The Pastoral Artist
  • Home
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Contact

BLOG

COVID Thanksgiving

12/11/2020

0 Comments

 
Over Thanksgiving, I was down and out with COVID.  Even though I’ve been careful, social distanced and worn a mask, I still managed to get it.  And though it was a relatively mild case, I wouldn’t choose to do that again.  Even more than 20 days after I was diagnosed, I’m still fatigued and have tightness in my chest.  But while the weather is still mild (due to change this weekend) I have started taking short walks to build up my stamina again.  I’m thankful for both the break in the weather, and the ability to once again go for a walk.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I know for most (during normal times), it’s a time of family, football, and food.  But I like having a time of gratitude.  I like reflecting on all I have to be thankful for.  This year, I couldn’t make it off the couch.  But I still have much to be grateful for.
​
  • For Ron and Susie from church who brought us (and others) a feast for Thanksgiving.  
  • That the virus (for me) was not severe.
  • That Mike did not get it.
  • That our pantry and fridge were well supplied when I came down with it.
  • I’m thankful for the Dear Hank and John podcast that kept me occupied while I was sick and I was too dizzy to read or watch videos.  (Not everyone experiences dizziness with COVID, but I sure did.)
  • I’m thankful for the different pace this year has been.  Because of all the shutdowns, it’s given me (and others) margins in my life…to think, reflect, pray, and ponder.
  • I’m thankful for all the people praying for me.
  • I’m thankful for Mike.
  • I’m thankful for the studio.  A small house a mile from my home that I can maintain social isolation, get away from the house, and create in.  It’s been a life saver.
  • I’m thankful for friends.  So very thankful for friends.
  • I’m thankful for art materials.
  • I’m thankful for online classes.  I was taking them before the quarantine, and I’ve continued through the year.  And while I’m pretty Zoomed out for a while, I’m also thankful for that platform.
  • The biggest thing I’m thankful for is that God is faithful and kind and has been so very close to me through this in ways that's hard to describe.  But I am so, so thankful.  

There is an old hymn, Count Your Blessings.  The chorus goes “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done.”  

I encourage you to take some time to practice gratitude.  It may surprise you.

Peace.
0 Comments

    Archives

    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Donna Kemper

    Donna Kemper put aside her art career to care for a mother she hadn't seen in over a decade.  For seven years she followed her mother's journey into dementia, caring for her and putting forgiveness into action.

    Categories

    All
    Abandonment
    Adult Care Facilities
    Advocacy
    Alzheimers
    Alzheimers Research
    Art
    August
    Automobiles
    Ballet
    Beauty
    Birds
    Birthdays
    Book
    Books
    Burnout
    Camping
    Cancer
    Care Giving
    Cat
    Colonoscopy
    Community
    Compassion Fatigue
    Computer Issues
    Creativity
    Daughters
    Death
    Dementia
    Difficult Parent
    Discovery
    Documentary
    Dreaming
    Elder Care
    Experimentation
    Faith
    Family
    Father
    Father In Law
    Father-in-law
    Fatherless Daughters
    Fear
    Forgiveness
    Friendship
    Frustration
    Gardening
    Genealogy
    God
    Gold Leafing
    Good Man
    Gourd Art
    Grandmothers
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Growth
    Health
    Hero
    Hope
    Human Trafficking
    Humor
    Husband
    Justice
    Kayaking
    Kindness
    Life Adjustments
    Listening
    Loneliness
    Loss
    Lost And Found
    Love
    Love In Action
    Mother In Law
    Mother-in-law
    Mothers
    Moving Forward
    Music
    Neglect
    Offering Help
    Paintings
    Patience
    Poetry
    Prayer
    Process
    Psalms
    Questioning
    Recovery
    Relevancy
    Restoration
    Rocks
    Rumi
    Sacrifice
    Sadness
    Shakespeare
    Slavery
    Snow
    Social Media
    Sonnet
    Spiritual Formation
    Storytelling
    Studio
    Suffering
    Transformation
    Transition
    Vineyards
    Water
    Worship
    Writing

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

STAY CONNECTED!


© The Pastoral Artist 2022 | Designed by Tech with Tasha

  • Home
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Contact