Bella, who is going on a mission trip to Costa Rica this summer. These items can be purchased or handmade. Bella will then distribute these articles of clothing to the children she meets on her mission. Please go to Randi's blog, read up on this worthwhile project, and pledge to help. Lately, I've felt the desire to participate in a meaningful project like this one. I'm grateful that Randi inspired me to do so!