Giving Thanks for Where I Live

House in 1990

 

And a month ago

   For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. (Psalm 32:7, New Living Translation)

  Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1, New Living Translation)

  A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. (Proverbs 24:3, New Living Translation)

   The first time I saw my house, the one where I have been living for thirty years now, I instantly fell in love. Mostly, that very first day, it was the large yard which charmed me. Once I saw the inside of the house some of my excitement turned to anxiety. It was a little rough around the edges, and it only had two bedrooms. A good cleaning and a few gallons of paint made it feel like home, and nine years later, we were able to add on, giving us not only a third bedroom but a second full bathroom. Not to mention a massive family room.

 Beyond these four walls and my four acres of paradise, my little hometown is a safe, friendly place to live. We don’t have a Wal-mart, a Best Buy or an Olive Garden, and our Dairy Queen closes for the winter, but we have a dozen non-chain restaurants which offer great food and a welcoming atmosphere. For long-term residents, any time you go out in public, you hear the theme song from Cheers in your head. “Where everybody knows your name.”

 You’re safe to walk our streets at night (except of course in the dead of winter when you could suffer frost bite). And if your car breaks down and your cellphone is dead (or more likely you don’t have reception coz that is pretty common around here), someone will come along and offer you assistance. We are surrounded by lakes, woods and wildlife.

 I complain a lot about my hometown (aka Hicksville, USA), but, as already mentioned, we are safe here and if we just stay off the internet and turn off the news, we can be at peace.

  Lord, God, thank You for allowing me to live in a place where I feel safe, where all my needs are met, where I can spend time outside relishing in the gifts of this earth. Amen