Thanksgiving is…

Thanksgiving is a
time of gratitude to God,
our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care
go before us…
and whose love
is with us forever.

Thanksgiving is a time
to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too,
grow and change
from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is a time
of changing seasons,
when leaves turn golden
in Autumn’s wake
and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning
of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty
of Autumn, let us acknowledge
the many blessings
which are ours…
let us think of our families
and friends…
and let us give thanks in our hearts.

(Author Unknown. Found here.)

‘Tis the season to be thankful.

100 Things I’m Thankful For

1. My husband, Steve (aka BuffaloKid): Steve is my best friend. He’s my #1 fan. From him, I get unconditional love and acceptance, and he always makes me feel like I’m special and liked. I’m the luckiest girl in the world for having found my mustached man.

2. My parents: I’m thankful to be the daughter of two very loving, supportive people. My father is gone now but never forgotten and always loved. I know how much he adored me and how much my mom does, too. My parents enabled me to do and experience many things, regardless of how much they sometimes worried. They gave me everything they possibly could … and even some things they probably couldn’t.

3. My friends: If I named them all individually, from wonderful acquaintances to tried and true friends, I’d have the rest of my list of 100 right there. I don’t have a large number of close friends, but I do know there are a lot of good people, near and far, who I can count on, who care about me, and who want only the best for me. I truly value my friends and will never have “enough” or too many.

4. My beloved dog, Miss Sassafrass Tea (Sassy, for short): Always there to greet me and even hug me when I come through the door, Sassy gives me so much love. I know she won’t be with us forever, but I cherish the time we’ve spent together and the time we still have. There’s nothing like the unconditional love of a dog.

5. Fulfilling my dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail: In 2000, I hiked for 178 days from Georgia to Maine, thanks in large part to the support of my #1 man, Steve. I had the time of my life and will cherish the memories forever.

6. Going to college: I was able to leave high school a year early and go to Simon’s Rock College, then to the University of New Hampshire for the next three years. Thankfully, I was able to graduate without any student debt. I’ve said at times that, if I had it to do over again, I might not go to college (I’d take NOLS courses andwriting workshops instead), but, on the other hand, I’m still thankful I was able to go and that I learned a lot while there, and not all of it in the classroom.

7. Traveling to foreign countries: Thanks to my parents, I was able to visit France and Switzerland during high school, accompany them on a number of cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe and through the Panama Canal, and spend a summer in Israel.

14. Meeting my favorite singer: Not to mention becoming friends with someone in his band. Steve and I have been invited to attend his concerts (free!) any time we want. And we love seeing our friend up on stage and after the shows. What a special treat! We’re always looking forward to the next time.

25. Being able to work for myself: Thanks to Steve’s secure job and the way we’ve set things up, in part by being frugal, I was able to leave a job that not only didn’t make me happy but often made me very unhappy. Now, I can pursue things of my own choosing and have much more time to enjoy what I love doing.

26. Good health: Knock on wood. This should probably be way at the top of the list, but I’m really not writing this in any particular order. So far, though, at age 40, I’ve never had any major–or really any–health issues. One can never know for sure what will happen in that regard, but I’m thankful that I’ve been blessed with good health.

Check out the full list at the source: http://www.squidoo.com/100-things-thankful

P.S. So, what are you thankful for? Feel free to share your thoughts – or the link to your list, if you have one – by responding in the comments.

Do Not Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[a]?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(found here.)

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.”
- Billy Graham

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”
- Eddie Rickenbacher

“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
- Ambrose Redmoon

“Cowards die a thousand times before their deaths.”

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
- Psalm 23:4

“Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.”
- Japanese proverb

“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.”
- Michael Pritchard

“Fear not that your life will someday end. Fear only that you do nothing with it.”

“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.”
- Flavia Weedn

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
- Dale Carnegie

“Love is always creative, fear always destructive.”
- Emmet Fox

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.”
- Babe Ruth

“No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.”
- Edmund Burke

“People wish to learn to swim and at the same time to keep one foot on the ground.”
- Marcel Proust

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make one.”
- Elbert Hubbard

“The key to change… is to let go of fear.”
- Rosanne Cash

“The things which we fear the most in life have already happend to us.”
- Robin Williams, One Hour Photo

“There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.”
- Andre Gide

“When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise. In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”
- Psalm 56:3-4

“You must be strong now. You must never give up. And when people make you cry and you are afraid of the dark, don’t forget the light is always there.”

A DIET PRAYER

Lord, My soul is ripped with riot
incited by my wicked diet.
“We Are What We Eat,” said a wise old man!
and, Lord, if that’s true, I’m a garbage can.

I want to rise on Judgment Day, that’s plain!
but at my present weight, I’ll need a crane.
So grant me strength, that I may not fall
into the clutches of cholesterol.

May my flesh with carrot-curls be dated,
that my soul may be poly unsaturated
And show me the light, that I may bear witness
to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.

And at oleomargarine I’ll never mutter,
for the road to Hell is spread with butter.
And cream is cursed; and cake is awful;
and Satan is hiding in every waffle.

Mephistopheles lurks in provolone;
the Devil is in each slice of baloney,
Beelzebub is a chocolate drop,
and Lucifer is a lollipop.

Give me this day my daily slice
but, cut it thin and toast it twice.
I beg upon my dimpled knees,
deliver me from jujubees.

And when my days of trial are done,
and my war with malted milk is won,
Let me stand with Heavenly throng,
In a shining robe–size 30 long.

I can do it Lord, If You’ll show to me,
the virtues of lettuce and celery.
If You’ll teach me the evil of mayonnaise,
of pasta a la Milannaise
potatoes a la Lyonnaise
and crisp-fried chicken from the South.

Lord, if you love me, shut my mouth!

The Holy Alphabet

Whoever came up with this one must have had some Divine guidance!

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
J oy would cease to be

Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of “Camp Complaining”
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To “thank” is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We’ll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there’ll be good times and yes some will be bad, but…
Zion waits in glory…where none are ever sad!

You’re Gonna Miss This
by Trace Adkins

She was staring out the window of that SUV
Complainin’, sayin’ “I can’t wait to turn 18″
She said, “I’ll make my own money, and I’ll make my own rules.”
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said, “I was just like you.”

-Chorus-
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These are some good times,
So take a good look around.
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this.

Before she knows it she’s a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by.
He tells her it’s a nice place,
She says, “It’ll do for now.”
Starts talking about babies and buying a house.
Daddy shakes his head and says, “Baby, just slow down”

-Chorus-
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These are some good times,
So take a good look around.
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this.

Five years later there’s a plumber workin’ on the water heater,
Dog’s barkin’, phone’s ringin’
One kid’s cryin’, one kid’s screamin’
And she keeps apologizin’
He says, “They don’t bother me.
I’ve got two babies of my own.
One’s 36, one’s 23.
Huh, it’s hard to believe, but …”

-Chorus-
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These are some good times,
So take a good look around.
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this.

You’re gonna miss this
Yeah, you’re gonna miss this

(Hear the song and see the video at youtube.)

I know someone who often talks of getting things “over with.” When she’s at work it’s, “Let me get this shift over with.” If she’s about to run an errand she says, “I’ll go get this over with.” To hear her talk, she views day-to-day activities as something to get through.

Maybe she doesn’t mean anything by it, but it often reminds me of an article I read years ago in my college paper. The article spoke of how we’re always waiting for something down the road. When we’re kids, we can’t wait to turn sixteen. When we turn sixteen, we look forward to turning eighteen, and then at eighteen, we want to be twenty-one. We look forward to graduating, then to finding a job, then to getting married, then to having a family… and in all of this “I can’t wait to–”, we’re literally wishing our lives away.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with having dreams and looking forward to the future, and some of our present tasks can only be described as drudge work. But let’s be careful not to miss the good things that we have right now. That way, we won’t look back at our lives someday and find that we simply “got them over with.”

In 1930, Pat O’Brien had a scene in a play The Up and Up in which he had to content with two angry people at once — a person on the phone and one at his desk. To him, playing that scene was “like fighting through Notre Dame’s football line while singing ‘Danny Boy.’” The play received mixed reviews and its outlook seemed dim. O’Brien thought, Why knock myself out on something with no future? But then a Bible verse echoed in his memory: “Whatever task lies to your hand, do it with all your might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) And so, at every performance, he put his all into the scene, sometimes coming off stage wringing wet.

After the show closed, O’Brien went on to a few obscure parts. Then one day he received a phone call from a man who said, “Mr. Hughes is filming the play The Front Page and wants you in it.” O’Brien jumped at the opportunity.

The film’s director, Lewis Milestone, later told him why he was chosen. Milestone had gone to New York with friends, planning to see a hit show, but they were one seat short so Lewis went to see The Up and Up instead. He said, “One scene really impressed me — the one at the desk.” O’Brien’s outstanding film career was launched by his giving his all . . . for a part that had seemed worthless!

(Source: God’s Little Devotional Book)

Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.
- Denis Waitley

Don’t set compensation as a goal. Find work you like, and the compensation will follow.
- Harding Lawrence

I find that a man is as old as his work. If his work keeps him from moving forward, he will look forward with the work.
- William Ernest Hocking

To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun?
- Katherine Graham

Men who do things without being told draw the most wages.
- Edwin H. Stuart

Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
- Theodore Roosevelt

The common denominator for success is work.
- John D. Rockefeller

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.
- Sam Ewing

The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.
- Richard Bach

In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it: They must not do too much of it: And they must have a sense of success in it.
- John Ruskin

A successful man continues to look for work after he has found a job.
- Unknown Author

There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.
- William John Bennett

It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Hard work means prosperity; only a fool idles away his time.
- Proverbs 12:11

(Found here.)