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Light, Love, Hope

Light in the Darkness Surrounded by Love with Hope for those in need.

Thanksgiving

Gratitude

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As we prepare for Thanksgiving on Thursday this week, let’s take a moment to truly focus on gratitude.  In doing so, we bring many benefits to our lives and those around us.  It’s been proven that gratitude will boost your mental health and sense of well being.  It provides hope and more satisfaction in our daily lives.

A popular thing every year on Facebook is where you state every day up until Thanksgiving what you are thankful for.  I participated in years past, and the memories pop up in Facebook to remind me of the beautiful blessings I have had.  We truly have so much to be thankful and grateful for in this life.  It’s a shame we only think to “give thanks” and be truly “grateful” or have a “heart of gratitude” during the month of November.

The world seems to scream at you daily how unimportant you are to many.  With people blowing the horn at you when you are driving down the road minding your own business, they shake their fists at you as they drive by.  For what?  When you’re doing the speed limit, haven’t pulled out in front of anyone, and didn’t do any illegal lane changes, they are so full of themselves to think they can blare their horn at you.  So, what do you do?  You thank GOD you aren’t them!  Further, you thank God that you don’t behave in this fashion.  AND most importantly, you smile, wave, and pray for them so they will hopefully be kinder to others they cross paths with.

Seriously, as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, please take time to really express your gratitude to God for bringing you this far in life.  He continues to walk with you daily and provides for you and your family.  Nothing you have is because of yourself.  It is all because of God and how He works in your life.  He is worthy to be praised.

Let’s take time to express with ourselves and our families what we are truly thankful for this holiday season.  One way my family and I do this is by going around the dinner table when we say the blessing before the meal. Each one of us takes a few moments to say what is on our hearts.  It’s something that may make some feel awkward and uncomfortable if they aren’t used to praying out loud in front of others.  Others delight in having their opportunity to speak and share their hearts. If this practice is new to you, experiment with it with your own family this holiday season.  Even if you choose to only speak in private, please give thanks to God for all of your many blessings, as we have so much to be thankful for.  Even in dark and bleak times when the world seems to have gone crazy with worrying about viruses, cost of living going up without our paychecks increasing as well, or the price of gas, groceries, and a variety of other things.  Even still, we have so much to be thankful for.  Take time and be intentional as you list your blessings and give thanks to God with a truly grateful heart.

May God bless and keep you and your family this holiday season and beyond.

Thanksgiving 2017

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Families are flying in or driving great distances to be with the ones they love on this day, Thanksgiving 2017.  Our friend-of-the-family for 20 years drove all the way from Illinois this week, and while he didn’t solely do so to visit with us for Thanksgiving, he is, indeed, joining us on this holiday.  We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for so long, we’re family.  Almost like nails in a house that have been a part of the structure from the very beginning, that is how it feels here with our friendship.  Friends turned into family.  That is a better description, for they are the family we choose for ourselves.

Some folks have started the 30 days of Thanksgiving, where they share what they are grateful for each day for the entire month of November.  This is a great exercise to get people to focus on how good they have it, instead of focusing on the negatives that run so prominently through our minds at times.

What are you truly grateful for?

For me, I cannot adequately put into words the love, appreciation, and thankfulness I have in my heart for my family.  My two blonde haired, blue-eyed daughters, who are my heart, soul, and reason for living; my parents, who didn’t have much when we were growing up but gave us all they had and guided us on the right path; my sister, who I miss with all my soul and would do anything to have her here with me now; my husband, who isn’t perfect (and neither am I) but works hard to provide for our family and comes home to massage my feet nightly because he knows how much I enjoy it; for my daughter’s boyfriend, who restored her faith in relationships and showed her what it means to be loved; and for my family of choice, the ones I choose to welcome into my home, into my heart, and into my life.  My heart is grateful as I extend this to my work family as well; the ones I see day in and day out, who share laughter, as well as tears, with me inside the walls of that office.  They have no idea how grateful I am for them.  We pick at each other relentlessly at times, but deep in my heart, there is a great love and appreciation for my work family.

Health.  We often times take this for granted, until we are forced to face an ordeal where our health and happiness is threatened.  Then we realize how precious our health is, and we strive to safeguard it and protect it to the best of our ability.

My animals.  They are my little furry (or feathered) therapists who calm my troubled heart, soothe my nerves, and provide unconditional love.  From my 1200 pound quarter horses, with their fluffy winter coats just starting to come in, to my ever demanding two-pound dog that insists on being in my lap with her 11 pound sister fighting for my undivided attention, to my yellow and white Cockatiel with the orange dot on his face, they are all precious to me and provide unconditional love and are always so happy to see me no matter if I’ve been gone five hours or five minutes.

The beauty that surrounds us.  The ever-changing leaves of Fall; the sky God uses as a canvas for His masterpieces we call Sunrises and Sunsets; waterfalls cascading down the side of a mountain; all the things we rush around without noticing the majority of the time, but oh how it would speak to our souls if we would slow down enough to appreciate them more!

These are just a few of the things my heart is grateful for on this Thanksgiving 2017.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family!  May God pour out His blessings upon you all!

 

We Are Thankful

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November brought status updates from friends stating what they were thankful for.  The idea was to begin November 1st and go through the end of November.  What the majority did, though, was go through Thanksgiving day, instead.  I chose not to do that, certainly not because I wasn’t thankful because I really and truly am!

For me, it isn’t about posting daily just for one month about how thankful you are.  It is being truly appreciative and grateful every single day for the many blessings that we have in our lives. Our thankfulness should not be contained to just one month out of the year where we announce to the public what our hearts are grateful for.  We should take time each day of the year to reflect on how blessed we are!  Further, I think that instead of announcing it on Facebook, we should share it with God in our prayers.

So many times, people only pray when they are in a crisis situation.  God seems to be the “go to” in a bad situation.  What happens when things are smooth sailing, then?  Often times, our heads are never bowed in prayer, nor are our eyes closed as we humble our hearts to hear from our Savior.

We get so busy, some times too busy, that we forget to thank God every single day for what we have and who we have in our lives.  He isn’t just there in times of trouble.  He is ever present and wants us to acknowledge him daily.

Yes, it is nice to know that when you feel alone in your troubles that you can call on the name of the Lord.  But, how about when things are calm and peaceful?  Why not thank Him for the calmness in your heart and the peace you feel in your life?

While I may not always get down on my knees beside my bed to pray, I do pray throughout the day.  Little whispers as I go about my day, thanking God for keeping my family safe, thanking Him for blessing us and giving us much more than we deserve.  Some times just silent prayers between me and my God that are not even spoken out into the universe.

You can pray any where.  Honestly.  You can pray going down the road in your car.  Often times I find myself just uttering, “Thank you, Lord” as I’m driving.  Other times I’m on the back of my horse soaking in all of God’s beauty around me.  I take time right there to whisper prayers to Him or I silently pray to God as my horse and I go along.  I thank Him for these beautiful, magnificent creatures that allow us to love on them and provide hours of enjoyment in the wilderness.  You truly feel like you’re in His presence when you’re out in nature.  In the middle of the woods, riding near the water’s edge, I like to take a deep breath in and exhale all of the stresses of the world out.  I clear my thoughts and my mind, and my heart is focused on God.

We have so much to be thankful for.

My daughter was involved in a car accident at the beginning of November.  A guy ran the red light and plowed right into her driver’s door, caving it in.  She received some bumps and bruises in the accident, but God protected her so that it was not any worse.  I thank God for this!  She’s here.  She’s walking, talking, smiling again, and enjoying life.  My heart is forever grateful that God sheltered her in this accident.

My parents are both still here and are healthy for the most part.  Sure, they feel like they have a busy schedule with all the doctor appointments they have to go to, but they are still doing good, all things considered.  They came over to share the Thanksgiving feast with us, and I’m thankful that we got to hear their laughter and take silly pictures with them.

We’re blessed in that we have jobs that allow us the freedom to be with our families without feeling pressured or guilty when we do.  Our employers realize that family comes first, and that is the way it should be!  Too many times, employers feel like their employees should not have a life outside of the work place.  They rarely give time off to their staff and drive them like slaves when they are working.  We’ve also encountered the employer that insisted that my husband have his work phone on at all times, even when we were on vacation.  Thankfully, my husband and I now work for companies that allow us to make our families a priority instead!

God has blessed us financially, not to where we have all the riches in the world, but to where we are comfortably able to supply the necessities for our family of four.  We are able to send our children to a private Christian school where they are allowed to pray and share their faith openly.  While no school is perfect, we do feel that this school is the best in our area and allows my children to be sheltered from harsh bullying and drug use that goes on at the public schools in town.

We have had the privilege and honor to watch my oldest daughter walk across the stage to receive her high school diploma.  While she did not wish to go right into college after graduation, she took a few months to get a taste of what the “real world” was like.  She took a job at a local credit union as a teller, and as glamorous as that might sound, she soon learned that adults can be bullies, too.  She encountered several adult bullies in the work force, with two being her supervisors.  More times than she can remember, she dealt with individuals that were rude, condescending, and down right mean.  But it helped her grow as a person and realize that she did NOT want to do this the rest of her life.  She stood up for herself and refused to take any more of their abuse, and now that she quit her job, she is looking forward to furthering her education beginning in January!  Yes, I will have a college student beginning January 11, 2016!  God has blessed us to where we can afford to send her to college for a degree that will help her go far in life.

We truly do have so much to be thankful for, and we are!  Each and every day!

Thanksgiving 2015

 

Happy Thanksgiving

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From all of us here at Light Love Hope, we wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

As you gather around your table for the big feast today, think of those that may be struggling at this time of year.  Pray for them and lift them up before our Father in Heaven.

Be sure to thank God for all of your many blessings in life.  God has been so good to us and has blessed us all much more than we deserve.  Yes, there will be trials and struggles in this life.  But, God will never leave you nor forsake you.  Rest in that comfort and reassurance.

If you haven’t already done so, think of all of the things that you are thankful for – write them down if you would like to have something to reflect back on later after Thanksgiving Day has passed.  Take time to thank God and show your gratitude for the multitude of blessings that He pours out into our lives.  Then, keep on doing this long after the holiday has come and gone.  Better yet, keep that attitude of gratitude all year through!

Blessings to you and your family from all of us at Light Love Hope!

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The Week Ahead

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The countdown is on.  The week ahead will consist of everyone finalizing their Thanksgiving menus as well as their travel plans.  They will gather with family and friends for the big Thanksgiving feast with plenty of leftovers!

And then … it will happen.

Black Friday Shopping.

Immediately following the day in which we all give thanks for all of our blessings, we hit the stores to snatch up those bargains.

But, is it truly worth it?

Sure, you may get through the massive crowds of people to get a few dollars off of this or that, or maybe there will be really huge discounts.  However, do we all really need to do this?

I’ll be honest and say that my family and I decided to see what all the hype was about last year.  With several stores opening at midnight, we decided to venture out in the middle of the night in the crisp, cold air only to find an extremely long line wrapped completely around our mall.  It didn’t take us long to realize that this just was not for us!  So, we turned our car around and headed back to our house!  I did check out a few items online, and the store with the long lines waiting outside actually had the same deals online!  To me, it was worth just ordering with a few clicks of my mouse and having it delivered to my home instead of fighting that crowd!

I guess the real problem I have with all of this is the fact that the holidays are supposed to be about spending time with the ones that you love, NOT the deals you can snatch up or from each other in the stores.  People actually get angry with each other, and we’ve all heard horror stories of fights breaking out in the store over the last hot item as everyone wanted it but only one lucky person was able to get to it first.

I realize that you don’t want your children to wake up on Christmas Day without any presents, so it is important to shop.  I do understand that.  I just don’t want the true meaning of this holiday season to be lost, and sadly, it gets to be more about material things than family, friends, loved ones, and all of God’s blessings in our lives.

As I walked through a medical building yesterday, I noticed that they already had it decked out with a huge Christmas tree, garland and bows on the railings going up the stairs, and wreaths hanging on doors.  Then, upon entering a store, they seemed to bypass Thanksgiving altogether and focused solely on Christmas with deals marked every where and even Christmas tunes playing!

And speaking of Black Friday again, one of my Facebook friends asked if she was the only one that hasn’t already started decorating for Christmas.  No, she’s not.  My family and I haven’t, and we won’t … until the day after Thanksgiving.  We want to give this holiday all we have – making sure to give thanks for all of our many blessings.  We intend on savoring this holiday.  Then, when everyone else is trampling over each other on Black Friday, my family and I will get our Christmas decorations down to begin decorating.  We like to put on Christmas music and everyone picks their favorite decoration to add to the Christmas tree.  With hot chocolate in hand, we step back to look at our beautiful tree with all of the bright lights and sparkling ornaments, and then we put in a movie and snuggle together.

This is what it’s all about – quality time spent together!  Let’s have more of that and less focus on material things this holiday season.

Greatest Blessings

Truth

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As we enter into the holiday season with snow beginning to fall and temperatures dropping even in the South, we prepare for our Thanksgiving feast and then Christmas festivities shortly thereafter.  When we’re supposed to be filled with holiday cheer, the truth is that a lot of people are dreading the holidays.  Either they are fighting depression, are in the mist of a crisis, or they do not have any family to gather with during the holiday season.  There are a whole list of reasons why people are not in the holiday spirit and actually end up dreading this time of year!

Will you take time to remember them?  The ones that feel like they have lost hope?  The ones with no cheer left within their hearts and souls right now?  The ones that are struggling to put their feet on the floor in the mornings and pull themselves out of bed to greet the day?

Some hide it so well that you’d never truly know that they dislike the holiday season.  They will force a smile, hum a Christmas song, all the while they feel like they are dying inside.

Maybe they are like so many that have lost loved ones this year.  Maybe they will have one vacant seat at the dinner table this year, or maybe, like in our case, there will be several vacant seats when our family gathers around after having lost my sister, granddaddy, and grandma in years past.  Along with the empty chairs are hearts that feel as if they have holes in them as they miss their loved ones so much that memories of holidays past leave trails of tears streaming down their cheeks.

The truth is that not everyone feels like celebrating.  Some would even like to hibernate, if that were even an option, until after the first of the year.

Will you take time to remember those individuals in prayer?  Will you silently speak to God on their behalf asking Him to wrap His loving arms around them?

God, provide them comfort as only You can, Father.  They need you …

 

Prayer

This post was inspired by the prompt word of Truth for this edition of Tuesday at Ten.

Holiday Joy?

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As the holidays approach, are you finding joy or sadness in this time of the year?   I ask because I was reminded recently that while I have a spirit of Thanksgiving and a joyful heart filled with excitement and Christmas cheer, the holidays are often hard for others.  They, unfortunately, are a sad reminder of family that has gone their separate ways or of loved ones that have passed on and are no longer here to join in on the celebration and festivities that were once a welcomed time in their lives.  When once they looked forward to the holidays, they now dread it and wish it to hurry past so we can move on into the new year.

I do understand heartache and pain.  I understand the loss of cherished loved ones and the pain that is left behind.  I understand full well about the emptiness that can be felt at this time of year and of the traditions of past that are now no more.  I can sympathize with you.  I have several of my beloved family members that are in Heaven celebrating with Jesus this holiday season.  I lost my grandmother in March of this year, and prior to that, I lost my sister and Granddaddy.  While it has been several years since their passing, it does not mean that the pain of our separation is non existent.  No, I still feel the sting of not having them here with me at this time … a time of Thanksgiving that was once filled with their laughter around the table, their stories of days gone by, their memories … they are all a part of MY treasured memories now.

Oh what I wouldn’t give to see them one more time, to have everyone gathered around the table with heads bowed, holding hands as we blessed the food and asked for God’s ultimate hand of protection to be over all of our family during the holiday season and for all time.  Oh to see their faces light up again as they are given a Christmas present while gathered around the tree, to see their excitement as they open the gift and to see the expression of gratitude and thankfulness on their faces as they appreciated each and every gift given to them, no matter how big or how small.

You see, my holidays are filled with longing, too, but I am choosing NOT to wallow in “what could have been” … “what should be” … “oh why aren’t they here” … “lost traditions” … I could go on and on, but … I choose to reminisce about times we DID have together, all of the memories we made when they were here on this earth … all of the precious times we greeted each other at the door upon their arrival with hugs, beautiful hugs!   It would feel wonderful to be able to hug my loved ones just one more time, to spend just one more day with them, one more hour, one more minute … just one more any thing with them.   But, just as the song by Diamond Rio says, “It would leave me wishing still for one more day with you …”

While I don’t have my sister, Grandma or Granddaddy here with me physically any longer, they are FOREVER in my heart.  I carry them with me each and every day.  There are reminders of them every where I turn, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I save messages on my answering machine because I’m so afraid of losing yet another loved one and never hearing their voices again!   I have messages saved from my grandmother, and oh how I treasure and cherish hearing her voice any time I want to now with just a press of a button on my machine.  I have her with me in my heart, in my soul, in every fiber of my being, just as I have my sister and Granddaddy … I do not, however, have their voices to play back as I wish I had.  Occasionally I will find an old video of my daughter as a baby and be granted the gift of seeing and hearing my sister once again as she holds and cradles my daughter, looking down into her precious little face so lovingly.  Those are memories ingrained into my being, and yet tears fill my eyes when I find these precious moments on the video – to remember what it felt like having her there, hearing her laughter, I get the gift of hearing it once more on those videos.  I get the gift of seeing my granddaddy in old pictures laughing, smiling, and being healthy!

So you see, my heart aches just like yours does!   I hurt, too!  Hear me – I HURT, TOO!

~BUT~

This holiday season I still have other family members that will surround me on this day, and I live for those people.  I get the honor and privilege of sharing the holidays with my two beautiful girls, my parents, and my husband!  I smile.  I join in on the laughter around the table.  I hold their hands tightly in my own as we say the blessing.  I choose to be happy, all while holding those loved ones that have gone on to Heaven close to my heart!  I know that our loved ones are looking down upon us in Heaven with love, such love, for us all.

Having a good time with the family that IS with you physically is not dishonoring to our loved ones that have passed on or their memories … they wouldn’t want us sitting around sad and gloomy on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time for that matter.  They want us to be happy and enjoy, to celebrate, to live life to the fullest.

Can you sit around and mope all throughout the holidays and wish them away?  Sure you can!  You have that right.  However, it will be miserable doing that – for yourself and any one else that is around you during this time of year.   Happiness comes from within.  It is a choice.  If you are choosing to be sad this time of year, that is your choice.  I am choosing to find happiness and joy in the season with the family that is still here with me.  I am choosing to make memories with them that they will look back on fondly and with love.   I still feel the feelings that rush in from time to time, and I will be true to myself and allow those feelings to come.  I will NOT, however, crawl into a hole or into a fetal position and cry throughout the entire holiday season.  I will NOT wish it away.  I will, instead, embrace it!  It’s here!!!   Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day!!  In less than a month, it will be Christmas!!   Then ushering in a new year!   It IS a time for celebration.

I encourage you to do something to honor and pay tribute to your loved ones this holiday season.  Whatever you do – whether it be taking fresh flowers to their grave, baking cookies which was a tradition of this precious loved one, lighting a candle and saying a prayer, playing their favorite song, having their favorite meal, or releasing balloons or butterflies – DO something to honor and celebrate them.  They are there with you.  I promise you … more than you even realize.  They are there … and they love you!

Here’s to hoping that you can find holiday joy!

I Am Thankful For …

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My friend and I started out with our “I am thankful for …” posts on Facebook together on November 1st.  Being that Facebook will not allow us to befriend each other, we have been sharing in emails as we have for many, many years now (approximately 16 years!!).   She asked if I had continued my list on Facebook, and in fact, I have!  Below is my list … some are very serious posts … and some not so much!  🙂   Today, November 25th, is on top, with them going down by date order to the very first one posted on November 1st!

This is a bit early, but Happy Thanksgiving!  Blessings to you and your family!  May we keep that attitude of gratitude all year long for God doesn’t just bless us during the month of Thanksgiving – He blesses us each and every day with His goodness, mercy, and love!

 

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for the gift of another day. God has richly blessed me and my family, and although today is Monday, a day that a lot of people often grumble about, I will be the exception to this for I am grateful to be alive!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful that although our tradition is to decorate the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas, my husband felt inspired today and brought the inside decorations down from the attic. I’m typing this in my beautifully decorated living room by the white lights from the Christmas tree while watching classic Christmas movies with my babies in warm fleece jammies … this is the life!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful that God truly has provided all that I have ever needed …

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for books of all kind, from encouraging and inspirational, to self help types and how-to, to devotionals, true stories … I love a good book! My Nook Color rocks! I love real books for bubble baths, but otherwise I’m hanging with my Nook Color in hand.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for good music! It just makes you feel good – no matter what! It is a mood enhancer! If you’re having a bad day, put on some much needed music – it lifts you up! If you’re already happy, music makes it all the more enjoyable just to “rock out” and have a “dance party” even in your car! My girls never know when it’ll hit me, but when they see that look in my eye, they just smile and join right on in! I love it! Unless we’re in public, and then they act like they’re totally embarrassed … so I do it even MORE! muuu haaa haaaa haaaaaa

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am so thankful for the true friends that my daughter has, that look out for her and have her best interest in their hearts and minds, that stick by her side no matter what. True friends are hard to find so that is what makes this gift all the more special.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for Dove Dark Chocolate. I could eat my weight in that stuff. Is that a bad thing? Ohhhh!! My Dove message for today … Do what feels right. Hmmm ok … eat more chocolate! Lol

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for seeing all of the wonders of the seasons through the eyes of my children. They are just in awe at this time of year, with my youngest, especially, enjoying all of the beautiful decorations this weekend at Tammy Hill’s house – from the ribbons and bows, to the villages, she loved them all and has talked about it since we left. I’m thankful for a wonderful evening around the fire with friends and an awesome pound cake, too!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for still quiet moments, soaking in a beautiful sunrise, appreciating all of God’s creations.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for comedians, comedy, anything that makes me laugh! We enjoyed the laughs last night!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful that my girls do not have school on Fridays! It’s a three day weekend EVERY weekend for us!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for cameras that capture those sweet and special moments with and of your family so those moments live on even after they have passed to be treasured and cherished for all time.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for the time I got to spend with my grandma. She suffered for two years before she passed away in March of this year. We became closer during this time, and I miss her. I would have given anything to have been able to take away her pain and suffering. It was hard seeing her like this, and I still cry thinking about such a strong woman who was so weak and frail at the end. She had such strong faith and love for her Lord and Savior, and I have no doubt that she’s dancing with Jesus, tending to all of the beautiful flowers in Heaven’s gardens as she loved to do here on earth. I love you, Grandma.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for my good health and that of my family. I pray that God will keep His hands upon my family and that He will protect and shelter them from all harm.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for all of our Veterans! I am proud to be an American and am thankful for the freedom that we have. We salute you and honor you.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for good friends, skeet shooting, and four wheeling!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for classic cars, trucks, and airplanes! Enjoyed the fly-in and cruise-in today with the club members! Great way to spend the day!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for all four of my fur babies. They have their own personality and ways about them, they make me laugh so hard at times, and they provide so much comfort, peace, and unconditional love! They are *always* happy to see me no matter if I am gone 5 hours or 5 minutes. They are so excited to see me and can’t wait for me to pet them and play with them, then just curl up in my lap and go to sleep! They are more than just dogs. They are family!!!

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆. I am thankful for good friends – old and new – who live near and far – face to face and internet friends as well. I am especially thankful for a dear lady that has shared her heart with me recently and has allowed me to share mine as well. It has been wonderful having these talks. Thank you, my sweet, special friend! She knows who she is.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am thankful for parents that gave me the best that they possibly could growing up. We didn’t have a lot of money or the best of every material thing, but we had strong faith in God, which is what truly matters most. They took us to church every time the doors were open. I am thankful for the beliefs and faith as we were clinging to God to see us through all of the hard times that we have had to face. He has truly carried us through the storms of life.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am thankful for the time I had with my sister growing up, and while we may not have been extremely close in our childhood, we became best friends as adults. I treasure and cherish the moments I shared with her and am thankful for the pictures to reflect back on where she was smiling, happy, and cutting up with me – I hold those memories very near and dear to my heart.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am thankful for my husband and all of the ways he loves, supports, and encourages me.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am thankful for days like today spent with my family snuggling, watching movies, cooking together, and just enjoying each other’s company! I am truly blessed in this life! Thank you God.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am thankful that we were able to help restore a classic car that has so many memories of my sister attached to it, and after 30 years of sitting, my dad is enjoying driving the 57 Chevy Bel-air! Although he never thought it possible, he’s not only driving it but is able to “show” it and won 1st place in his class AND Best of Show today at the Norway Cotton Festival.

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(¸☆´ (¸.☼´´¯`•.¸¸.❉☆ I am truly thankful to God for my beautiful daughters. I love them with all of my heart and soul!

An Attitude of Gratitude

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An Attitude of Gratitude

I have seen a lot of “I am thankful for …” posts on Facebook this month.  The idea was to begin on November 1st and write every day, all month long, on the things that you are thankful for.  I thought this was a wonderful idea and have joined in!   Much to my surprise, I have just recently seen negative comments in regards to people posting what they are thankful for.   I guess the poster had a problem with otherwise negative people posting these things just for the month.  In my opinion, though, isn’t it better to have an attitude of gratitude?  I would like to think so!

I posted in response to this person who was finding fault on the 30 days of thankfulness that maybe the person was making a conscious effort to become more positive, and this was their starting point!  I don’t see a thing in the world wrong with this, and hopefully, their attitude of gratitude will carry over past the Thanksgiving holidays into Christmas, the New Year and beyond!  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?!

Everyone has to start some where, so why NOT start at the beginning of November?  What better time?   As we prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving in the next few weeks, take a moment to think of all that you’re thankful for.  Whether you write them all out on your Facebook status daily or write in your blog, or if you choose not to do any of those things but quietly meditate on these thoughts.  I just don’t see that as a bad thing of putting on an attitude of gratitude.   Maybe if more people did this, it would be contagious and more people would catch on resulting in happier people!

Instead of grumbling, which results in bad feelings as we dwell on negative things that are often times beyond our control, shift the focus to something that you are thankful for!  I bet you will have a more positive outlook after these 30 days if you will just shift your thinking and try to find one thing each and every day that you’re truly thankful for.  Whether it’s just that you woke up that morning and were able to see the sunlight pouring in your window, you did wake up … and you were able to see whereas there are some people that would give anything in the world to be able to soak up that sight of the sunlight pouring into their room first thing in the morning.   We take so many things for granted that others would love to have, even a small glimpse of the sunlight that you would otherwise grumble about spilling into the room, waking you from a deep sleep … or even something as simple as the alarm clock buzzing as it insists that you get up to greet the day.  Instead of viewing it as a nuisance that you “have” to get up, consider it a blessing and a privilege that God has given you the gift of another day!    Appreciate that you were able to hear the buzzing of the alarm clock this morning as there are some that cannot hear.

My point in all of this is to choose to turn your otherwise negative thoughts into positives, and I will bet that your day will start off better!    You have a choice.  You can be negative, unappreciative, complaining and grumbling.  OR you can choose to put on an attitude of gratitude and appreciate even the little things in your day.   I choose to be thankful and to write those out each day for the month of November on my Facebook status.  While I may not continue writing them as my status updates beyond November 30th, I will continue to choose the attitude of gratitude.

Join me?

Blessings to you and yours!

~S