giving thanks

"For all your goodness I will keep on singing,

ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."

-Matt Redman

thank you, thank you very much

A fun template for you to use as you let your attitude of gratitude overflow. The Lunchbox Buddies have personalized this picture and distributed it to several of our nearest and dearest. Whether you share it electronically (like we did!) or print it for a neat paper treat, it will be sure to set-off a chain reaction of thanks! 

capacity for amazement

As the Lunchbox Buddies mindfully seek to soak ourselves in a spirit gratitude, we invite you to join us.  

Explore the big and small things/actions that inspire your heart to sing: words, music, specific times of the day, images, tastes, smells, sensations...

Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner shared a beautiful inference in his blog post entitled "Radical Gratitude":

The playbook of tradition we know as the siddur (prayer book) is filled with gratitude about the most ordinary of miracles: a prayer upon awakening, a blessing for functional body plumbing, a series of benedictions thanking God for the ability to open our eyes, get out of bed, and put on our clothing.  Jewish  law also mandates the recitation of berakhot  (blessings) before and after food and drink of every kind, and has even established benedictions for seeing a rainbow, hearing thunder, witnessing a shooting star, or seeing the ocean for the first time in a long while.   To view this as the product of a religious tradition overburdened with ritual minutiae misses the point — it isn’t about how the poetry of being furnishes an excuse for the recitation of a formula, but how a liturgy of gratitude can help us overcome the numbing effect of the humdrum, the taking for granted that coats our capacity for amazement with indifference.    The blessing isn’t the words, but our capacity to be surprised, as the philosopher Martin Buber once put it; our recognition of the sublime poetry of God’s world in real time. 

gr{attitude}

We are taking the month of November to explore gratitude.  Growing up, whenever I started to get whiny about something, my dad would say, "Stop and count your blessings."  Eventually we had a call and response set up where he would cue and I would retort, "I can't count that high!"  I have been thinking about this attitude of gratitude quite a bit.

The holidays are always busy.  We talk about it being a season of hustle and bustle.  It is easy to rush and rush desperately seeking that sense of accomplishment found in completing the big looming checklist and miss the spectacular moments given to us in the interim.

Join the LunchBox Buddies as we intentionally seek to be present and open our hearts and minds to attitudes of gratitude.   

'cause we're the Tennessee Titans

Lunchbox Buddies are really taking in the TN sporting events!  Not only have we had the opportunity to see the Predator's play, but we also received tickets to see the Titans play.  Weather was a bit touch and go with several scattered showers.  The highly likely rainy forecast affected the attendance forecast for some: Allison's threshold for sitting in the rain, highly unlikely.  But Sarah was eager to brave the rain for a chance to see her first NFL game.

Although the Titans did not beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the in-stadium experience was phenomenal.  We had great seats and although I enjoyed following the gridiron action, I have never outgrown my favorite part of a live game being the cheerleaders and half time show.  A definite highlight to this game was the TSU Marching Band's half time show!

"Look out football, here we come, Tennessee Titans: number one. Tennessee has the Titans, the greatest football team. We take the ball from goal to goal like no one's ever seen! We're in the air, we're on the ground--always in control. And when you say the Titans, you're talking Super Bowl!Cause we're the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Titans, number one. Yes, we're the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Titans, number one!"

brilliance abounds

You officially have 18 days to check out Cheekwood's Bruce Munro exhibit Light, an other-worldly exploration of illumination.  The exhibit is available through November 10th and the botanical garden is offering special extended hours (until 11 pm, yo!) certain weekday evenings.  This late night opportunity affords viewers a special breathtaking perspective of the glowing installations scattered throughout the grounds.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for any students and don't forget to bring along $3 for parking.  If you have some flexibility in your schedule, Friday evenings include live music, as well as drink and dining opportunities.

Click here to save time and purchase your tickets in advance.

fall {creek falls}

As mentioned back here, my mom and I took a weekend excursion to Fall Creek Falls State Park.  When mom asked what I'd like to do for my birthday this past summer, I mentioned my desire to take a trip with just her.  She immediately shared that she'd love to go see a waterfall.  Living in Nashville the past couple of years, I'd heard several friends rave about the breathtaking falls out in East TN.  The great thing about this particular state park is that it is big.  I mean, really big.  Covering more than 20,000 acres, you can experience those beautiful moments of feeling like you're out in the middle of nowhere.  You know, without being actually out in the middle of nowhere!  Not only do they offer primitive camping, they also have cabin rentals, as well as room rentals in their guest inn.  We opted for the hotel accommodations!  We checked out a handful of their amenities, including onsite dining (who doesn't love a good all-you-can-eat buffet?), paddle boat rentals, game room access and hiking trails.  But they also have fishing, biking trails, horseback riding, boat rentals, swimming, golfing, special events and much more. 

Well, we didn't come that far not to see a waterfall, so we journeyed down the 256 foot trail to the base of Fall Creek Falls.  This namesake boasts to be the highest waterfall in the eastern US.  It was slow and steady hiking due to the fairly steep and rocky grade.  And boy was the trek worth it. We just had to remind ourselves of that as we puffed back up the trail!  If you prefer a more level hike, there are several other falls within the park, including Piney and Cane Creek Falls.  

So if you are around these parts looking for a refreshing getaway, check out Fall Creek Falls.  After all, Southern Living magazine readers voted it the best state park in the southeast!