Blessings

For most people, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two biggest holidays of the year.  For some of us in our family, they are quiet.  With daughters who have families of their own, those two holidays aren't usually celebrated by the date on the calendar.

We've always been a close family.  One would think we'd make a big deal of giving thanks--and the opportunity to stuff ourselves tighter than the roasted turkey on the table.  After all, Thanksgiving is a major holiday.  It's a time of family and food and counting our blessings.  It should also be a time of peace and harmony.  Why make things difficult?

I made a decision when my children were small that, when they were grown and had families of their own, I would never expect them to spend their holidays with me and the others.  I remember at least one holiday as a child, when cousins argued about which family they'd be sharing with on the next holiday.  Apparently, the memory grew over the years, and when it came time for my own family to make a decision about who to visit on the holiday, I stepped in and said, "Spend it with the others.  We'll make our own special day."

Our family will celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow.  One daughter is working today, two others are spending the day with their husbands' families.  My youngest is here with me, and she and I have four of the five grandchildren here.  Believe me, it isn't peace and quiet!

Each year brings its own trials and bad times, along with joy and good times.  This is the one day set aside each year to give thanks for all we have.  Our day will be tomorrow.  But why stop at being thankful for the usual things?  Why not be thankful for the small blessings in each day?  Sometimes we forget, especially when it feels as if nothing is going right.  But there's goodness and something to be grateful for in all the small things we take for granted.  Kristen Lamb's blog yesterday did just that.  Take a few minutes to read what she had to say.  It will be well worth your time.

Life’s Unseen Blessings—Are We Really Thankful?

Blessing to you and yours on this special day.  Enjoy it to the fullest!  And don't forget, Christmas is less than a month away. ;)

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. ~ Oprah Winfrey