We often celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Once in October for the Canadian Thanksgiving and then again in November if we have family visiting us from south of the border.  Such was the case this year.

We began the weekend on Thurs. with a wiener roast. Our turkey dinner was slated for Friday to accommodate those who had to work.  The weather was balmy and pleasant. Not a flake of snow or drop of rain. Dry ground. Drifting leaves. Cats romping about.

Some of the family decided to stay over Thurs. night. We have one spare room which was already occupied so we put up inflatable bed wherever we could squeeze in one. Someone slept on a foamy in the laundry room. Someone slept next to the freezer on a mattress. It was…cozy, shall we say.

We woke to snow. Heavy, wet snow which turned to ice as soon as a vehicle drove on it. Snow fell heavily until mid afternoon. The streets and highways were well iced by then. The Queen Elizabeth II highway was shut down with a 50-60 car pileup. The trip from Calgary (normally an hour to an hour and a half) took 4 1/2 hours.

The birthday girl had to stay in the city by herself while the rest of us ate turkey. Sorry you couldn’t make it, Tania.

The roads were too treacherous to travel on so everyone stayed another night. No one complained about the crowding. In fact, it was kind of fun. We were warm and dry. We had lots of food. And good company.  Lots of people to hold the two baby girls. Here is a picture of them enjoying each other. Haedyn is checking out Anastasia’s ear. She also pulled her hair and tried to get some action out of her cousin.

It was a great weekend and made me realize again how blessed we are with family, conveniences, food, water, heat, homes, etc. I could go on and on but consider just one thing we take for granted–water. We showered, bathed, flushed toilets, did laundry, made number pots of coffee, drank lots of water and likely never once gave a thought to the fact much of the world does not enjoy a super abundance of safe, clean water.

So today, I am going to consciously give thanks for water. (As I wash 4 loads of sheets, 3 loads of towels and enjoy another cup of coffee.)

Which brings me to another thought about water. How satisfying it is. How necessary. We have also a spiritual need for refreshing, cleansing water. In John chapter four, verse ten, Jesus says he will be to us living water that satisfies.

How blessed we are to have satisfying, abu

ndant water at our disposal.

A while ago–it doesn’t matter how long–a couple of writers got together and came up with a plan on how to help an organization that is dedicated to training Christian publishers and writers in difficult places around the globe. That organization is called Media Associates International. The plan they devised was a book written by published authors and sold solely to benefit the organization. And so A Novel Idea was written.

This book contains approximately 80 articles giving advice on writing inspirational fiction. I am pleased to be included with my article Doing a Fast First Draft.  My friend and fellow writer, Carolyne Aarsen is included with her article Tunnel Vision-A Writer’s Friend.

I haven’t read all the articles yet though I hope to before long. Some titles really attract me like, Writing Novels from the Inside Out by mary DeMuth and The Plot Skeleton by Angela Hunt.

This book won’t make me any money but will benefit hundreds of others. I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Once upon a time, many years ago, we watched a funny movie. It was New Year’s Day and we were at my in-laws. Everyone was exhausted because of company, parties and Christmas in general so an amusing movie was in order.

The name of the movie was Once Upon A Horse starring Dick Martin and Dan Rowan (Of Laugh-in Fame).

As I recall, the story line was about two petty criminals who decided to rustle cows and then the market fell. The sheriff threatened to fine them if they didn’t feed the cows properly. They tried to give the cows back but the owner couldn’t afford feed either so refused to let them leave the cows in his corrals. They even tried skipping town but the sheriff brought them back to take care of their cows. So they were stuck with worthless cows and had to buy expensive feed for them.

And there is exactly where truth and fiction intersect. But we won’t get into the current economic situation for farmers. Suffice it to say that often a story points to a truth that is painful, poignant or reveals something about us to ourselves.   Stephen King say Fiction is the truth inside the lie.

So read fiction to laugh at yourself and your situation, or to see the truth more clearly, feel it more deeply. Read it to vicariously learn how to live the truth through the characters. For me, I intend my stories to entertain at some level so most of all, read fiction–my stories in particular–for enjoyment.