My youngest daughter surprised me.
She came home from college a day early for her Thanksgiving break.
It was a wonderful way to begin our Thanksgiving holiday.
She was grateful to sleep in because as an RA she needed the extra few hours.

After she got dressed, we went out.
I had to return a book at a book store.
However first, we went to a seasonal shop that I love to go to all through the year.
This time of year it is filled with everything Christmas.

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In a matter of hours it changed.
The day began with temperatures near 70 degrees.
It was unusual for late November.
It was not my favorite kind of fall day.

I like cold weather.
I can always get warm when I’m cold.
However, in the heat and humidity, I can never get comfortable.
Blankets and a cozy fire in the fireplace are my favorite things in the cold weather.

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I see him sit in church in his wheelchair.
He sits on the side of the middle aisle.
Each week, I purpose in my heart to finally introduce myself.
Each week, by the time I look up he is gone.

I could see him out of the corner of my eye.
It was Reformation Sunday.
Reformation Sunday is always the last Sunday of October.
It was 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany.

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Ask any woman and she will tell you.
You do not wear white before Memorial Day.
You do not wear white after Labor Day.
There are always the rebels who will wear white any time they choose.

However, those holidays are the benchmark.
Those holidays are the markers.
They are seasonal fashion police.
They keep us from making a fashion faux pas.

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When you hear the word worship what comes to mind?
If you looked up the word worship in the dictionary would the definition suffice?
Can worship even be defined?
Is worship only a feeling?

The word worship is defined in the dictionary as reverent honor and homage paid to God.
The definition becomes a bit weaker when it goes on to say, “or a sacred parsonage.”
The definition becomes even weaker when extended to “any object regarded as sacred.”
A dictionary definition cannot fully convey the true meaning of worship.

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We were driving down a country road and something caught my eye.
I was in the car with all of my daughters.
Did you see that? Two of us said in unison.
I was in the passenger seat and turned almost completely around.

I did a double take.
I saw Santa and Rudolph and Frosty on a green summer lawn.
I saw a sleigh and reindeer, a snow globe, and candy cane all set up as if it was December.
I saw large inflatables that took up most of the front yard.

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I began walking a new route.
The beauty of the scenery is spectacular.
This spring has been delightful.
If I could place an order for the perfect day, it would be the kind of days we have been having.

The sky is brilliant blue without any clouds.
The humidity is quite low.
A gentle breeze blows this way and that.
The trees have buds that are waiting to burst forth.

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Do you ever think about the things children get away with?
I don’t mean misbehaving type things.
I mean the things that you wish you could do as an adult.
Sometimes I think about those things randomly, without warning.

Did you ever want to ride on a shopping cart?
Do you ever wish you could stand on the back end and have someone push you around?
Would you enjoy standing on a moving cart while someone else danced you around the room?
Do you ever dream about belting out a song in the middle of the supermarket?

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Our daily can be very ordinary with a lot of routine.
If you look, really look, you can find all sorts of whimsy.
You can find all sort of things that may seem strange if you looked at them separately.
However, if looked at all together, these things can only make you smile.

It was the preview day, before the opening day, for my favorite bi-annual consignment sale.
I have gone to this sale in both April and October for at least twenty-five years.
I find books, old tins, and occasionally pieces of furniture.
My Carolina rocker in my family room was purchased years ago at the sale for $25.00.

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I woke up to the sound of rain falling on the skylights in my bathroom.
I love the sound of a spring rain.
I love the promise of new life that I know the rains will bring.
The day was gray without a hint of sunshine.

The sound of the rain is a welcome melody.
The sound of the rain on the roof is the natural percussion of spring.
Instead of being dreary, I found the rain to be very pleasant.
Instead of wanting to pull the covers back over my head, I wanted to begin the day.

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