THANKFUL RETROSPECTIVE...

Getting ready for Thanksgiving is always a great opportunity to think about all of the 'things and stuff' you are truly thankful for... health, family, freedom, etc. As I mentioned the other day, our family builds a paper turkey and lists the 'things' we are thankful for on tail feathers and we post them to share with everyone. After Thanksgiving is a good opportunity to revisit the things we have listed that we are thankful for and make plans to carry those blessings in to the future.

We should take time to SAVOR the blessings we have. Life goes so fast that at times we don't take time to really appreciate the blessings we enjoy, especially with the Christmas Holidays right around the corner. Now that we have taken time to list our blessings, it is important to take time to SAVOR those blessings. As we savor it is important to SHARE those blessings again with those we love and with those who are important to us. Make sure people know how you feel about them and how grateful you are that they are in your life. Finally, we should extend our blessings to others through SERVICE. By providing SERVICE to others our spirits are lifted and our blessings grow.

As we go into the Christmas Holiday, remember those who are less fortunate and share with them some of your extra blessings. I am a true believer in karma... share what you can and you will always have what you need.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

SAMI AND THE TURKEY!

GIVE THANKS!

It is that time of year again when we step back, look at the 'things and stuff' in our lives and realize how truly blessed we are. No matter what challenges we might be facing, it could be worse. We should always be grateful for our blessing, but the holiday coming up next week gives us a reason to really take stock of what we have and express those blessings and feelings to those around us.

How you express your feeling is up to you... it is just important that you share. I have some friends that drop "blessings" (small notes) into a jar during the month. On Thanksgiving when everyone is gathered around the table they pass the jar and each person reads one of the notes inside. Sometimes they try to guess who wrote it, sometimes they just all agree that is a good reason to be thankful.

Another family I know just goes around the table on Thanksgiving and each person expresses one thing in life that they are truly thankful for. It requires some thought in advance because they can't just say "I am thankful for my family" or "I am thankful for my job". It has to be something personal-- and each person has to have their own-- no repeating! Fun and challenging.

Our family makes a turkey out of construction paper and tapes it on the fridge. Then we cut out an envelope full of colorful paper feathers. Each day during the week before Thanksgiving we pull a feather out of the envelope, write one thing we are thankful for and then tape it in place around the turkey. By Thanksgiving day our turkey has a beautiful full tail of feathers and covers the front of the refrigerator. Years ago our turkey was a simple tracing of a hand (you know, the nursery school trick for drawing a turkey) but as the kids have grown it has gotten more elaborate. When Thanksgiving is past I will post a photo of our turkey. It really is a fun tradition-- and you know how our family is about tradition!

Personally, I think I am a pretty lucky person and that I have been blessed with so much more than I deserve. I have an amazing family, and an incredible wife whom I love very much. We are an amazing team. Put us together with the kids and we are unstoppable! Seriously! Maybe I am bragging...but this is my blog so I can brag if I want! Hopefully you feel the same about your family. If you do, tell them. Take advantage of the holiday to express your gratitude for all of the 'things and stuff' in your life. Our lives are truly blessed... share those blessings with others!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

If your family has a fun Thanksgiving tradition let me know and I will share it with everyone!