Thanksgiving has always brought such fun and joy to my life.
As a mother I have been determined to keep our family traditions alive...and add a few of our own to the list. Having both my mom and dad's families in town we are usually well over the average 4,000 calorie intake most americans have between our two gynormous meals. Other than the two thanksgiving meals we also have a traiditon of holding hands in a big circle and sharing what we are each most thankful for in the past year. We also use black Friday as a day for the women to congregate baking THOUSANDS of cookies.
This year is turning out quite differently than my memories recall and how I planned to spend thanksgivings with my children.
Between the two families combined it's safe to say we usually spend thanksgiving with around 50 family members including a varitey of men, women, and children of 4 generations. So the first big change this year will be us missing about half of the typical family clan.....and in turn will be much milder, quieter, and even maybe a bit relaxing (but if you know me, I DO NOT like relaxing holidays...I LIVE FOR the hustle and bustle this time of year brings).
Also, my grandma has been out of town for a few weeks (doesn't she know she belongs at home with her local relatives for the holidays----j/k) and therfore we will not be holding our bake day on Friday (big gasp!).
BUT the biggest change this year is the change within my heart. I've said this before but when we decided to adopt I did not realize it would be a huge spiritual journey for our family. Our eyes have been opened wider than ever and I feel as if our hearts have grown tremendously as well.
How can we even fathom the love and devotion we have been given by our heavenly Father? I know on Thanksgiving we all say, "God has been so great," or "We have so much to thank Him for this year," or "Let's give thanks to God on this day," and so on. Then we go on to eating our largest meal of the year, watching football, or playing a few games. How often do we REALLY think about those statements we make....and why do we often only make those "public" statements when it's a holiday in which we are celebrating?
Don't get me wrong, I am not going to be a grinch this year by not eating a large meal--knowing of the millions of people who are STARVING around the world. I'm not going to stop the traditions and live a life just grumbling over the things we take for granted. BUT, I AM going to start to live a life of thanksgiving each and every day. I AM going to think about the starving, less fortunate people and DO something about it.
A few months ago a wonderful lady from our church challanged others to a three day fast on rice and beans (living like 85% of the world does) and to give the money saved on groceries to those who are less fortunate. That challange got me thinking...I plan meals at our house each week, then buy only groceries that are needed for those meals (meal planning alone saves a lot each month!). If I plan the meals, I get to decide what we eat...and therefore I have decided that our family is going to try a ONE YEAR weekly "fast."
Starting next week we are going to have one supper a week that consists of food that is eaten by poor stricken communities (mostly rice and beans). We will eat small portions and will use that night as a night of fasting, reflecting, and GIVING. As a family we want to do more for the less fortunate and I believe this will allow us to do so. We often want to give more but cannot find the room in our budget to give much more...by doing the math I believe by cutting out (almost) four suppers a month we will have close to $50 extra dollars that we can GIVE to others who are DESPERATE. $50 dollars to us means nothing...but can mean so much to a family in need.
We would love to have other families join us in this challange! Will it be hard, yes. But it will be worth it...and there are MILLIONS of others who need the money soooooooo much more than we do, living in the "American Dream."
So this Thanksgiving despite the changes to our typical routine, I give thanks to the Lord who has given us EVERYTHING. And may I always remember that EVERYTHING which He gives us belongs to HIM....how can we repay Him for that which has been given? I believe the answer lies within HIS people who are needy, poor, orphaned, homeless, less fortunate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May we all give thanks to the One who has provided for us.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1
Love from our family to yours!
As a mother I have been determined to keep our family traditions alive...and add a few of our own to the list. Having both my mom and dad's families in town we are usually well over the average 4,000 calorie intake most americans have between our two gynormous meals. Other than the two thanksgiving meals we also have a traiditon of holding hands in a big circle and sharing what we are each most thankful for in the past year. We also use black Friday as a day for the women to congregate baking THOUSANDS of cookies.
This year is turning out quite differently than my memories recall and how I planned to spend thanksgivings with my children.
Between the two families combined it's safe to say we usually spend thanksgiving with around 50 family members including a varitey of men, women, and children of 4 generations. So the first big change this year will be us missing about half of the typical family clan.....and in turn will be much milder, quieter, and even maybe a bit relaxing (but if you know me, I DO NOT like relaxing holidays...I LIVE FOR the hustle and bustle this time of year brings).
Also, my grandma has been out of town for a few weeks (doesn't she know she belongs at home with her local relatives for the holidays----j/k) and therfore we will not be holding our bake day on Friday (big gasp!).
BUT the biggest change this year is the change within my heart. I've said this before but when we decided to adopt I did not realize it would be a huge spiritual journey for our family. Our eyes have been opened wider than ever and I feel as if our hearts have grown tremendously as well.
How can we even fathom the love and devotion we have been given by our heavenly Father? I know on Thanksgiving we all say, "God has been so great," or "We have so much to thank Him for this year," or "Let's give thanks to God on this day," and so on. Then we go on to eating our largest meal of the year, watching football, or playing a few games. How often do we REALLY think about those statements we make....and why do we often only make those "public" statements when it's a holiday in which we are celebrating?
Don't get me wrong, I am not going to be a grinch this year by not eating a large meal--knowing of the millions of people who are STARVING around the world. I'm not going to stop the traditions and live a life just grumbling over the things we take for granted. BUT, I AM going to start to live a life of thanksgiving each and every day. I AM going to think about the starving, less fortunate people and DO something about it.
A few months ago a wonderful lady from our church challanged others to a three day fast on rice and beans (living like 85% of the world does) and to give the money saved on groceries to those who are less fortunate. That challange got me thinking...I plan meals at our house each week, then buy only groceries that are needed for those meals (meal planning alone saves a lot each month!). If I plan the meals, I get to decide what we eat...and therefore I have decided that our family is going to try a ONE YEAR weekly "fast."
Starting next week we are going to have one supper a week that consists of food that is eaten by poor stricken communities (mostly rice and beans). We will eat small portions and will use that night as a night of fasting, reflecting, and GIVING. As a family we want to do more for the less fortunate and I believe this will allow us to do so. We often want to give more but cannot find the room in our budget to give much more...by doing the math I believe by cutting out (almost) four suppers a month we will have close to $50 extra dollars that we can GIVE to others who are DESPERATE. $50 dollars to us means nothing...but can mean so much to a family in need.
We would love to have other families join us in this challange! Will it be hard, yes. But it will be worth it...and there are MILLIONS of others who need the money soooooooo much more than we do, living in the "American Dream."
So this Thanksgiving despite the changes to our typical routine, I give thanks to the Lord who has given us EVERYTHING. And may I always remember that EVERYTHING which He gives us belongs to HIM....how can we repay Him for that which has been given? I believe the answer lies within HIS people who are needy, poor, orphaned, homeless, less fortunate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May we all give thanks to the One who has provided for us.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1
Love from our family to yours!
A truly beautiful post. I love, love, love your idea of giving up one meal per week. Happy Thanksgiving.
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