Thanksgiving Prayer

English: Oven roasted turkey, common fare for Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is Thanksgiving.  The Turkey is in the roaster oven, the stuffing is made and a pie is in the oven.  The house is cleaned and prepared, ready for family to gather, eat, laugh and eat some more.

As I think of this day – I am reminded of so many reasons I have to be thankful.  And like you – I think about them all year-long.  Sometimes the simple things we are thankful for – are hard to express.  So many of our blessings are taken for granted – until something happens.  I have been more thankful this season because of that reason.  Those “things” that happen in our lives only cause us to pause and take a breath.  They make us truly grateful for small blessings.  Here are a few of mine:

1)  I am thankful for health for myself and my family members.  In this season I am reminded of how many of my friends are touched my bad news concerning health – and I know for those people, Thanksgiving has a whole new meaning.

2)  I am thankful for a happy home with laughter and joy, not a whole lot of material things or money – but happiness and contentment just the same.

3)  I am thankful for my wonderful husband of 31 years.  He is without a doubt the best thing that ever happened to me – and the biggest blessing in my life.  He has stood by me and defended me in all and every situation – always believing the best in me – and I am forever grateful.

4)  I am thankful for two wonderful children – who are both grown-up and on their own journey in this life – with its many twist and turns and obstacles that could trip them up and make them turn down a wrong path – if they allowed it.  I am grateful that they had a strong foundation in godly things and know the Lord personally.  I am so proud of both of them and their lives as they continue to bless and inspire others.

5)  I am thankful that both my husband and I were raised in similar Christian homes – full of love and laughter – Christ centered in every way.  It helped to prepare us for many things we would encounter in our long marriage and in church work through the years.  Both sets of our parents have been married to one person for over 50 years.
And so as I reflect on these blessings my prayer for all of you is this:

May you find joy and laughter in the simple things of life as you look around your table today.  And if you are alone this Thanksgiving – I pray you will be reminded of the small blessings of the past – and how it has touched you and made you the person you are today.  May smiles and not tears be your companion today and may you have at least one friend to share this memorable day.  Amen.

 

God Bless

Day 5 – A Season For Miracles

Last night after being at our daughter’s home for Thanksgiving – we came home, Greg built another roaring fire and we sat down to watch another Christmas favorite, “A Season For Miracles”.

I love this story. It is about second chances and guardian angels.  It is about children finding restored safety and happiness and for a flawed system giving back and doing what is right.  It is about community pulling together and getting behind a cause.

If you have not seen this great film (it came out in 1999) try to get yourself a copy and curl up next to someone you love – and get ready for a treat 🙂

Oh and just as a side note, I think that Laura Dern does an AMAZING job as the unfit, druggie mom.  I have never seen her play something this edgy and she’s really convincing!

God Bless!

Day 3 – Home For The Holidays

Every year around this time of the year we watch “Home For The Holidays” – directed by Jodi Foster, starring Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr. and Anne Bancroft.

It is hilarious – but not a movie that I suggest for everybody – as there is controversial subject matter throughout the film.  And if you are highly sensitive to language and other sensitive topics such as sexuality and homosexuality – this may not be the  film for you.  However, for some families – these topics are a part of their lives and they have to deal with them.  Jodi Foster does a great job at bringing out the humor in sensitive situations.

Greg and I love it because it has what we like to call ‘characters’.  Every family has them – the people who are ‘larger than life – and twice as natural’ – who bring hilarity and drama to family holiday gatherings.

Every time I watch it I am struck by the different personalities of this family unit – the person who is rigid and unforgiving and judgmental the one who is over indulgent – the one that is senile – the black sheep – the enabler and so on.  Your dysfunctional family unit has nothing on these guys!

But they also love each other – and that is the common theme throughout.  Even when they don’t understand each other – there is still love.  No matter how painful the “get-togethers” are – they keep doing it year after year.

The Nat King Cole song at the end, “The Very Thought Of You” is especially touching while pictures of everyone’s past life is showed in the background.  It gets me every time – the simple beauty of family and love.

Below enjoy the trailer of this great movie.

Enjoy and God Bless!

Plans For A Merry Music Film Festival

Image via Wikipedia

This year between the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas – I want to select a song or a movie each day to post on my blog to bring the season in style.

Many people have various ideas about what is the best music and the best movie memories at this wonderful time of the year – and I’m no exception.  I definitely have my favorites.  Most of them are for personal reasons – either I grew up watching or listening to them – or they touched me in a place that’s very special.

So starting tomorrow – I’m going to feature a song or a movie (or both) each day to help you celebrate as well.  Fell free to add your favorites in the comment section – it’s fun to share ideas with you – and have you list your favorites too 🙂

Besides the food of this holiday season – the music and movies provide a vehicle for me to continue celebrating all month-long.  Most of these holiday films have wonderful soundtracks too – which is one reason they have become classics to me and why I love watching them over and over.  In fact – we have quite a collection of them in our 30 year marriage – and there are some things we simply have to watch during the holiday season – or it just isn’t the same to us.  Even better – having a roaring fire while watching and munching on holiday treats 🙂

So I hope you will join me in helping to create a list of incredible “must watch” movies and “must listen to” music – for those who need a little help to jump-start this season.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week – and God Bless!

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What do these days really mean for you?  Does it scare you to hear the actual time left to shop and prepare?  Do you have a tradition every holiday?  Are they just another day to you – or do you celebrate in style?  Do you have a favorite tradition or memory?

Thanksgiving is my favorite time – usually spent with family and friends over the years in our home – and also wonderful because of the food and the leftovers!  However this year we are going to our daughter’s home to help them celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home.

Christmas Eve we always spend with our kids going to a movie and then eating and opening gifts in the evening with them.  This year Christmas Day will have to be spent in our home due to our new puppy.

We usually don’t celebrate the new year with any special dinner or event – but I know many who do.  In years gone by – New Year’s Eve was a very special all-night event usually spent with our church youth group.  Now we’re just happy to go to bed – we are old and boring now 🙂

I’d love to hear your story and what you will be up to this year – in the holiday season.

God Bless

The Joy Of Turkey Soup

Image by graciepoo via Flickr

I love making soup – all kinds.  But this year right after Thanksgiving I made turkey cream soup from a recipe I found online that a friend had posted on facebook.  I simmered my turkey bones all night in my slow cooker and the next morning added the rest of the ingredients.

Unfortunately, I had added too much water when simmering the bones and the result was a very watered down broth.  What to do – what to do?  I added salt, chicken bouillon cubes, other spices – even chicken broth to get the right strength.  I FINALLY got it right and was happy enough with it.  We all had some – it was delicious and it made A LOT.  So I cooled it – and froze it in individual zip lock bags with the serving size to feed about 4 people.  I had 4 bags in the freezer.  Gradually as the weeks went by – I would take one out and thaw it out – heat up the soup and EUREKA!!  Lunch in about 5 minutes!!

Today I am taking out the last of those soup bags to have for lunch.  I am going to eat it slowly, knowing that with all my variations on the original recipe I will never be able to duplicate it again.

And so with making soup – is what we call life. We are never able to duplicate past accomplishments, joys, or even struggles.  Oh we can try to put the same ingredients into things that once had a different conclusion – but in the end – the story is always changing – the ingredients different – never the same.

My soup – although always different – has the same ingredient. A lot of love.

Make some soup today – and be sure to add the ingredient that never changes.

 

God Bless

Apple Pie For Breakfast?

Image via Wikipedia

I’m not much of a ‘sweet tooth’ – but I DO have some things I REALLY like and these can tempt me like no other.

1. Caramel Chocolate Bar from Harry & David.  It’s the best thing I”ve ever had.  Ever.

2.  Homemade pumpkin pie.  It has to be homemade.  I’m a snob.

3. White Chocolate Mocha’s or Americano’s from Starbucks.  Again, I am a snob.

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream from Baskin and Robbins.

5. Nanaimo Bars.

 

Yesterday Greg and I were on a ‘date’ for lunch in downtown Renton – and walked next door to a local Starbucks.  I ordered my coffee and was patiently waiting for it at the pick-up station – when I heard Greg laughing and engaged in some ‘fun’ banter with another male customer over by the pastries.  Naturally I didn’t want to miss out on ANY fun (life is so serious – when there’s fun and laughing I am drawn to it).  So I walked over and found that they had been joking about which pastry was the most ‘healthy‘.  It was hilarious – as NONE of those are very healthy – even the ones that say ‘low-fat’ yeah right.  We gave our opinions and he said ‘Well I figure I better eat something healthy – I’ve been eating apple pie for breakfast since Thanksgiving‘.

We all had a good laugh – it was great – a total stranger talking about food and pie and Thanksgiving and beyond.  I told him that he should consider that apple pie is actually pretty healthy – if you think about it – it has fruit in it after all.  And I told him – if you’re feeling too guilty about the sugar content then you could just have one of those ‘sugar free’ drinks with it – that should cancel out all the calories from the pie.  He thanked me and said that make total sense to him – with a wink and a grin.  So fun!

There’s only one pie I would even consider having for breakfast – pumpkin.  Homemade.  Enough said.  Oh and you can leave the whip cream off.  I mean – it is breakfast after all.

Have an awesome day as you struggle to eat all the leftover ‘sweets’ and pie from Thanksgiving.  You have to get into shape for the other things that are coming at you this month – so take it slow.  Baby steps toward Christmas eating.  You can do it!   Jillian Michaels work-out anyone?  Ugh.

 

God Bless