100 Reasons I Give Thanks

1. I have a merciful Savior who loves me, warts and all.
2. The leaves change color in the fall; they don’t have to, but they do.
3. My mother is a creative person who “gets” me on so many levels and who loves me to death.
4. My father is a humorous and loving man who provides well for our family and would do anything for us.
5. My little brother may be a twerp sometimes, but he’s my twerp and I know that he loves me…deep down.
6. I have a part-time job with my family that allows me to make a regular paycheck and have plenty of time to listen to books on my iPod.
7. I am incredibly blessed to have so much extended family living nearby; my grandparents are amazing.
8. Foggy mornings.
9. While I may not have many friendships, the ones I have are deep and full of meaning, purpose, beauty, and laughter.
10. I am in on the Goodwill Secret—and am not afraid to utilize my knowledge.
11.  I have the freedom to experiment, to explore, to create a future that’s perfectly suited to me.
12.  I have access to an awesome public library filled with thousands and thousands of books, DVDs, and audio CDs.
13.  My country grants me freedom of religion, and I need have no fear to worship.
14.  I am physically fit, capable of doing everything I want to do.
15.  There are Panini sandwiches and gallons of pesto in the world.
16.  I have been able to pursue a non-traditional education through homeschooling, CLEP and DSST tests, and online college.
17.  Despite the fact that my body does not like my fingers and frequently attempts to sever them, I have never been seriously injured.

Do You Like Piña Coladas?

Pina Colada, originally uploaded by Randy Son Of Robert.

We all get into a routine. It's really inevitable if you're around someone for a long time. I know that I have some friends I think I could never get bored with, but then there comes a time when I'd really rather be with someone else because there's some kind of spark that's simply gone out.


It's especially true of husband/wife relationships. A man and woman fall in love, have that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling, there's a beautiful wedding, and then whammo. Before you know it they've settled into a rut and things can get pretty dull.


But what if, every once in a while, we all went on a "voyage of discovery" with our nearest and dearests? Maybe we could quiz them, or--better yet--just spend some extra time with them: not just sitting around or doing something routine, but getting out and experiencing something completely new, just to see how they react. Maybe you would discover things you never knew about a person: your Mom's favorite flower is a sweet pea, your husband secretly hates your Brussels sprouts, your sister isn't angry--just thoughtful, your brother-in-law has a passion for Japanese tea. It could make you look at your relationships in a completely different light, and fall in love with your friends and family all over again! 


All of this came to mind after I listened to the 1979 Rupert Holmes song "Escape", better known as "The Piña Colada Song". It's about a man who is dragging through life, completely dissatisfied with his humdrum, everyday marriage. He's fallen out of love with his wife. After seeing a message in the personals column of the paper, however, he makes plans to run away with a woman who sounds spontaneous, exciting, and has a lot in common with him. You probably know the ending, but it's a fun song to relisten to:

How Far? Too Far?

As most of you know, I am a rabid Britophile. Give me practically anything British and I'll jump sky high. I especially love British books and films. I especially love great British actors. And I especially love Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson.

So imagine my surprise, my thrill, my veritable ecstasy when I learned about a movie starring both of them--and only them. Yes indeed, it's The Song of Lunch: an hour-long drama drawn almost completely from a long poem, dialog and all, and starring only two characters.

The plot is very simple: two ex-lovers reunite after 15 years for lunch at a little Italian restaurant. Their conversation starts out well, but does not go quite as planned. After all is said and done they both realize that they can never erase the past or recapture what is gone. It was a brilliant movie with truly insightful, human writing and two of the greatest actors on the screen today.

But I cannot give this film my wholehearted approbation. It is uncomfortably sensual and I had to fast-forward through some rather revealing parts. But I was enjoying it so much that even after one or two "indiscreet" parts I just had to watch it to the end.

Which brings me to the subject of this post.

The Secret of Eating for Pleasure

I have a feeling that I'll be doing this from time to time on this blog, gushing about the wonderful books that I've been reading lately. I have just finished a real gem, "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano. And yes, it's just as good as it sounds, even if you're not trying to lose weight. It's all about contradicting the way we Americans eat, with the best of results!

The subtitle is: THE SECRET OF EATING FOR PLEASURE. Novel idea! Apparently, we Americans have it all wrong. We either kill ourselves on salads and sneak bits of Hershey bars into the closet to indulge in secret, or binge on super-sugared goodies and then work out for mind-numbing hours at the gym. No, no, no, no, no, this is not the way to eat. Eating should be a lifestyle. Yes, and a pleasant one.

Excercise shouldn't be something relegated to the gym, it should be a part of every day. Daily twenty minute walks (couldn't we spend more than that looking at picture on CuteOverload.com?), and climbing stairs whenever possilbe. Also, lots of water, fruits, vegetables, and yes, plenty of dessert. French women routinely eat many courses of absolutely delicious food, have wine with dinner, and guess what? They don't get fat! Revolutionary.

It's the French Paradox that nutrionists are always marveling over. But it turns out to not be a paradox at all! The French woman's lifestyle is one of moderation, constant, simple excercise, and, most of all: a love of good food. It's the mindset of quality over quantity. A small meal bursting with flavor and texture and smelling like Heaven, as opposed to a gut-busting half pound greasy cheeseburger. Which sounds better to you?

If you haven't read this book yet, this would definitely be the time to get it (Christmas is only 76 days, 11 hours, and 15 minutes away). See if your local library has it, this little treasure is definitely worth a few minutes of your hard-won free time. I certainly enjoyed it, and intend to read Mireille's two other books as well!

Au Revoir,
Abby