We made it today is the Day.  Yes, time to make my stuffing and cook the turkey.  Then turn on the parades as the family wakes up seeing their dad dancing in the family room.  I am so excited can’t wait until I see everyone and set down and talk and eat a wonderful meal. 

Here are all my thoughts, in the last page of my book titled Thanks Giving, The true meaning is
Love

For those who don’t really know me or what happened, let me give you a quick review, so you can feel love.  First you need to really be present in the moment.  This seems very hard today in our multi-tasking world.  In truth you really are not multi-tasking you can really only do one thing at a time.  What really happens is you are not focusing on the current task or action and you are only thinking of other things.  Think about it this way, can you kiss your mate and at the same time think about your job?  You could but I am sure you would not feel the love in that moment.  The same events occur all day long, just focus on the moment and be present for those around you.

The next big item I had to learn was about feelings.  You know men and how we understand feelings.  Well the truth is we all have feelings and we show our feelings all the time.  When you truly hurt it shows and when you are excited that also shows.  I had to learn how to feel great and how people are reacting to feelings.  You see this more with small kids, they will yell, jump around and drive you crazy when they want something.  We somewhat know how they are feeling with their actions.  The same applies to us as we grow up.  Remember this and care for all those you meet and watch for their actions.  This will help you adjust to your situations.  You want to share love.
Oh yes, Love is another major item.  I was taught we always have options, review every second of the days.  The trick is the options are love or fear.  Which do you truly desire?  I focused on love and made all my decisions and reactions to others in love.  This totally changed my day with all the people I would meet every day.

Gratitude is more than saying thank you.  How many of us truly list the things we are grateful for or tell people a real thank you.   So often we say those words and don’t feel them.  I learned to feel thanks to all people.  I have also created my own gratitude list I review all the time.  There are so many things we can give thanks to every moment of the days.  Be it the air we breathe, the clothes we wear or actions we take. 

​The last action I learned that woke me up was having fun.  Yes, it’s not all about work or doing things, we need to take time out just to have some fun.  The more you take action on enjoying life the more life will be enjoyable.  Talking about having fun, that is why we are all here today.  Let’s really have some fun.

Much joy and love to you and yours

Let the fun begin.  Today is really a fun day the younger kids get out early today and they will bring home all the fun art they created for Thanksgiving day.  I wonder if they still do the hand turkeys, you know where you trace your hand on paper and color it as a turkey.  The little one will be coming home to share all their fun art work.  The older kids are getting together with all their friends from college or just visiting family in the area. 

​For me tonight will be pie making night.  I just make six or seven pies, the kids have their favorites and I love giving that treat for the holiday.  The house will be filled with the smell of fresh pies and some of the kids friends will drop by to say hi.  I will also do a double check to ensure I have everything we need for the meal.  Really getting excited.

Make sure you relax and have some fun today.  Don’t stress about anything just go with the flow.  Setting your mind to fun is really good for you too.  Give it a try and enjoy the day.

Much joy and love to you and yours

Wow just two days to go, all the college kids are back in town visiting with family and friends. Everyone else is making there last minute plans for travel.  Now think about all of these travelers why are they all going to a place to gather, it’s not really the food.  It’s all about the true meaning of Thanks Giving, it’s about the love.  Some will not say it but it is what drives everything to come together and share a meal, it’s about the love we will receive and give. 

​I told you earlier how excited I get as each guest arrives at my house.  I see the joy in their eyes and feel the love as I greet each one with love.  I fuss over the meal as I pour my love into each stir of each item.  I say my prayers over the food for all the people visiting my home and for those who cannot make it. As I am coming the meal and start placing the dishes on the table my heart dances with joy and love.  then finally the moment arrives, we all sit down for the meal.  As I say the blessing I look around at all the wonderful people and I only see love.  That is when I thank God.

Yes my friend the day is truly about love.  Even think about the first thanksgiving, it was people from different parts of the world coming together to share love.  Remember to hug each person you meet and share your love.

Much joy and love to you and yours

With all the talk about the food and people the first part of the word thanksgiving is missing.  The coming together and sharing a meal should be all about thanks.  Let me share my Thanksgiving Day Blessing.

Thank you God for providing all this food.  Thank you for bringing all these wonderful people together to share your feast.  Thank you God for this wonderful location where we can enjoy your feast.  Thank you God for the people who cooked this meal.  Thank you God for the people who set the table and brought the food on the table.  Thank you God for all the people working in the stores who stocked the food we have received.  Thank you God for all the people who shipped and drove the food to the stores.  Thank you God for the people working at the processing plants who packaged and inspected our food.  Thank you God for all the farmers who took care of the farms and harvested this food.  Thank you God for providing the sun and rain which made the crops grow.  Thank you God for this wonderful day and thank you for the blessings you have given us.

​Much joy and love to you and yours

As I think back on all my thanksgivings I remember the games I played as a kid and the games I would play with my kids on that day.  The Turkey bowl game at the park was always amazing.  A bunch of crazy guys getting together and playing all out tackle football with no equipment.  How nobody never really got hurt is amazing.  Well there was that one year these guys from another neighborhood came to our park and wanted to play.  They could not believe we played tackle and one of them got their nose broken, they said we were crazy and left the park.

​As a parent I watched my kids play some football, but they really loved the soccer, so it was a turkey bowl with soccer.  After playing outside they would love to play games in the house.   The morning was all about fun and games.  After all the fun it was all about cooking and preparing for the meal.  The game watching started as I cooked.  After dinner most of them would run back to the TV to watch the games.  What a great day to having fun.

It is kind of like the first Thanksgiving event, lots of games to enjoy the time.  It will be wonderful seeing some of the college kids and other friends come by for a quick game or watching a game with everyone.

Find something to do to enjoy the day with a game or two.

Much joy and love to you and yours

Today I want to talk about the Harvest.  After all that is why they had the first event, it was time to harvest all the crops.  It really is amazing that during this time of year all the farms around the world harvest the fields from a year of growing.  The harvest will be shipped to plants around the world to process and stored for an entire year.  Now let’s think about the spiritual side of the harvest.

Just for a moment think about how your efforts, beliefs, actions, etc. were harvested from the past year.  Would you look back and celebrate or cry?  I did some research and discovered seven laws of spiritual harvest.  The author of these laws is J. Hampton Keathley, III.  You can find amazing details around these laws on the internet just search for seven laws of harvest.  As you read each law take some time and think about it.

​Law 1: We Reap Only What Has Been Sown
Law 2: We Reap the Same In Kind As We Sow
Law 3: We Reap in a Different Season than We Sow
Law 4: We Reap More Than We Sow
Law 5: We Reap In Proportion to What We Sow
Law 6: We Reap the Full Harvest of the Good Only if We Persevere; The Evil Comes to Harvest on Its Own
Law 7: We Can’t do Anything About Last Year’s Harvest, But We Can About This Year’s

Much joy and love to you and yours

Today I want to talk about the history of Thanksgiving, oh not the details just a couple key parts.  I find it amazing with the history I was taught and the lessons I worked with my kids.  One would think history is history, however, there are always multiple sides to the story and different views of the events  Which is what makes history all that much more interesting. 

Just for a moment think about the Pilgrims, you have a group of people so devoted to creating a new life they traveled to an unknown location to have freedom to live as they believed they should.  They had almost no food and very little skills to live off the land.  Then you had the Native Americans who had lived off the land for a long time.  They helped the new Pilgrims with showing them how to grow food and hunt.  The next fall everyone came together to enjoy a feast, but it was more than just food.  They played games, hunted, and had a three day party. 

The fact that it took 200 years to make this a national event is not key, it’s the joy and love they shared I want you to think about.  When you give thanks for everyday and share your joy and love with others you give hope to others.  As you give out hope to others it will expand and bring more joy and love to others. 

Much joy and love to you and yours

Just a week to go I cannot believe how fast the day is coming.  Another great part of Thanksgiving is as the families come together you get new stories.  Well sometimes they are old stories retold just to make everyone laugh.  Sometimes the stories are about past thanksgivings and other times just updates to people’s lives.  It amazing when everyone sits down at a table to dine together the things we will discuss.

​My brothers and sisters love talking about the times my father would fix up the pool table and put chairs around it so everyone could fit at the table.  My family talks about the old days when my sister in law would host the dinner. Then they would talk about how she left the area I became the host for the holiday meals.  I would hear stories of new business ideas or new jobs. 

Then there was the year I really did have a full house, about 28 people.  As I was counting the people and plates I noticed this young girl.  I asked who are you and she looked petrified as she said, I was invited by Tom. Great you will need to help with setting up one more place setting; there is always room for another.  She told us stories of her family and how they had large groups, she really had a good time and so did we hearing her stories of her family thanksgivings.

Everyone has a story allow them to share and enjoy the time together.

Much joy and love to you and yours

The Gathering for Thanksgiving Day.  Every day I probably have more people for dinner than most people, that is just part of having a large family.  Now on Thanksgiving it doubles and sometimes even more show up.  Family and friends are all invited and we love our blessings of a wonderful meal.  People will often ask me how many people are coming for dinner, and I say I have no idea.  It ranges from 10 to 26, so I always make enough for 26. 

It is so wonderful greeting them as they arrive for dinner.  I get a few hugs and wonderful stories; I will talk about stories tomorrow.  Some will run to watch a game, some stand in the kitchen and offer help with completing the dinner.  Some of the family I only get to see a couple times a year, so I try to spend extra time with them.  Sometime I see my kid’s friends visiting from out of state, and they stop by just to say hi and get a turkey sandwich.

The best part of the gathering is when the meal is complete, set it all on the table and everyone is sitting at the table.  I walk into the room with one more item and we hold hands and say a blessing over the food, the family, and friends.  Then we give thanks to God for all the wonderful joy and love we have.  Then watch out as everyone fills their plates with their favorite food.  I hear the joy and smile as I know
​God has truly blessed my gathering.

Much joy and love to you and yours

Thanksgiving is a huge celebration in the USA, there are parades, huge meals, family gathering, and football.  The history of the day does seem to be very different to different people.  To me it’s not worth arguing over the details of the past.  This is the time to focus on the present and enjoy the day. 
I believe we are celebrating the year in the harvest we have received.  Give Thanks to the wonderful blessings we have received over the year.  Give Thanks for everyone coming together to share joy and love.  Giving thanks for the food you have on your table.  Giving Thanks to God for his blessing on you and your family.  That is what I celebrate.

​I enjoy starting out the Thanksgiving day preparing the stuffing and turkey.  I get the stuffing made and stuff the turkey.  After completing that mission I put the turkey in the oven and relax watching the Thanksgiving parades.  The kids will come and go as I watch the parade. I love watching the performances flipping between a couple different parades.  Last year my niece was in the Macy parade, everyone came running when her team was on the show.

After the parade I prepare the dining room and all the food to celebrate the wonderful day.  Tomorrow I will talk about the gathering. 

Think of the ways you enjoy the day and celebrate it with joy and love

Much joy and love to you and yours