Salt and Pepper

 

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you can share it with family and friends- even if its a new family and friend. Looking forward to new memories.

Melody Beattie, a noted self-help author, often stresses the importance of gratitude.                       

She says, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."                      

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, let us commit to being grateful 365 days of the year

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident..

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving- Thanksgiving is not about a day, but rather a choice and a lifestyle. It is easy to post a video and photo, but harder to put into words, what I am thankful for. I am thankful for Life.  Sure I believe in Heaven- but I want to thank  God for not only giving me another day- but so many of my friends and family. I am thinking of the one who was flown to Harborview with only 30% chance of surviving a flesh eating disease, a co worker who beat cancer, a friend who survived diabetes and heart problems as well as those babies who survived abortions. I am thinking of those who I cannot wish a Happy Thanksgiving to this year but have influenced my life so much and I cannot tell them now. Perhaps I do not know how close some came to not being here today- including myself? I value life more each day, not because of my age, but to see so many loosing it- many needlessly. Your life is important, sadly some took their own life  last year, that is so sad and selfish. You are important, and I am thankful for you- even if I have not met you yet- you have a purpose and God Loves You.

A Helping Hand

Years ago, a Thanksgiving Day editorial in a newspaper told of a school teacher who asked her first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. Most of the children were from poor neighborhoods, and the young woman sorrowfully thought of how little they had to be thankful for. Nevertheless she knew most would draw pictures of stubby brown turkeys on tables loaded with bowls of food.                      

That's not what a little boy named Douglas turned in.            
The teacher was taken aback with his picture of a childishly drawn hand.            
The whole class was captivated too. The teacher asked them to guess whose hand it was. "I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food," said one child. "It's a farmer," said another, "because he grows the turkeys."            
Once she put her pupils back to work, the teacher bent over Douglas's desk and quietly asked him whose hand it was.            
"It's your hand, Teacher," he mumbled.            
The woman smiled and went back to her desk. There she recalled that frequently at recess she would hold one of the children's hands. She hadn't thought much about it. But obviously Douglas, a scrubby forlorn child, had. That simple, caring gesture was something he was thankful for.            
"Perhaps this is everyone's Thanksgiving," the teacher said to herself, "not for the material things given to us, but for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others."            
-- Adapted from a sermon by Eric Lenhart, illustrated by Stories from the Heart (Multnomah Books: Sisters, OR 1996).

Count Your Blessings

I have so much to be thankful for and Thanksgiving does not end or begin on a certain day. I am thankful for the real meaning of Christmas. I had posted this on Christmas Day actually a few years ago, it is called "Count Your Blessings.

"Don't you think its ironic that Americans spend the most money on new things they day after they say they are grateful for what they already have?"

We Are So Blessed

We are So Blessed
Thank you Lord, for giving me the chance to share this message with others and also, for giving me so many wonderful people to share this with.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace…you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If you work up this morning with more heath than illness..you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death..you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married.. your are very rare.

If you can hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, your are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder… you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.

If you can read this message, your just received a double blessing in that, someone was thinking of you, and furthermore you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Have a Good day, count your blessings, and Thank you for being part of my friends who I can share this with.

Forgive Me When I Whine
Today upon a bus,
I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;
I envied her -- she seemed so gay,
and how I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle;
she had one foot and wore a crutch,
but as she passed, a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two feet -- the world is mine.
And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
the lad who served me had such charm;
he seemed to radiate good cheer,
his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, "It's nice to deal with you,
such courtesy I seldom find";
he turned and said, "Oh, thank you sir."
And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine.
Then, when walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue;
he stood and watched the others play,
it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I'd go;
with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
with ears to hear what I would know.
I am blessed indeed.
The world is mine; oh, God,
forgive me when I whine.

Thanksgiving Comedy

I wish you the Best Thanksgiving- I know it is not until Thursday, but with Christmas being pushed up, I need to start today. We have lots to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!

Q: Why did they let the turkey join the band?
A: Because he had the drumsticks

Q: Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?

A: The outside

Q: What did the turkey say before it was roasted?

A: Boy! I'm stuffed!

Q: Why did the turkey cross the road?

A: It was the chicken's day off.

Q: Why can't you take a turkey to church?

A: Because they use such FOWL language

Q: What's the best dance to do on Thanksgiving?
A: The turkey trot

Q: What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?
A: Plymouth Rock

You know you ate too much when you have to loosen your bathrobe.