A weekly round-up of various things that provided me with joy and happiness.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. This very colorfully cool silo mural we saw at Days of Creation Farm in Jesup GA.
2. Thankfulness for my state of Georgia electing the nation’s first black female governor.
3. The right — and responsibility — to vote!
4. Faith, Hope and Love.
5. Neal’s Buttery “Oh My Goodness” Gooeys
May you have a Sweet Weekend ahead!
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. Reflections
If only we could all reflect so beautifully!
2. Speaking of walks, Robert and I spent the past week at our friend Gordon’s grandparents’ old farmhouse in Effingham County, and yesterday we had a beautiful little hike at the Effingham County Methodist Campgrounds.
3. The ability to enjoy.
4. These incredibly beautiful and TALL sunflowers (“muck sunflowers”) we discovered on our little getaway to The Farm.
5. HR watering plants at The Farm.
May you water some Joy this Weekend, and bring it into Full Life.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. Water. What a blessing!
2. Voting!
3. Enjoying our church’s annual God on Broadway services during the month of October.
“God on Broadway brings theatre and theology together in a worship experience unlike any other. Each week, music and scenes inspired by a Broadway musical help us explore the deeper questions, stories, and messages that connect with our faith.” Asburymemorial.org
4. The ability to hear!
What do you hear right now?
5. This incredible field of sunflowers Robert discovered today as we drove up to nearby Statesboro.
May you discover beauty this weekend.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. The Autumn decor in the foyer of the condo where we are crashing in Ponte Vedra FL this week.
2. Robert’s nickname: “Squirrel.”
3. The ability to walk. At least for now. The condo where HR and I are staying has a large number of senior citizens, many of whom struggle to walk, aided by canes and walkers.
4. Always, ALWAYS having enough food to eat. What a blessing that I often forget is a blessing.
5. Just finishing this incredibly well made, four-part docu-series about the rise and fall of the dinosaurs. Absolutely fascinating!
May you have a Joyful-saurus Weekend Ahead.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. Finding this little tree-looking leaf perched comfortably on the passenger mirror of our car (why did she decide to land there?) as we headed out to go who-knows-where the other morning. I was mesmerized for four or five seconds. (It doesn’t take a whole lot to mesmerize me.)
Robert: “Neal, get in! What are you staring at?!”
2. Young love.
Seriously, there’s such a day?! What about “National Arthritis in My Wrists Is Absolutely Killing Me Day”?
3. The ability to drive a car. And to have a car to drive! Everybody certainly does not have that blessing.
4. Walking along the Jacksonville Beach FL boardwalk and coming upon the iconic Art Deco Lifeguard Station.
5. A few sights of Autumn here in historic district Savannah.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. A lone magnolia leaf I found on this bench in a churchyard in Augusta, Georgia.
Wait, you can’t see it. Let’s get closer.
I love everything about the leaf. Its golden hue as it revels in the sun’s warmth. Its courage to shine. Its willingness to sit by itself as all the other leaves are hovering ground-ward. Its bendy-waviness. Its refusal to see green as the only color advertising life.
2. And when I got up from the bench, seeing the parent from which my little leaf was launched …
… and her beautifully colored, cone-like seed pods.
3. Robert and I decided to step inside the old church.
Heavenly beauty!
4. Being able to appreciate. And letting that appreciation be known.
5. Spanish moss and Robert in the sun.
May you have an appreciative weekend ahead.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. Finding the perfect evening spot to read …
The beach at the Ponte Vedra FL condo we have been fortunate enough to enjoy several times this summer.
2. Seeing and realizing that there is strength in leaning, in bending.
3. Silly but getting a jolt of happiness when the Atlanta Braves captured the 2026 National Championship.
4. Back in Savannah, Robert and I are house and dog sitting for daughter Amy.
5. The arrival of Autumn!
And it’s actually cool in Savannah today. For a change.
Happy First Weekend of Fall, Y’all!
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
1. Clouds
2. Eyesight.
3. Exquisite September roses at Winter Park, Florida’s Central Park.
4. Finding beauty, even in distress.
5. Spending a couple of delightful hours working on our iPads at Jacksonville’s Café Resistance Bookstore and Coffee Shop.
May you stay out of jail this weekend!
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts
It is a bit difficult to write about Happiness today, because of course it is the anniversary of one of the most horrendous days in our nation’s recent history. And it is the day after putting our sweet feline kitty to sleep. But I will try.
1. First of all, the ability to feel and experience emotions, even the really tough ones.
2. A beautiful evening walk along the Savannah River a few blocks from our place and encountering a huge cargo ship heading out to sea and on to Marseille, France.
3. Daughter Amy’s medical company here in Savannah, Coastal Care Partners, winning multiple awards announced in the current edition of Savannah Magazine.
4. All these little Jesus figurines that keeping popping up. I’m not sure of their exact purpose, but they always made me smile.
Have you seen them around where you live?
5. Joyful memories of Benny and his 17 1/2 years of enjoying life.
