Preparing for Thanksgiving
This is the week where things start becoming a bit manic. Who is coming for dinner? What is on the menu this year? Can I find all my recipes? Is the house clean enough? Will the pup behave? Do I really want to brave all the crowds this Friday? Where are the best deals? Pretty soon all these questions can turn into little bits of negativity like: why do I always have to make that ..... we have leftovers for a week.... he drinks too much..... she is so critical of the stuffing..... why doesn't he ever help pick up this house....Money, I don't ever have enough money for Christmas.... I hate the crowds......I can never find a parking place.... I hate Christmas.
This year for Thanksgiving I have decided that my pre-meal planning would be a bit different. Instead of all the fussing and complaining I have challenged myself to two things, two big things upon which I hope to feed on long after the holiday bills are paid for. Perhaps you will join me at this feast but I warn you the preparations while not expensive or time consuming are not easy.
I have gone on a diet of sorts but wait, do go away disappointed. No food is involved unless you count this food for the soul as I do. I have declared two things beginning this week. I am keeping a gratitude journal, and I have given up on complaining. The being grateful does come easily for me but when I am more actively seeking things to be thankful for I am finding that the not complaining is getting easier. I don't know about you but I realize that I have had a serious diet of bitching and moaning and whoa as me stuff. Life is not easy but.... I am so blessed. Are you? I bet I could help you find 10 things in your home now to be thankful for.
I am consciously seeking new and different things that I am thankful for throughout each day. Oh and my rule is that family doesn't count. That is just too easy- at least I hope it is. I put down 5 things each day that I am thankful for. Big things like heat, little things like the smile I shared at the post office with the clerk. Or one for today goes like this: instead of me complaining that my hhhh key sticks I am thankful that the others all work perfectly.
So I challenge you today to begin finding things you are truly grateful for and pay attention to what negative things come out of your mouth then get back to me and tell me how your new diet is going. Maybe we can keep a real Thanksgiving feast going throughout the year and not just through a week of leftovers.
Dig in, gratitude is even better then lumpy mashed potatoes with rich turkey gravy. Be a Blessing to someone else while counting how blessed you are.
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