Category: gratitude

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

ThanksgivingWe here at Gracious Rain hope you have the happiest of Thanksgivings and that you eat so much turkey and cranberry sauce and potatoes and pie that you sleep for a week…well, no…then you’d miss all the cool sales tomorrow and that would be would be terribly counter-productive. Maybe, use moderation…

oh, forget it.

So, ok…go eat stuffing.

Dane Thanksgiving 08

My cute little son in Lithuania breaking dry bread for stuffing–8 hours ago–

because HE knows that some traditions must go on, even in a far away land.

Have a wonderful holiday!

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5 Things I’m Thankful For…

…at this very moment…

1) A sister who brings over Turkey Cupcakes–they look like turkeys, they taste like chocolate–that are so, so cute–I couldn’t let anyone eat them until we got a picture. Plus, I figured if I could distract everyone long enough…I wouldn’t have to share. Heh, heh, heh…

2) A big black cat named Beany, that sleeps at the foot of my bed–the far right side of the foot of my bed so that I can still move my feet if I want to OR scoot my feet under him to keep them extra toasty. Yeah…he’s a good sport.

3) Thanksgiving decorations all over the place. Laurie–the cupcake sister–made the pilgrims for me a billion years ago.

The turkey bailed into my cart at JoAnn’s last year.

4) The piles on my ridiculous desk. So much potential for fun stuff. I can’t wait to sort them out and see what’s in there. I must point out…this s not a mess. I mean it. This is total order in my world.

5) “Thing 1” and “Thing 2.” The squishyist and most magnamonious babies in the world. It’s quite possible that I made both of those words up. If so…don’t tell me. They are perfect for my needs–thank you.

 

 

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.”

~Meister Eckhart

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Photo Journal

While looking through a ton of old pictures the other day–I noticed that we had quite a few in the folder marked “Ghosts of Thanksgivings Past”–but they are all online and so I’m constantly having to say to family and friends, “I’ll email you a copy.” Sounds noble, yes? Well it would be more noble if I had a clue how to actually email pictures.

Hence, the Thanksgiving Photo Journal was born.

First take a hardbound journal or blank book—whichever…

Trace around it on to scrapbook paper.

Cut out to the measurement of your book. I had to work around the spiral binding of mine. Cutting out 65,000 tiny notches was a bit of a pain, but it turned out ok.

Glue the paper on to the cover of your book–being careful to keep the edges straight.

Secure a piece of ribbon to the back with glue and tie a bow in the front. And ta-da! Your book is finished. Except that now you can make copies from your computer–and stick them in the book for all to see.

So, bring it with you to the turkey dinner and share the book around. If you are really brave you can let people write their comments or memories on the blank pages. If you have a few of these books and lots of printer ink, they would make a great gift for the Thanksgiving hostess. Never hurts to butter up the lady with the pie…

Heh…heh.

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Gratitude Tree


This is a simple and fun way to help family members be on the look-out for all the things they love and are grateful for…and clean up some stray branches from the yard at the same time. Ahhh…green waste.

Oh, and earlier today–this tree was called the “Gratitude Tree” but it got on my nerves. Honestly, it sounded way too much like “The Giving Tree”…which is not ok with me. If you know me even a tiny bit you know how I feel about that book. Grrrr….more on this later…no doubt. MOVING ON…

You will need:

flower pot

craft stones, rocks, or art sand

short branches

colored paper, scrapbook paper, or craft foam

paper clips

Fill a clean flower pot with rocks, stones or sand…yes, kitty litter would work, but I’d hate to confuse poor Fluffy, so personally, I’d stick with the rocks. Shorten the tree branch to suit the size of your pot. I stuck three small lilac branches together with packing tape. Set the branch securely in the rocks. Wiggle them around until you’re convinced they will “sit and stay.”

Next, cut out about two dozen leaves–template link below— from colored paper or craft foam. Push a partially straightened paper clip through the stem end of each leaf. Set the leaves in a small basket with a black marker, next to your thankful tree.

Encourage, nudge, ok, force– family members to write their names on one side (unless they want to remain anonymous), and something or someone they are thankful for–and why, on the other side. Have them hang it on the tree and by Thanksgiving Day–your tree will be a beautiful reminder of your family’s blessings and a really cute tree–that you don’t have to water. That’s a plus.

NOTE: Click here for a bunch more family Thanksgiving Crafts or a simple leaf template to make your own Gratitude tree.

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Thankful People

We are an enthusiastic bunch where I come from, and that means taking advantage of every opportunity to celebrate any good thing that comes along. We start hanging colored lights before Halloween and resist taking them down till after Valentine’s and we’re perfectly willing to put up banners and flags and balloons for anything in between.

I suppose one explanation for this party-people-type behavior is that we really, truly, love to gather, and play, and sing, and dance, and nibble, and feast for a monumental day. . . or for no reason at all.

But even coming from the original “Whobilation,” place, I’ve noticed a strange thing. People everywhere–not just here–are starting the festivities way earlier than ever before. Now don’t get me wrong. I love that I can turn on the radio, right now and find just as much Christmas music as I want. I enjoy the lights coming on all over the neighborhood, and I even get a kick out of Christmas ads on the radio.  But…

…what happened to Thanksgiving?

I’m not actually ready to skip it, even in the mad furry to get to Christmas cheer.

I want this time to feel grateful. I need it, because it makes me a better person…or at least it keeps me trying to be. I want to remember the things that really matter…and be grateful for them–always.

So, I may put up my lights before the next storm. And I may play my Grinch cd before we make all that stuffing. And I may move the nativity box a bit closer to the garage door. But I utterly refuse to submerge myself in the “magic of Christmas”– until I’ve filled my cup to the brim with pilgrims and leaves and cornbread and turkey…and the joy of giving thanks, for all of it.

 

“The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.”

~H.U.Westermayer~