Thankful Me

Tomorrow is December 1st, and the kick-off to the #LightTheWorld campaign:  25 Days, 25 Ways.  Each day focuses on another action of Jesus Christ, and invites us to follow His example.   Photo:  Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus with the caption: "Love's Pure Light  At Christmastime and always, the Light of Christ helps us find our way (See John 8:12)." I'll be posting each day about what the daily focus is, but here's a sneak peek so you can be thinking ahead about what service you might do: December 1st:  Jesus Lifted Others' Burdens and So Can You December 2nd:  Jesus Honored His Parents and So Can You December 3rd:  Jesus Helped Others to See and So Can You December 4th:  Jesus Worshipped His Father and So Can You December 5th:  Jesus Healed the Sick and So Can You December 6th:  Jesus Read the Scriptures and So Can You December 7th:  Jesus Fed the Hungry and So Can You December 8th:  Jesus Prayed fo...

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, but the gratitude lingers.  I still have a houseful of visiting relatives, so I will make this list quick (but heartfelt). 1.  I'm thankful for the safe travels of everyone. 2.  I'm thankful for my children and their significant others, and for the fact that those who couldn't travel home could travel to my brother's house and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by relatives. 3.  I'm thankful for good news that shall remain unspecified until further notice. 4.  (To continue with the vague, but still grateful vein) I'm thankful that those who visited the ER on Thanksgiving morning were still able to return to my house in time for a warm dinner. 5.  I'm thankful for my grandchildren. Photo:  My grandson sleeps on his uncle, my oldest son 6.  I'm thankful for both my side of the family, and John's side of the family.  We all get along nicely, and everyone makes themselves at home and pitches...

The best release today was not special sales pricing, but rather, this new video: I'm excited to participate in #LightTheWorld --essentially a service advent calendar.  On December 1st (Jesus Lifted Others' Burdens and So Can You) , I'm planning on joining in the worldwide day of service by handing out bags with socks and snacks to the homeless in our community.  Then, on the days leading up to Christmas, I will do other things that relate to the theme of the day.  Maybe I will do one of the listed suggestions; maybe I will come up with my own idea.   Won't you join me in this #LightTheWorld initiative? I know I always feel good when I do something that helps others.  I'm looking forward to experiencing the joy of service this Christmas season--and that's a better feeling than snatching up any Black Friday bargain! Thanks for light.

Happy Thanksgiving!  The final #ThankfulActs Challenge this year is to offer a prayer of thanks. Thanks to the source of all our blessings.

We're approaching a big travel weekend.  Many people will be driving and/or flying in the modern-day equivalent of "over the river and through the woods" on their way to Grandma's house.  Photo:  A couple travels by horse-drawn sleigh through the snow How fortunate we are to be able to travel so far, so quickly, but how easily we can take transportation for granted.  We can become frustrated with heavy traffic, delays, and mistakes of other drivers. Today's #ThankfulActs challenge is to be kind to other travelers. Whether you are traveling to another state, or just driving around your own neighborhood, be kind.  Let someone in as he is trying to change lanes.  Smile at the parents of that crying baby on the plane. Refrain from honking in anger at the crazy driver.   (Of course, honk if honking will help avoid an accident--just keep the anger out of it.) How will you participate in today's challenge? Thanks for transportation. ...

Before you skip this post, please hear me out.  I was thinking about the young men and women from my church who choose to serve missions.  I don't know how missionary service works in other churches, but Mormon missionaries dedicate 1-1/2 to 2 years, at their own expense, to go wherever they are assigned, to talk to people about religion.  They are generally in their late teens to mid-twenties.  Communication with their families consists of weekly emails or letters, and twice-yearly phone calls (on Christmas and Mother's Day). Regardless of whether or not you agree with them, I think their dedication to their beliefs is deserving of thanks.  So, if you see a couple of young men or women wearing nametags and knocking on doors in your area, take time to thank them for their service.  Or, you could express your thanks online . Thanks for individuals devoted to their beliefs.

I think I've probably declared, "Fall has arrived!" more than once this year, but this time I really mean it.  The calendar says so, some of the leaves are starting to fall, we're well into the fall holiday season, the swamp cooler has been wrapped up for the year, and (here's what prompted the statement this week) the daytime high temperatures have dropped from the 80s into the 60s (overnight on Tuesday night) and have stayed there.  Of course, this is California, so finding ripe strawberries in my garden in November is just part of fall, right? Photo:  A ripe strawberry in my November garden Not only has fall arrived, but Thanksgiving Day is in less than one week!  I'll warm up for that day by listing ten things I'm thankful for:

Thanksgiving is next week, and my blogging about #ThankfulActs will soon be replaced with blogging about  #LightTheWorld .  I definitely think that preparing a thankful heart, and acting upon that thankfulness, segues nicely into daily acts of service in December.   Today's challenge is to take the time to send a card of Thanksgiving to someone (or more than one someone!)  Unfortunately, we can't always be in the physical presence of friends and family, but a card in the mailbox can let them know we are thinking of them.   I need to buy some postage stamps, but I'll be mailing out some cards as soon as they are stamped. Photo:  A vintage Thanksgiving card, with two children moving a huge pumpkin, with the caption, "Best wishes for a good Thanksgiving." Thanks for Thanksgiving.

When Ivy posted the Six Sentence Story prompt for the week, I had a light bulb moment.   (See what I did there?)  Anyway, I've been excited about the month of December for some time now, and this prompt provided me the perfect opportunity to share a little bit about why I am excited.  This week's prompt?   LIGHT Jesus taught, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16) He showed compassion, mercy, and love to others, "went about doing good," (Acts 10:38) and encouraged us to do the same. (Matt. 25:40)  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season, is launching a #LightTheWorld campaign.  The church is inviting everyone to join in a worldwide day of service on December 1st, to serve anyone we want, anyway we want.  Each day in December leading up to Christmas will then focus on a particular attribute of Christ, and enco...

How well do we know our neighbors?  Who are our neighbors?   Today's challenge is to thank a neighbor:  acknowledge them, wave and say hi, stop to chat for a minute, offer to help, etc. And, remember, as we learned from the parable, a neighbor doesn't have to just be someone who lives next door.   Thanks for neighbors, near and far.

It's hard to think of Thanksgiving without thinking of food.  So many memories are tied up in the Thanksgiving meal, and recipes tend to get passed down from generation to generation.  Certain foods "belong" to certain relatives, and even when those men and women are gone, the food brings back the memories of them.   Today's #ThankfulActs challenge is to share or somehow preserve a family recipe.  I'll share my mom's Pumpkin Squares  recipe with you.  You could compile a family cookbook, or could  preserve family recipes on FamilySearch .   Whatever you decide to do, have fun! Thanks for yummy food and the people who make it!

Did you see the supermoon this morning?  Are the leaves changing colors in your neighborhood?  Are snowflakes gently falling?  Are there fluffy white clouds in the sky?  Are raindrops watering the earth? There is beauty all around us.  Today's challenge is to take a moment to appreciate nature.  Maybe you will rake some leaves (bonus points for raking your neighbor's leaves!), or maybe you will take a photo of the big moon, or maybe you will simply say a prayer of thanks or observe and breathe.  Whatever it is, take a moment to be thankful for this lovely planet we call home. What will you do? Thanks for this beautiful world.