graphic from www.penniwigs.blogspot.com
*Thanksgiving memories, recipes, and tips will be posted every day this week at www.mistressofmydomain.blogspot.com and then Christmas items will be posted after that. My hope is that readers will also share their items of interest! It's still not too late to be making up a Christmas jar to give away to someone anonymously. If you don't know about it, click here:
Oh how my heart is beginning to feel the joy of the season...Thankfulness and giving. What a wonderful combination of attitudes. This year the holidays will brings lots of changes as many folks, out of necessity, will be cutting back on spending. Us included. I feel so challenged to look beyond busyness and commercialism and turn my focus to the real legacy my heart wants to leave for my children and grandchildren: a truly grateful heart for all of my blessings; giving the gift of quality time to those who are dear to me; a cheerful heart and countenance throughout the season in spite of a more crowded than usual calendar; less time spent at the mall and more time spent at home making memories; opening my eyes to see those in need all around me and doing what I can to ease someone's burden. Smile more. Stress less. Pray more. Worry less. Being more sensitive to those for whom the holiday season brings painful memories, especially those who have lost family members and loved ones. Being more intentional about keeping a sane margin around my life to save time to nourish my soul with books, music, and quiet time. Remembering with gratitude the pilgrims who sacrificed so much for the sake of religious freedom. Contemplating the old, old story of the Christ child, the shepherds, the angels, all the miracles of that holy night. Realizing that as we look forward to Christmas each year, we also look forward to the day He will come again, not as a babe in a manger, but as a victorious ruler in power and great glory!
Be blessed my friend. And give thanks with a grateful heart. Every day of this season I intend to ask God to show me something new that will help me to grow in producing the good fruit of His spirit in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Won't you join me?
graphic from www.penniwigs.blogspot.com
10 comments:
This post helped prepare my heart for the upcoming joyous season. Thank you!
Thank you Deborah Ann. Here in NE Ohio we are having a mild November so far which can trick us into not realizing how close we are to what can become a frenzied time if we allow it (been there, done that)...I'm grateful for this brief chance to prepare my heart as well!
What a beautiful post. If we don't prepare our hearts, we have no peace in what can be a season of such busy-ness. We have simplified our gift giving, we draw names and it has worked out so beautifully.
I'm ready for the Season!
Pat, I know, I'm getting so excited for the season. Maybe one of the "benefits" of aging is we've learned how to manage better and plan ahead more, and remember to save time to prepare our hearts so we don't miss out on what is most important?
Amen! Beautiful post! I was blessed by it tonight.
Joyfully,
Wylie
Hi Wylie! Nice to meet you. I took a look at your beautiful blog. I'll come back to visit again soon. I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving!
This is such an inspiring post! Thank you!
Thanks Shirley...I'll have to re-read it when I start to droop! LOL
Wonderful post Jacquelyn...I love this time of year, to me it is all about warmth, love, caring and the giving of such to family and friends!!! This year it is also about being grateful for blogging friends like you!
Thank you Wanda! You are one of the first great people I've met on Blogger and I too am so grateful for this wonderful media, especially at this stage of my life. Thanks for all your encouragement!
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