No matter how you slice your Turkey this year, we are wishing you a very delightful and joy filled
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! šš¦š½š
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to You!
Today was full of good food, fun family moments and even a beautiful hike in the North Georgia mountains. I do hope you and yours had a wonderful day as well.
Yet, all of this reminds me there are so many who aren’t as blessed. There are so many people in this nation who grieve on this day. There are more who are alone, desperate and afraid. My heart breaks for those, and I will allow it to challenge my heart but not change it to pure sorrow.
For if I allow the heartbreak of the world to keep my joy in the shadows, then Iāve not learned from their loss, Iāve only grown in pity.
Yet, if I will allow it to confront my soul and draw me to repentance, gratefulness and awareness of the blessings Iāve received, then I have grown in wisdom and understanding.
If I allow it to divert my eyes to the less fortunate, and it causes my hands to reach out with love and graciousness, then I will have grown in hope and learned from His goodness.
Let us cherish the grace we have found.
Let us treasure the blessings weāve been bestowed.
Let us never neglect the chance we have been given to share hope and compassion with another.
I pray this Thanksgiving will not only be a day we celebrate, but I pray it will be a season in which we abide.
Whimsical Wednesday
Saw this post today, and I loved it. Such a true statement to the reality of life and to Thanksgiving. If you only give thanks for the happy times and the moments when you have all you want, you do not really have true gratefulness. True thanksgiving comes when youāre in your darkest hour, and you realize there are still things in life for which you can give thanks.
Happy (early) Thanksgiving!
Hope you eat till youāre stuffed, and I hope your heart is even more filled with gratefulness and wonderful moments of joy. š
Happy Thanksgiving 2016!
It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again. Time to pull out the turkey and dressing, all the fixin’s and indulge just a little more on those pecan and apple pies! Yet, I wonder, sometimes, if we fail to remember the real reason for this Thanksgiving season. It’s to give thanks, not only for the delicious food we have but for the peopleĀ in our lives who mean so much.
Let us look beyond the table today and see who sits across the way. Let’s remember to thank our God, our parents, our spouse, and our families for their love and support. May we remember our friends who have helped us along the way and those who have gone the extra mile when we needed them to stay. May we remember even those who might not be present but who have made an impact on our lives throughout the years.
Let us, also, remember those who might not be at the table but who do so much to keep us safe and secure in this world of uncertain times. Let’s remember to thank the men in blue, the men and women who serve in the armed forces and all those who sacrifice so much to ensure our freedoms in this great nation we call home. May we extend a welcome, a thank you, a heartfelt note of gratitude for all they do.
Last, but not least, may we remember those who don’t have what we have. May we reach beyond our homes and beyond our comfort zones and lend a helping hand that those who don’t have so much for which to say, “Thanks,” can one day turn around and lend the same helping hand to show their thankfulness. May we allow our hearts of gratitude to become an act of love and support for them.
On this wonderful day of Thanksgiving, I say, “THANK YOU to all who have been such a blessing to me. Thank you for your love, support and prayers. No matter if your impact has been as deep as my husband’s and my sons’ or if it’s a little lighter as I am just getting to know you, you each hold a piece of my heart, and without you, I would not be who I am today. For you, I am forever grateful. ā¤
Happy Thanksgiving!
A Grateful Heart
Happy (early) Thanksgiving! It’s that time of year when we start thinking of all those things for which we should be grateful…like turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and green beans, pecan pie and sweet potato pie! … Are you hungry yet? I know I am!
Maybe your thoughts of thankfulness are turned toward your family, your spouse, your children or even your co-workers and employers. Maybe it’s for more material things like a roof over your head, money in the bank, or transportation to get you from place to place. Maybe it’s a good job, a good church or a good network of friends.
During this season, for me, I am thankful for my husband, our boys, my extended family and our home. I am thankful for my faithful God, our wonderful staff, our great church body and our freedom to worship. I am, also, so very thankful for our law enforcement, our military and all those who fight so hard for our freedom and our safety in these uncertain times.
There are really too many things I could list; so, I will pause here to say, Whatever it is for which your heart is grateful during this season, relish in it. Cherish it and share your gratitude, especially when it’s people; for, we have no guarantees, and no promises even for the next breath.
Yet, really, we should carry this heart of gratitude every day and not just during the holiday seasons. I was reminded of this so vividly this week as we received a call that you never wish to receive. A husband, father of five, and an incredible man who served our nation at the federal levels, was killed in the line of duty. It was an act of senseless violence and hate. Honestly, it will take some time for all to process this level of grief. Yet, as we walk this journey, it is crucial to remember our gratitude for him, as well as, for all those who might have impact in our lives.
Veteransinfosite.com
What do you think about? On what things do you allow your mind to dwell? Let’s make a point today to think on “whatever is TRUE, whatever is NOBLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is ADMIRABLE, [let’s] think on these things.” (Philippians 4:7-8)
When we focus our thoughts on these things, our hearts will follow, and when our hearts are full of gratitude, we will see both the big and small things in which to be grateful!
A Different Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is so different for so many this time of year…Some have great big family gatherings with homemade dishes, roasted turkey and giblet gravy… Some have smaller gatherings with a few homemade foods and a catered meal…Others gather two by two and cook something meaningful…and still others make reservations or simply stand in line to have their meal served to them on this glorious day of Thanksgiving.
It doesn’t really matter how you celebrate, or even for some, if you actually commemorate the day with a fulfilling meal. There are so many who are simplyĀ grateful for the roof over their head, the clothes on their back or the plain fact they finally have a day off after too many weeks of overtime. There is no right or wrong way to observe the day. There are noĀ set rules that each person must follow.Ā I believe what matters most is realizing your heart is full of thanksgiving for what you have, and even sometimes, for what you have not.
Some will be thankful for their family, their friends and the food that has been placed before them, and I am definitely appreciative of all that I have been given. I amĀ so gratefulĀ for a wonderful husband, two incredible boys, a great extended family, church family and new home. I had so much fun this past week, as we traveled to my hometown to celebrate the holiday with my 86 year oldĀ grandmother, and I got to see so many relatives whom I only see once every couple of years.Ā We made memories of which I will cherish for years to come.
I am so overwhelmed by the many blessings God has given me even within the past few months andĀ year, but I think today, I might even be thankful forĀ thoseĀ things whichĀ I don’t have…
Like…
Hatred, anger,Ā and strife…rebellion, confusion and apathyĀ within my heart.
A husband who doesn’t love this world more than he loves Jesus nor does he love another woman more than he loves me.
Children who don’t respond to me with revulsion,Ā malice or bitterness.
A family who doesn’t return ill will for the love I send.
A church who doesn’t worship the standards of this world above their God.
A home that doesn’t cause me to shiver in the cold of loneliness or the heat of revenge.
And a God Who doesn’t demand my works above my relationship to Him nor my chants of submissionĀ above my love for Him.
All in all, I’d say I have many things for which I can be thankful today, and maybe, even a few more for which I can be thankful to be without.
Thessalonians 5:18, āIn everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
…Being thankful for those things we don’t have canĀ bring our Thanksgiving into a whole new perspective, now can’t it? š
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you each have a very blessed Thanksgiving today!
Enjoy being with family and friends, and remember to be thankful for the things you have and the people who mean so much!! š
If you don’t have family or friends to be with today, I pray you are able to reach to someone who may be as lonely, or lonelier, than you on this holiday of gathering. There are so many hurting, desolate and abandoned souls just longing for someone to say, “hello,” so many who long to be welcomed and included.
Enjoy this day doing something memorable and full of a grateful heart. š
*I do not own not possess this picture. Found by simple Google search: http://nampalibrary.org/library-will-be-closed-the-26th-and-27th-for-thanksgiving/ *
Grateful Thinking
I believe a grateful heart, first of all, must come from grateful thinking. When our thoughts are right, our actions are soon to follow. When our thinking is purified, authenticity, kindness, gratefulness and grace is to follow. Think about it.
Too often, we believe we can do whatever we choose, say whatever we like, and there will be no consequences; however, I’d like to challenge you today. Change your thinking habits, and see what happens. I believe, you’ll see that you’ll change the way you talk, as well as, what you do and how you act.
When we have thanksgiving running through our thoughts on a daily basis, it’s not hard to speak kind words or to give encouragement. When we have gratefulness on our minds 24/7, we will find we desire to share thankful ways with those around us. When our hearts and our thoughts are filled with a sense of awe and wonder for those who live in our tiny world of influence, we will find we give grace more readily. We will smile gracious smiles, and random acts of kindness will just seem to follow along on our path of life.
So, why don’t we try this today? It might have been a long time since you’ve made a spontaneous move to brighten someone’s day. It might have been forever since you’ve asked someone how you can help them, but I believe we all can do this! š I believe we all can make this week of Thanksgiving more than just a week of eating, shopping and getting together. I believe, one by one, we can be life changers of a thought-filled Thanksgiving.
We Will Not Forget
I don’t consider myself an incredible poet, but I wanted to have something to pay honor today to those who have given their lives for our freedom. Thank you to every service man and woman who gave your all so that I and my family might live in the freedom for which you fought so hard to obtain, and thank you to your families who have had to say the hard goodbyes. We are forever grateful, and we will never forget…
Young men with hopes and dreams
Old men with wives and little sunbeams
All head to war. To serve their land.
To fight for their freedom. To save their fellow man.
They fought hard. They fought brave.
Some were wounded, captured, never saved.
We will not forget them. We will not close the door.
They gave us our freedom. We owe them so much more.
Their graves are marked with flags so bright.
Their memories held tight within our sight.
They gave the ultimate sacrifice. They paid the highest price.
Gave they their life that I might live. Reminds me of my God, my Christ.
Let us not be so busy that we pack their memories away.
Let us not be so focused on now that we miss their pathway.
This is Memorial Day. The day we honor, we remember, and we say, Thank you.
We will remember the heroes, for our lives are here because of what they went through.
We promise to never forget what you gave up.
What we have to offer can never really be enough.
We will forever say Thank You to our heroes.
We will fight to remember, hoping our debt and gratitude eternally shows.
They fought hard. They fought brave.
Some were wounded, captured, never saved.
We will not forget them. We will not close the door.
They gave us our freedom. We owe them so much more.
Penned – MG – 5/23/15
Random Thoughts…
Wrote this on Thanksgiving morning but failed to post until today.
…just a “random thought” I was having, but maybe you can relate…
I wasn’t going to post today, not because I’m not thankful, but rather, because I posted my “thankful blog” yesterday, and today, we’re going to spend the whole day with family. However, presently, we are in the car, in our way to the family gathering, and we’re late! We’re almost always late, and I hate it.
I know I should be thankful today, and I am, I really am (If you don’t believe me, just look at my LONG grateful list from yesterday)!Ā However, I guess, I just get so frustrated at myself when I am late to a family event, or any other event for that matter. When you’re late, everyone that was there on time, or even early, has to wait on you, and it is an incredible waste of their time. I wish that I did not have late in my “make-up,” and I could blame it on my upbringing (my mom is notoriously late). I could blame it on my kids. I could blame it on the weather, but it wasn’t raining today, and really, it just comes back to me. I simply try to pack too many things into a small window of time, and I should just step back, prioritize and focus on the main thing: to be on time!
So, for this Thanksgiving Day, I will say I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to recognize my faults, and I have the opportunity to change. I am thankful I have a loving husband and family who love regardless of tardiness. I am thankful I have a family with whom to gather today, to eat till my tummy is stuffed, and a warm home to enjoy the festivities. I am thankful for a Savior who loves me and refuses to leave me where I am…He is always challenging my heart to be more like Him day after day.
So, I say, “Happy Thanksgiving” to all who are celebrating today, and “Happy Day” to those who are not! I hope you have a very blessed one! š
…random thoughts from a thankful heart…
the grizzle grist mill 