The Greatest Thanksgiving Lesson

The greatest Thanksgiving lesson I've ever learned was this:

Being thankful is a big thing this time of year. And don't misunderstand me, I'm thankful for many things! E.g. 8 days until we get a Christmas tree, 5 days until I see one of my best friends after a long time apart, 39 days till Christmas, 31 days till we've been engaged for a year, and of course, 198 days until...the wedding!! So as you can see, there so much I'm thankful for. But, being thankful inside doesn't show it. 

Actions speak louder than words. Thanksgiving is giving thanks. Giving is an action. This next week leading up to Thanksgiving, I challenge you to show it outwardly to those around you. Tell someone you're thankful for them. Do something unexpected for someone else. Blessings abound, so bless others.

Hats for the Holidays! Day 25.... & More!

Over 30,000 views! And its my 900th post of my blog!

Thank you all!!!

Beautiful Blessings:

~ Having my Aunt and Uncle come for dinner!

~ Dad and T-Tot doing the Turkey Trot together!! 197 and 198 across the finish line!

~ Lil' G explaing her Plymoth made out of pillows as she takes the Mayflower across the perilous journey to the New World!

~ Watching "Its a Wonderful Life" as is tradition!

~ Washing dishes!

Hats for the Holidays! Day 25 & Beautiful Blessings - 11/25/15

A jaunty hat that I think might have turkey feathers! Im not sure, so dont quote me! lol! Tis ostentatious to say the least!

Blessings for the day:

~ Prepping desserts ahead of time for tomorrow!

~ Yummy leftovers for dinner!

~ Watching "Holiday Inn" with the girls! They enjoyed it!

~ That my friend was protected when his car broke down!

~ God is good. No matter what. 

1 Chronicles 16:34 (ESV)

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    for his steadfast love endures forever!

Beautiful Blessings - 11/22/15

(Yay!!! Im back at this! lol!)

~ Christmas cards to send out after Thanksgiving break!

~ Having a friend help me immensely with planning a Christmas show! Thank you thank you thank you Elijah!

~ Incredible friendships God has blessed me with!

~ Less than a week till we get our Christmas tree!

~ 32 days till Christmas!!!!!

Hats for the Holidays! Day 19

A fur-trimmed hat with a sparkly broach! Tis a beautiful hat, and perfect for the holidays!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and ironically, I havent been posting my Beautiful Blessings, although I will pick it up again soon. God has been using this month in a special way for me, so I will be sharing it with you withing a few days! And after I do that, I will probably resume my Beautiful Blessings! Though I must say, Im quite thankful for encouraging friends today. Well, encouraging friends, and encouraging friends. It goes both ways! :~)

Being Thankful No Matter What

My head hurts.

My reading glasses are bugging me.

My head hurts for the umpteenth time.

The slightest noise from the kids sounds like a tuba in my face.

Its kinda gloomy out.

I am tired.

And snappy.

I post things Im thankful for every day. 

Each blessing is a gift from God.

Sometimes its easy to say what Im thankful for when I have an amazing day.

But on days like this it is hard.

Especially when youre dealing with wet affectionate cats who decided to go out and play in the rain.

Or when the kids are playing together, and show you with great loud excitement, the worlds theyve created in their Polly Pocket Land.

And then you remember:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

{1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV}

I remember the other day, when I was walking from the library, I thought of everything wrong at the moment. 

Yet God reminded me of Philippains 4:11-13.

It was a timely reminder to be content, appreciative, grateful, and thankful for all God has done.

So back to the beginning of my post.

 My head hurts, yet I have medicine to take to help and heal it.

My reading glasses are bugging me, yet I can adjust them a little and read properly with them.

My head hurts for the umpteenth time, yet I have a warm cup of coffee to drink to help soothe it.

The slightest noise from the kids sounds like a tuba in my face, yet they arent arguing and they are keeping themselves contentedly entertained with their Polly Pockets.

Its kinda gloomy out, yet its finally raining and we need the rain desperately.

I am tired, yet I can rest on the porch with my blanket and coffee.

And snappy, yet I can choose to be gentler with my remarks.

God has blessed me, and you, and all of us for that matter!

We need to choose to be thankful, no matter what!

Beautiful Blessings - 7/11/15

Today's beautiful blessings:

~ Seeing the beautiful bright colors of wildflowers along the road.
~ Gathering to thank God for the life of a man who was a man after God's own heart.
~ Singing together to joyously sing a hymn acapella.
~ Seeing people I havent seen in years.
~ Giggling in the grass with a girl-friend.

Pneumonia and why I'm thankful for it!

Nearly 2 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Pneumonia is not fun, in case you want to know. You're exhausted, your lungs ache, and you just feel blah! Today I actually feel like I'm getting better. It's rather nice I must say, and while I could talk about my pneumonia, I'd rather talk about some things I find amazing and I'm so thankful for!

First of all, people who have been praying for me! So many of my friends, my family, my parents' friends and people from Church have been praying for me! To know that people care that much about you is truly amazing. For all of you who have been praying, thank you. It means so much to me!

Secondly, my friends have been a big source of encouragement! From quick "how are you?", to long emails full of alliterations, to listening to my ceaseless chatter, or even coming over for a visit, it's been so encouraging! I'm so thankful for their encouraging words, verses they've shared and just giving me something to laugh about! (Even though laughing really hurt for a while....  ;~)They've been such a blessing to me! Thank you, my dear friends, for everything you've done!

Thirdly, my family, specifically my parents. They've let me get in extra naps when I've needed them. They've given me space to just sit quietly to rest. They've gone out on snowy nasty days to get my medicine, and freezing-cold days take me to the doctor's. They have done so much for me. Thank you Mom and Dad!!

This pneumonia has been a test of my patience. I've wanted to do things, go out to the library/post office, help around the house, etc., but I've been unable to. Instead it's given me a chance to sit, and study my Bible. It's given me a chance to spend time in prayer and pray for others. I've even been able to encourage others which is hard to do when one is busy. I'm very thankful for this time of quietness. God is so good!

(Two little munchkins hopped on my lap while I was resting one day. They were cold from playing outside and ready for some delicious hot chocolate!!)

A White Thanksgiving!

A friend agreed with me that this should be the song for today:

I'm dreaming of a white Thanksgiving
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear gobblers in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Thanksgiving
With every mashed potato that I roast
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your turkey meat be white! 

Thanksgiving!

Throwback Tuesday: Dressed for the Holiday Social Season

With Thanksgiving only a couple days away, the start of the holiday season is here! 

This is a perfect outfit if you are going: 

to a dinner, 

the opera, 

a performance of Nutcracker ballet, 

a classy vintage movie theater to watch a Christmas classic such as  

It's a Wonderful Life or The Christmas Carol,

being a hostess for Thanksgiving,

attending a party,

going to the symphony,

enjoying a delightful tea,

or just dressing up for fun this holiday season!

Timeless yet elegant for any social event this holiday season!

**disclaimer** I wouldn't recommend wearing this for one of those ugly holiday sweater contest parties. It just doesn't seem appropriate..... ;~)

The Pleiades

 (Picture credit goes to my Dad. Taken a few years ago)

Every winter, since I was a little girl, I would scan the winter sky for the Pleiades. 

 Every year I'd search until I found them. 

Today I found them in the night sky, and I'm still amazed that yet it's such a tiny constellation, they're mentioned 3 times in the Bible.

Job 9:9 (ESV)

Who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south.

Job 38:31 (ESV)

Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?

Amos 5:8 (ESV)

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name.

From here, they seem so small, yet they are stars which are a clear indication they aren't. 

Stars fascinate me. 

I could look at them for hours. 

While the Pleiades may not be one of the larger constellations, or more important ones, they're always there. 

Year after year. 

For centuries.

It leaves me in awe.

Psalm 147:4 (ESV)

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names

Isaiah 40:26 (ESV)
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
    who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
    calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
    and because he is strong in power
    not one is missing.

The stars were created by an Almighty God.

When I see what he has made, I'm in awe of his power.

God is good.

Thank you God for making the stars!

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (ESV)

 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

In His Own Image

Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

It amazes me that in the Church, how many people hate their body. 

They feel that they are too tall, too short, too small, too large, too fat, and too skinny. 

They feel that they are ugly.

I've been thinking a lot about this recently.

To the world I'm too tall, too fat, too blah, too tanned, and too gangly.

But to God, I'm perfect.

Because he made me.

And he made you too <3

The world is full of lies, and we need to block them out.

Ephesians 4:27 (NIRV)

Don’t give the devil a chance.

 

Don't let him convince you that you are not lovely.

 

You are precious and perfect just the way God made you!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

 

 When you complain about your body, and listen to the world's lies, you are not glorifying God.

You are basically telling him that being made in his image doesn't mean a thing to you.

And that makes him sad.

Today, I want you to thank God for the glorious life and body he has graciously given to you.

Always remember that you are precious to him no matter what you look like. <3

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful day with friends and family! Don't forget to count your blessings!

#27 - Thankful Heart

With a thankful heart
With an endless joy
With a growing family
Every girl and boy
Will be nephew and niece to me
(Nephew and niece to me)
Will bring love, hope and peace to me
(Love, hope and peace to me)

Yes and every night will end
And every day will start
With a grateful prayer
And a thankful heart

With an open smile
And with open doors
I will bid you welcome
What is mine is yours
With a glass raised to toast your health
(With a glass raised to toast your health)
And a promise to share the wealth
(Promise to share the wealth)

I will sail a friendly course
File a friendly chart
On sea of love
And a thankful heart

Life is like a journey
Who knows when it ends
Yes and if you need to know
The measure of a man
You simply count his friends

Stop and look around you
The glory that you see
It's born again each day
Don't let it slip away
How precious life can be

With a thankful heart
That is wide awake
I do make this promise
Every breath I take
Will be used now to sing your praise
(Used now to sing your praise)
And to beg you to share my days
(Beg you to share my days)

With a loving guarantee
That even if we part
I will hold you close
In a thankful heart

I will hold you close in a thankful heart
In a thankful heart! 

This song is from The Muppet's Christmas Carol. One of my favorite versions of the Christmas Carol. And one of my favorite books. While this song seems to be more of a Thanksgiving song as opposed to a Christmas song, it is a song that should be song all year long.

Twas the night before Thanksgiving!

"Twas the night before Thanksgiving when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a cat,

The fall leaves were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that the Turkey soon would be there;

The kitties were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of drumsticks danced in their heads;

And Gillie in her 'kerchief, and Sully in his cap,

Had just settled with Ansel for a long winter's nap."

Thanksgiving!!

So for all of you who celebrated Thanksgiving, did you do a Thank You dance?

I did. I dance non-stop! :~)

32 days till X'mas (It's Thanksgiving!)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Having fun with our potatoes!!! (Now they are waiting to be smushed!!! Insert evil chuckle!)

Statue of Liberty with a pepper!

Our Veggie platter! :~D

Playing with food is fun!

33 days till X'mas

I shall interrupt the Christmas festivities for 2 days.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.

A time of being thankful and thanksgiving.

What is the difference between being thankful & thanksgiving?

Being thankful is keeping the thankfulness.

But thanksgiving is giving thanks to those you are thankful for.

We will celebrate with my Grandma.

I am very excited about our menu.

We will have

• mashed potatoes
• cranberry salad
• sweet potatoes
• veggie platter
• and Turkey!!

Plus pie, and a couple other things.

I love Thanksgiving! 

I love the time that is set aside to spend with family. 

What do you like about Thanksgiving?

P.S. Canadians already celebrated theirs!