Tag: holiday

A July Post

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

Rain on the roof this morning! Like many of you, we needed rain.

June was a dry month, but a fun one! Here on my blog, June was all about travel.

Welcome, July. I am deep in the editing of my latest work-in-progress, “Still Water.” It will be Book 1 in the HomeFound series. Due to the need for an extensive rewrite, the release date has been postponed until March, 2022. I’m excited about this book and the new series.

What is the book about? When a young woman’s parents are killed in a car accident, and facts about their early lives begin to surface, she is forced out of the comfortable life she has built for herself. Then she discovers that the wreck that killed them may not have been an accident. Someone from their past had finally caught up with them.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

From my publisher: In mid-July, my other books will be on sale. If you’ve never read my books, or haven’t read all of them, watch for this e-book sale. E-books are easy to read on the road, on the beach, in the air, beside the lake, on break at your desk, or wherever this summer happens to take you.

This weekend many will gather for cookouts and picnics to celebrate our country’s birthday. I can remember several consecutive years that my husband and I spent the 4th of July in Panama City, Florida, where we watched the fireworks from a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. This year, we’ll be in our little court, celebrating with our neighbors.

Have a safe and blessed July 4th weekend.






Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea 6:3


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Morning After Christmas

						

				On  By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments			

					


		

			
Judging by a couple of our Christmas gifts to each other, Hubby and I think along the same lines.


Hello, Thursday Morning! I hope you had a wonderful holiday.


Though my family was a bit scattered this Christmas, we still managed to see everyone. The gift exchange is still in progress since some were out of town. Mom is still in the hospital, so she was unable to join us for the holiday celebration. When I got up this morning and headed to the kitchen, I found an “unintentional smile” waiting for me on the table. 


I had packed all Mom’s gifts from the family in a box to transport to Lexington. You may think it’s silly because it actually is, but it gave me a reason to smile this morning. Sometimes, it’s the small things…


“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” — Eeyore, from Winnie the Pooh


Yesterday was very un-Christmasey for our neck of the woods. It was well over sixty degrees and sunny. Most of my family spent their day with the other side of their family, so Hubby and I had a quiet dinner. I was reminded of another Pooh-quote: “Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.”


Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. I could have given in to sadness that we spent the day alone when so many others had a grand day filled with family and fun. But I made the choice to be happy in the day I was given and rejoice that I was not alone but spending the day with my favorite person.


As we enter the last week of 2019, my prayer for you comes from Psalm 20:






May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!

    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

May he send you help from the sanctuary

    and give you support from Zion!

May he remember all your offerings

    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah










May he grant you your heart’s desire

    and fulfill all your plans!

May we shout for joy over your salvation,

    and in the name of our God set up our banners!

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! – Psalm 20:1-5 ESV








As always, thanks for stopping by!


 


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Valentine’s Day Thoughts

						

				On  By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens			

					


		

			
Hello, and happy Valentine’s Day, Thursday Morning friends!


Valentine’s Day began as a Christian holiday – the feast of St. Valentine (an early Roman martyr). Unfortunately, it’s not a “lovely” history, since it involves martyrdom.


It’s association with romantic love is said to have begun with Geoffrey Chaucer (14th century poet). Some of you may remember him as a character in the movie A Knight’s Tale—my first experience with steam punk—but that’s another subject.


My first experience with Valentine’s Day began in first grade, when I garnered an amazing number of cards. It didn’t matter that everyone in class received the same amount.


Do you have a favorite Valentine memory?


These days, I usually only receive one card but it’s worth more than a bushel-basket full. Thanks for taking a moment out of your busy day to visit with me. And have a Happy Valentine’s Day.


Here’s my valentine for you, from me:


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Happy Valentine’s  Day!


			
					

	




			
				


			
				


			

		

			
The Thanksgiving Chicken Memory

						

				On  By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens			

					


		

			
chicken, hen, domineckerThanksgiving at Grandma’s house did not include turkey, or if it did, the turkey was quite small and looked like chicken.


Hello, Thursday Morning readers! Thanksgiving is one week from today. So, I’m feeling a little nostalgic. Just a couple of weeks ago, I stood at Aunt Edna’s grave side. My mind filled with memories as I glanced around at the nearest markers. Uncle Bud, Granny, Grandma…they’re all together now.


We had some wonderful memories at Grandma’s table, small as it was. The family showed up, all the aunts “totin'” a dish or two, as Grandma would say. We’d set the table and leave a stack of plates on the Hoosier cabinet for the kids to fill and take to the living room.


The star of Grandma’s dinner table was a chicken. Grandma raised chickens, so one was always handy.


Okay, I have a confession to make here: I never ate chicken at Grandma’s. Maybe I was a picky eater—I don’t remember—but that hunk of flesh in the center of the table had been out in the yard a few hours ago, scratching around. I couldn’t eat it.


I loved all the vegetables, though. Mashed potatoes and gravy, lima beans, crowder peas, skillet corn and cornbread dressing. But not the chicken, and certainly not the giblet gravy. I’d seen what went into the gravy. NO way!


This girl didn’t eat innards.


Next week, there will be a turkey on my Thanksgiving table. And, there will be giblet gravy, because my husband loves it. These days, I usually eat the turkey. I hope it had a good upbringing.


And I hope you have a wonderful holiday, whether you serve turkey or chicken, or a table-full of vegetables.


For each new morning with its light,


For rest and shelter of the night,


For health and food,


For love and friends,


For everything Thy goodness sends,


Father in heaven,


We thank thee.


—Ralph Waldo Emerson [Prayer of Thanks]