Thanksgiving... I often Feel as though it's a much neglected and yet very Important Holiday. Squeezed inbetween two very popular Holidays it is often rushed past. And Hopefully, even though most are rushing towards Christmas and preparing for that most Holy Celebration with great Anticipation... they will still slow down enough, at least for Today, to Honor with Thanksgiving those things that they can and should truly be Thankful for this Thanksgiving Day?
Certainly in a Retail Setting it is prudent to get things rolling in preparation for Black Friday's massive Shopping Crowds so that you are well prepared for what peeps want to be buying for Christmas and to Decorate for it... but at Home we always keep Autumn present until Thanksgiving is over. We still have the Home awash in Velvet Pumpkins to keep the Ambiance of the Thanksgiving Holiday's Harvest Autumn Theme.
In fact, of all the Traditional Seasonal Hues, Autumn Hues are my Personal Favorites. Rich Warm Hues with an Organic Palette of Nature. And this Thanksgiving, as always, we Reflect upon all that we have to be Thankful for... and the List is long indeed!!! Though 2013 has been a tough year for our Family for a variety of reasons, the Blessings have also been abundant and often Miraculous. We're particularly Thankful this Thanksgiving that The Man recovered enough to come Home and join us for the Holidays and that we aren't having to spend it with him in a Hospital Setting.
He always prepared the Thanksgiving Meal at Home since he's the more Masterful Culinary Expert in the Family... and since he can no longer use the Stove and Oven and given the circumstances, we had already planned not to make Thanksgiving Dinner at Home, but meet with The Son and his Lovely Girlfriend at a local Restaurant to partake. So Imagine our Surprise when the G-Kid's School, in cooperation with Can-Do Nation Ministry, which is a Unified Faith Based Ministry of various Community Organizations and Churches, showed up with a Hot Thanksgiving Meal for Lunch for the entire Family!!!
What an unexpected Blessing and we were deeply Moved by such Compassion extended with Love for those in our Community who are going through particular Trials during the Holiday Season. We are so Thankful for the Generosity extended to us and for the School submitting our Family to Receive such a Blessing this Thanksgiving Day! It tasted as delicious as it looks, our Compliments to the Chef(s) who Created such a Feast!
And a Shout-Out to the Organizations that Sponsored it all... our Church and The Man's Church being among them... along with the Food Ministry I worked with for many Years. Sharing and Working in Unity can accomplish so very much can't it? Thank You!!!!
And yes, there was even Dessert!!! It was a Wonderful thing to wake up to this Morning, having a house full of Giving Souls who are spending a great part of their Thanksgiving Holiday Ministering to others in the Community, delivering a delicious Thanksgiving Meal and visiting our Homes! God Bless you all richly, as I'm sure He is!!
I also had my Friends Debbie and Roy Surprise me with an unexpected Friendship Gift of these Lovely Earrings... just Because! Yes, another thing we are so very Thankful for is our Wonderful Circle of Friends, who are each and every one, the Salt of the Earth! We are so Fortunate to have so many Friends and such rich Relationships in our Lives.
They know us so very well. And that is the Special Intimacy of True Friendship, when one takes the Time to REALLY get to know one's Friends and be there for them through thick and thin. I'm a very Social Person and I've always Cherished my Friends and every Special Relationship I Share with another Person. So when Friends reciprocate in Cherishing their Special Relationship they Share with us equally, it is a particular Blessing and Mutually Enriching. Thank You Debbie and Roy, these were so very ME and I just Love them! Your Encouragement and Friendship thru these difficult times has really Uplifted and Strengthened us!
We'll still be getting together with The Son and his Girl later...
This was "Later"... The Son and his Lovely Girlfriend Treated the Family to a Fantastic Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel... where a Ham AND Turkey Dinner WITH Dessert was being Served and it really was exceptional with loads of leftovers because there was so much food! *Whoo Hoo!* Thanks for Indulging us and spending Special Time with the extended Family this Thanksgiving, we Love you so much, Mwahhhhhhh!!!
I'm also Thankful that I have such a close Relationship with all of our Adult Children and their Significant Others. I hear so many Dear Folks that don't Share a Closeness with their Grown Children and I always feel so Sad for them. Even though we've been thru much with our Kids over the Years, it has never weakened nor broken the Special Bond and Unconditional Love we have for each other. We might have put the Dis in Dysfunction at times with some of the Drama and Crisis we've Endured individually and cooperatively *Smiles*... but we're still thick as Thieves Relationally and there has been absolutely nothing that could come between that.
This was "Later"... The Son and his Lovely Girlfriend Treated the Family to a Fantastic Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel... where a Ham AND Turkey Dinner WITH Dessert was being Served and it really was exceptional with loads of leftovers because there was so much food! *Whoo Hoo!* Thanks for Indulging us and spending Special Time with the extended Family this Thanksgiving, we Love you so much, Mwahhhhhhh!!!
I'm also Thankful that I have such a close Relationship with all of our Adult Children and their Significant Others. I hear so many Dear Folks that don't Share a Closeness with their Grown Children and I always feel so Sad for them. Even though we've been thru much with our Kids over the Years, it has never weakened nor broken the Special Bond and Unconditional Love we have for each other. We might have put the Dis in Dysfunction at times with some of the Drama and Crisis we've Endured individually and cooperatively *Smiles*... but we're still thick as Thieves Relationally and there has been absolutely nothing that could come between that.
Our Kids always Applauded the fact that no matter what they put us thru with their Choices and Lifestyles, or particular Disabilities and Illnesses, we never gave up on them and Loved them thru all of it... and continue to daily. Still exceedingly Proud of each of them... we Celebrated and Magnified their Strengths and Character rather than dwelling upon or condemning them for their Weaknesses and Mistakes. We Live our Lives knowing that by Grace God has shown Mercy upon us, so how could we NOT extend the same Grace and Mercy towards others? And most especially our Loved Ones!
So if you have an Estrangement with a Friend or Loved One Today, or any Broken Relationship for that matter, I Encourage you to be bigger than whatever the Issue was and find it in your Heart to Forgive and Extend some Grace in an Effort to begin a Healing Process Relationally this Thanksgiving Day. Even if it is not reciprocated, it will Minister to your own Soul and set you Free as your wounds Heal and you have a Peace about the situation instead of harboring regrets, hurt, sorrow, bitterness, ill will, or whatever Negative Emotions might have been consuming you.
My Nanna never allowed the Sun to go down on her Wrath towards anyone or anything and that was a Great Foundational Biblical Principal for me to build upon and Serve me throughout Life. Each day that you can lay your head down on your pillow without having Upset or Anger, regardless of what may have transpired throughout the unfolding of the day, is a Good Ending to the Old Day and an Excellent Beginning to the New Day.
And if it takes a Glass of Sarsaparilla or Wine... or two... to get to that place... *Winks* I don't know what it is about Sarsaparilla, but it always has a Calming Effect for me and though it is hard to find nowadays, I stock up when I can locate it! Not to mention peeps love Collecting the unusual Bottles because it has such an Old West Flair and Feel to it. Sidling up to the Bar in an Old Western and asking for a Sarsaparilla always seemed so Wild West Romantic... even tho' as a Kid I didn't even realize they were just drinking a Rootbeer! *LOL*
So... if you ever need a Sarsaparilla Bottle... I try to keep some in stock in my Showrooms. The end result of me sidling up to my Imaginary Bar at Home and downing some at the end of a particularly Stressful day. *LOL*
Another thing I'm extremely Thankful for at our Season of Life is that we still have the sounds of Children's Laughter and Play evident every day at our Home. The Children in our Neighborhood Love coming to our Home to Play... and there's something about the Carefree Pure Emotion of Childhood that Inspires me like nothing else. Children can be going thru as much, or more, than any Adult is or could even contemplate surviving... and yet still be Exceedingly Joyful and Enjoying Life FULLY! Many of the Children in our Neighborhood are Poor or have gone thru much, but are Rich in so many other ways that you cannot put a price upon and couldn't buy for any amount of money.
My own Grandchildren never cease to Inspire and Strengthen me by how Resilient they are and how much they have gone thru in their short lives and yet rebounded from. Our Fur Babies too were all Orphaned and seemingly Unwanted and Uncared for until they Adopted us and chose to become a part of our extended Family. It has been our Privilege to have them choose US to Love and make a Home with! As you can see, Yul in particular Adores the Children and was Playing House with the Girls this day... he was trying to squeeze his big fluffy arse INTO that little Dollhouse in fact! *LOL*
And I am Blessed beyond Measure by how many Grandchildren I've Lived long enough to Welcome into this World and then to have Lived long enough to Welcome not one, but two GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN as well! This is the latest one, who just when you think she can't get any Cuter... well, you know! *Winks* Besos from Great-Gramma Dawn! She looks SO much like her Aunty Princess T that it would be hard to tell them apart from their Baby Pictures!
So my Friends, what are just some of the things you are being Thankful for at Thanksgiving?
And what Plans are you making for this day?
What Special Traditions and Rituals do you partake of each Thanksgiving?
And do you take the Time to Savor this particular Holiday and not neglect it nor rush past it?
Do you Respectfully keep an Autumn Vibe alive in your Homes until at least the day after Thanksgiving?
And even if you don't... do you make Thanksgiving something Special in your own way?
Are you one to also Savor Autumn and it's particular Vibe for as long as you possibly can? By the way, I'm Loving this Old Sap Bucket filled with Wild Grasses.
Do you still have some Pumpkins out? Whether they be the Real Deal or Lovely Creations? I have both actually... and will probably not banish them entirely just yet as we prepare to usher in Christmas at Bohemian Valhalla in the next few days after Thanksgiving has been Celebrated.
Autumn in fact is my Favorite Time of Year here in the Arizona Desert because our Weather in Autumn couldn't be more Glorious and Perfect. I'm almost saddened each Season when it's ready to pass and move into Winter.
Because I've Enjoyed so much of what Autumn has been.
And what Traditions, Rituals and Celebrations we have had each Autumn.
Do you lament the Passing of each Season and Holiday too my Friends... finding it a bit hard to Let Go because you've so thoroughly Enjoyed every Moment of it?
Sure... it will come around again next Season... and we'll look forward to it all again with great Anticipation and the building of even more Memories and Good Times we'll have.
And those Special Treats we look forward to... one of mine is Creme Brulee! YUM!!! And I do Hope that you all also have a most Wonderful Thanksgiving Today with MUCH to be Thankful for!?
And if you wants LOADS of Inspiration... Today we're also linking up with COMMON GROUND for a Holiday Inspiration Blog Party so come join us!!!
And if you wants LOADS of Inspiration... Today we're also linking up with COMMON GROUND for a Holiday Inspiration Blog Party so come join us!!!
Happy Thanksgiving and Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian