Thanksgiving Notes

Thanksgiving turned out to be a bit different around the cabin this year. We did not have any family members coming, so a big meal seemed a bit much to ask. The decision was made to eat out at Cracker Barrel. We did enjoy our meal, but it made the day...sort of.....flat. After all, even if it was "just us", we still needed to celebrate, right? The day did prove to be relaxing, however. We were able to talk with several of the extended family members on Skype, so that helped--even though they weren't here. It seems like we've been hit with various problems around this place lately. First of all, the van. What else can we say but "THE VAN"? It's been a constant source of trouble for us this fall. We have had it in the shop numerous times. Praise the Lord, though it had to be towed once (After our wonderful "Harvest Party" Adventure), we were not charged for the labor. We have not been able to take it on many trips, but at least we've had a second (smaller) vehicle on hand for those close-knit trips we so enjoy. Hmmmm.... We returned home from our trip to New York City and Maryland to a cold, cold cabin. The motor on the outdoor furnace was struggling. Apparently, we were supposed to have had a motor that had 3/4 power, but instead..yup, we had had a motor with 1/2 power installed. (Not knowingly, however.) Of course, we couldn't get a hold of anybody because West Virginia had hit "Deer Season" and most businesses were closed. (It's akin to a real celebration around these parts, folks.) Meanwhile, Dad (our own Paul Bunyan) had to cut and haul wood in for our fireplace constantly, it seemed. This man is truly a wonder! Us womenfolk aren't able to do much in that area, but we tried to keep the fire going. We had to wait until the following week to get in touch with someone who could come and check things out. After that, we had to wait until the part came in, which we learned would cost about $289.00. The next day after finding out what it would cost us, we received $300 in the mail! God is so amazing! Along with these issues, we had our Internet connection start acting up right after Thanksgiving. We are grateful to Monica, who spent hours on the phone with various Indian folk across the ocean. (It is next to impossible to understand them at times...) She's the one who wears the "techno trousers" around here, as we call it. Quite the gal. Anyhow, that was cleared up and proved to be a real boon, as we had e-mails to write and orders to ship. We're indeed thankful for God's manifold blessings on our lives. Many times this fall we have wondered just exactly what He is doing with us...what with changes in the air and no real certainty about the future at certain points. We may not always know what the path holds, but we're glad to know He's gone before us and lights the way. We're thankful that He is our God!