This is Tuesday as I try to corral my thoughts and put something on paper. I really think I should do this morning before my brain gets so tired and foggy. It is a beautiful day and just think in about three weeks (or more), the daylight will start hanging around longer.

This morning I decided to wash throws and pillows since it was so sunny. Yesterday, when I brought Erwin home from work and he walked into the house, he knew for sure it is winter. The inside lines are up and they were filled with laundry.

It was such a cold, gray, blustery day. I just decided to hang everything inside. It was kind of cozy. And relaxing. I didn’t have to watch and make sure everything stays on the line. I don’t really like to dry the things inside but it is easily done if the need arises.

With this past week having been Thanksgiving, it reminds us to be thankful in everything. All the time, not just one week out of the year!

I could fill a whole sheet of paper (and more) of things I’m thankful for. It goes without saying, first of all Jesus and His saving power, God’s mercies that are new every morning, family. And of course, our creature comforts, piped in water, showers, thick towels, soap, the list goes on, our Godly heritage.

I just have to share a humorous story that was in one of our devotionals on being thankful. It is very condensed.

Two guys were being chased by a very angry bull. On seeing they weren’t going to make it to the nearest fence, one urged the other to pray. He said he never made a public prayer in his life. The other said he must, the bull will soon be upon them.

OK, but the only prayer he knew was one his dad used to say before a meal. O Lord, for what we are about to receive — make us truly thankful.

To me, it brings out that we shouldn’t wait until trouble is upon us to pray. And we need to know how to pray accordingly. And as Christians, we should always be thankful.

Some circumstances just make it harder than others. And I imagine this Thanksgiving Day was especially hard for one young family in our area.

God took their 16-month-old baby girl home to be an angel, a flower in the Master’s bouquet. In their hearts of hearts, they know where she is, but being humans, they wanted to keep her longer. I can’t imagine the pain of their loss. My heart just hurts for them.

But now they have a treasure in Heaven and they can say with David in the Bible when his son died. It will now make ready to go to him for he cannot come to me.

If anyone wishes to send them a card, expressing sympathy, their address is: Harold and Fannie Lambright, 40 E CR 200 N, Arthur, IL 61911.

We had church services on Thanksgiving Day. Erwin and I generally go with daughter Rachel and Lloyd Yoder. Church was at our granddaughter Cynthia’s in-law’s place. Richard and Cynthia were there when we got there. The little entrance was lined with women waiting to go in to be seated and everything was basically quiet. But when Jamin saw his grandma Rachel, his eyes lit up and he belted out a hearty HI! It was so precious. My grandmother heart just melted to a puddle!

I went out to chore before finishing this and yes, the mouse chase was on. Almost every time I chore there is one, two or three mice in the feed barrel. I believe they are the same ones every time and I’ve almost got them trained. When I put my can in the barrel, they seem to know if they jump into that, they have a free-ride out of there. I am getting a little tired of it. Where is the cat when you need her?

In closing: He who wants milk should not sit on a stool in the middle of the pasture expecting the cow to back up to him.

Might this pudding satisfy your sweet tooth?

Date Pudding

1 cup of boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cut-up dates

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

Nuts (optional)

Pour water over baking soda and dates, let cool. Add egg, butter, brown sugar, baking powder and flour. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Cool. Cut into cubes. Layer alternately in a glass bowl — pudding, whipped cream (or topping), bananas and nuts. You can freeze leftover date cake for later use.

Sauce for date Pudding

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup cool whip

Nuts (optional)

Bananas (optional)

Mix condensed milk and cool whip until smooth. Put a layer of date pudding in bowl, layer of bananas, nuts and sauce. Repeat to fill bowl. Garnish with banana slices and nuts, if desired.