READ all the way thru this post before you judge, please. I wish we could celebrate one holiday at a time. The other night, Nov 1 we were driving home from a lovely night out. We turned into our neighborhood and were struck
with Christmas. Mind you, I love love love the holiday. But, shouldn't we take the time to be grateful for what we already have before we bring Christmas out. The marketing part of it. That's what gets me. It's been in the stores for weeks. I went to a store on Halloween and they were clearing the shelves to put out more Christmas, which has been out for weeks.
Back to my story: We turned onto another street and again. Wham! 2 more houses with lights and actual Santa's and reindeer out on the lawn not just the lights.
Christmas is about the birth of a child and the gift of life, the gift a child gave to us. So glorious is the holiday. I'm just not ready to give up being thankful for the gifts I have previously received. Thank You so rarely used. Isn't there lights or stickers or something to put up to honor Thanksgiving. The holiday is more than pilgrims.
I just want to share some thoughts about having a heart full of gratitude.
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.
Have you used one to say “thank you?” ~William A. War
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
November 30th
So, I've had some time to think about my pre-post. This now being 2 days after Thanksgiving: First of all, I'm grateful that other families can celebrate Christmas whenever and how they choose. I was wrong to judge the joy. I'm sure they all have their own reasons why they put out the decorations. Maybe someone has been called to active duty, or someone passed away and the lights remind them of that person. Maybe, just maybe they have so much love in their heart that it's just so hard to contain in those short Dec weeks. I am sorry for the rant. FYI, still not happy about the stores and their excuse that if the people didn't buy they would stop.
I have so much to be thankful for. This Thanksgiving makes it 2 years since the beginning of the hospital purgatory, bed rest, infection, pain, and surgeries. I am so very thankful that I can watch the snow fall from inside my warm house, instead from a hospital bed. I am thankful I can open my pantry and have choices for dinner, instead of the hospital food. I am thankful for my best friend, Scott who is the kindest and most loving man, Any other man may have not faced all that I bring and just stick with me. I am thankful for my first son and his wife, and my second son. Thankful for so much more.
What are you grateful for?
