The smell of roast turkey makes me feel nostalgic. It is a reminder of all the great blessings I have enjoyed from year to year. What a gift it is to have this day set apart to reflect on all that we have.
I've been thinking about Thanksgiving a lot this year because it seems every day since October there has been a new catalog in the mail, constant sales flyers and countless emails advertising to me everything that I don't have but should want for Christmas for some reason. At times those advertisements left me wanting, and even if the wants were as innocent as "I want to give" or "I want to make", wanting, even when the want is filled never fills us they way a quiet reflection of what we already have will.
This year we started a new tradition with an adorable little cookie jar. For the month of November we encouraged everyone to fill it with what they were thankful for, that we may experience the spirit of Thanksgiving for more than just one day. This has been fun!
I admit to having a few bad days this past month where nothing seemed to be going right. On one occasion I broke into the cookie jar and read the sweet words my family so carefully filled inside, this filled my heart and I then broke into tears. Here were my favorites:
I am thankful for Mommy's beautiful hair
Nachure (the handwriting and spelling made it especially endearing)
My eyeballs
Legs to get me where I want to go
Sweet kisses and apple cider
Cilantro
little notebooks with huge ideas
Hevenly Father (again - it's the spelling that makes it so sweet, it came from a little one's heart)
ducks
rice porridge
our goldfish Colin, Gardner and Gill
Homeschool group
Paper airplane guides
myself
the World map
scriptures
A living prophet
Warm slippers
cuddles and hugs
There are too many to list, the ceramic house cookie jar is completely full of happy little scraps, scribbles and sketches just as I recognize our house is just as full of happy little spirits. We truly are living in abundance.
As I type this there is a stack of "Door Busting" sales flyers sitting next to me, I was going to review them before setting my alarm tomorrow morning. But the desire has been completely extinguished and I wonder what is of more worth.......saving 50% on a box of playdough, $20 on a little camera, $5 on some fabric or letting myself bask in the spirit of Thanksgiving for awhile longer. Because feeling grateful feels good and I don't have to stampede with the crowds or pay a penny to get there. Happy Thanksgiving it certainly was.
Love those thankful scraps of paper! The spelling really is cute too.
ReplyDeleteLast year for Christmas my SIL stitched a little saying for each family that read "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want but the realization of how much you already have." It has helped tremendously to have it prominently displayed in our home!
What a lovely tradition.
ReplyDeletethe things in the house are so funny! Nobody really cares about thanksgiving anymore.
ReplyDeleteWe did this too for the month of November. We enjoyed reading them altogether as a family last night.
ReplyDeleteI avoid the stores as much as possible. I, too, would rather be thinking of what I have rather than what I want. :)
Hey, some of those little scribbles were mine. I think I need to work on my spelling a bit.
ReplyDeleteI have been feeling this same way lately. Thanks for putting it into words.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great tradition Al. I'mglad you guys had a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post. We have so much to be grateful for! Sounds like a wonderful thankful month/holiday! Thanks for continually being an inspiration! I am thankful for blogs and the ability to hear other's expressions of love and see the abundance of inspirational talents out there!
ReplyDeleteI avoided the stores too. It was great. Thanks for hosting such a memorable Thanksgiving day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. Thank you for the great idea, too!
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I feel very grateful, as well,
ReplyDelete( But, I have to admit - I did go out for the 50% off playdough and $80 off a camera. Shopping Black Friday is pretty fun if you have someone to go with)