Thankful

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We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving this past weekend with a quick trip out to the prairies

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to connect with a multitude of Skelton offspring. Grandad's Great Grandbabies

Cousins eating

Here are four generations of Skelton men…

P1180956Micah and Monorea and us

The progenitor of them all came along with us!  What a treat, to see the towns along the way through his eyes, including the church where he was married some 60 years ago!

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The weather was idyllic for travel and the mountains are festive with their gold trimmings.  P1180996

Larch trees are new to us.  They are  deciduous conifers, meaning they resemble a standard evergreen with needles and cones, but they turn yellow and lose all their needles in the fall.  In the process whole monochromatic mountainsides are dramatically transformed.

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And of course the other deciduous trees do their part,
bringing glory to even this pine-beetle ravaged swath of mountainside.

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For fall color and for family I am grateful, and not to be taken for granted is safe travel.  We made a short detour to take in beautiful Lake Louise

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and were reminded of our visit here last November. This was our final sight-seeing stop before the crash  that jolted us into some very big life changes.  It is as though Lake Louise bookmarks in my mind the end of a chapter in our lives. P1180976

So much has changed for us in a year’s time.

 

And though we don’t know what this next chapter will bring, we are thankful for all the way the Lord has led and kept us, and for the family he has blessed us with!

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–LS

Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His Name, make known HIs deeds among the peoples…Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Is.12:4,5

Gone Campin’

Spray Lake panorama

We snatched the end of the summer season to do something we’ve never done before—go camping with the grandkids!  And it was grand ( :

There’s something really sweet about seeing your own offspring take up the camping tradition and carry it on in their own ways. The kids loved it!  The parents worked hard to make it a real treat.  And we were the beneficiaries ( :

There were moments of doubt as we had not been here before.  And when the road to the campsites turned to gravel and then just kept going, and going, for 15 miles….well, oh me of little faith.  I was ready to turn back and find something less remote.  Of course we didn’t and what a spectacular spot was in store for us!  This is Alberta camping at its best…

If you didn’t get out camping this year,  please enjoy a few virtual moments here…

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It was splendid!

–LS

Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast. Ps.36:6

Beauty coming and going…

The prairies are beautiful at this time of year…IMG_20150724_142629829

IMG_20150724_154220243Cycling to AirdrieIMG_20150728_173154875_HDR

As are the little people who live there…

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As are the mountain vistas we pass coming and going…

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It isn’t very nice to have family so far away from us,

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but it does give us the excuse to traverse some beautiful landscapes.

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And now safely home once again, we are grateful for travelling mercies, P1180089

for work accomplished  IMG_20150727_155234274_HDRIMG_20150728_123714206_HDR

and for good memories made with family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(… a lesson in whistling by Grandad)

–LS

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; … so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. Ps.65:5-6,8 ESV