Home Family Stories Thankful, through and through

Thankful, through and through

by Jamie

Last Saturday I was up early baking Fabulous French Bread for our 8th annual Bake Sale when this gorgeous sunrise came to be. Beautiful isn’t it!  A gorgeous start to one of my favorite days of the year.  Many of the ladies in my neighborhood bake their little hearts out  (thank you to all of you who donated goods this year!), then we sell the treats off and give the proceeds to someone in need. This year we donated the money to our friend Holly, a young mother in our community who is battling stage 4 colon cancer. I can’t tell you how great it felt to be able to do something to help her and her family out.

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I loved watching our community pull together for a great cause.

I loved spending time with my ladies…baking and baking and baking.

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I love Pumpkin Mousse Cupcakes. Just had to mention the tiny detail.

sweet rolls

I didn’t really love the huge smokey mess I made in the bottom of my oven while I baked sweet rolls (picture buttery-brown sugar filling bubbling up over the side of the pans, dang it). I did however feel especially grateful for my friend Cindi, when she put her head in my oven and cleaned out the mess. Those kind of friends are really something.

yum!

My cute neighbor, Mr. Mischief, snatching a finished caramel apple hot off the press.

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The troops, chocolate cakes in tow.

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My cool neighbors…

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Did I mention this is one of my favorite days of the year?

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While I was baking early that morning (and staring at this amazing sunrise), it occurred to me, as it has many times before, that life would be so very lonely and dark if we were left to face it on our own. How would we manage, really…if we didn’t have each other! There is something beautiful in the act of caring for each other. Wheather we are on the giving end, or on the receiving end it is kindness, love really that binds us together, giving us tangible courage and strength to take on our various challenges. I see so many of you doing amazing things. Mowing your elderly neighbors lawn,  taking lunch to your child’s teacher on her birthday, volunteering at the food bank, handing out cash to beggars on the street, bringing in meals to the families you love, flying to Honduras to volunteer your dental assistance! (you know who you are), making Christmas happen for someone who is struggling financially, offering a friendly smile or pat on the back…I could go on and on.

Feeling blessed and thankful through and through this week to have people in my life to love and who are willing to love and care for me. At the very end of one of my all time favorite books (Les Miserables, folks) Victor Hugo gives some advice through his character Jean Val Jean. The dear fellow is nearing the end of his life and tells his children to…

“Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything in the world but that. To love one another.”

The man really knew what he was talking about.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you all have a marvelous holiday. See you back here next week…more wonderful recipes to come.

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2 comments

Holly W December 1, 2014 - 12:31 pm

What a warm and inspiring post. Thank you!

Reply
Ann Moore December 2, 2014 - 6:23 pm

Well said and well done. You are an amazing person!!

Reply

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