  Spiritual
This week: A Season of Thanksgiving Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Spiritual Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant.
To enact gratitude is generous and noble.
But to live gratitude is to touch Heaven." ~ Johannes A. Gaertner
I can hardly believe it: another year almost over. It seems the older I get the faster it goes, but that's okay. I appreciate it more than I used to, and by "it" I mean everything.
When I was a child, having my needs met was a given. Food, clothing, love, a warm bed, a roof over my head--I never worried about any of it. It just was. In my 20s and 30s the burden of providing these things for my own children fell on my husband and me. At times the responsibility was overwhelming, but our family never wanted for anything. I believed in my heart that God always provided, but at the time it just felt like a lot of hard work and I wasn't as appreciative as I should have been. Now that I'm in my mid-40s and the children have children of their own, I see things quite differently.
When was the last time you sat down and actually thought about everything you have to be thankful for? It's so easy to allow ourselves to be sucked into the vortex of negativity ("I hate my job," or "I don't make enough money," or "I can't stand my boss," or "I need to lose weight," or "I need a vacation," or "My kid's flunking 8th grade ... again," etc.), but negativity is a choice. We can choose to focus on the positive, and doing so completely changes your perspective. I can tell you from personal experience that when I start feeling sorry for myself, nothing turns my attitude around faster than naming, out loud, the multitude of things I have to be grateful for. I could probably talk for days without repeating anything twice, and it becomes rather clear rather quickly that the good far outweighs the bad.
November 28 is Thanksgiving Day in America, but shouldn't Thanksgiving be a state of mind--a way of life rather than just a holiday we celebrate once a year? The words "gratitude" and "Thanksgiving" are nouns, but giving thanks is a verb--an action that requires my participation, and for the past few years I've made a conscious effort to practice it each and every day. It starts the moment I open my eyes: "Thank you for another day." As I ready myself for work I might say, "Thank you for my job," or "Thank you for warm showers," and as I drive to the hospital in the predawn darkness I whisper, "Thank you for my health." And so it goes throughout the day. Giving thanks prioritizes my life, reminding me of what's important and that I really do have everything I need.
As we gather together to stuff our faces full of mouthwatering foods before lounging in front of the television to watch football, let's not forget what the day's all about. Look around you at the faces of those you love, at the bounty of leftovers, and the beauty of God's creation. Tell your friends and family how much you love them and how thankful you are to have them in your life. Maybe take a plate of food to the elderly widower down the street (or better yet, invite him over for dinner). Volunteer to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless at your local shelter. Visit a stranger who is spending the holiday alone in the hospital or nursing home. Reach out to someone in need. Perhaps you will give them something to be thankful for this holiday season.
Peace, blessings, and a very Happy Thanksgiving.
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'Thank you', that would suffice." ~ Meister Eckhart |
I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
And please check out ~ Santa Sisco ~  's Annual Christmas Auction/Raffle. The majority of gift points raised will be donated to worthy groups around WDC. I've donated three packages to the auction, one of which is a Writer's Mystery Box filled with at least $50 worth of writing-related gifts.  Let's join together to support this worthy cause, but you'd better hurry: the Auction/Raffle ends December 8, 2013.
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The following is in response to "Spiritual Newsletter (October 30, 2013)" :
bonzo1964 says, "I am given to waking in the middle of the night and my head presents a line or 2 of poetry. I get up, make a cup of tea, and begin to write my poem. The first couple of lines come easy...then, slowly but surely, the rest of the poem presents itself. It is in these quiet hours that I talk with God. I write my conversations and find they help me get in touch with my creator in a way that nothing else satisfies. He is not a stranger to me...He is alive within me and helps me to settle my fidgeting into peaceful activities. I have an over active mind at times and at times I must take medication to calm myself down and get to the root of what my inner man is trying to say. I find that talking with God is the best therapy of all for my mind, body and soul. I feel connected to the Source and find peace." That is beautiful! Thank you for sharing with us, Bonnie. 
Zeke says, "My daily prayer time is what keeps me focused on my faith." Yes! It seems most of us have a routine--a ritual that keeps us grounded, centered, and focused. Thank you for sharing yours, Zeke. 
Quick-Quill  says "I'm not into 'fortune telling/card' but when I read about the 'burden basket' it just made sense. I'm not sure if it's what I'm envisioning but a basket with a band that fit around the head and hung down the back. Items were put in over the shoulder. I loved the idea that one left one's problems at the door not to be discussed (gossip) inside. Would that we all had one of these near our phone and by our door." Exactly! I love the idea of it, don't you? I wonder how people would respond to seeing one on my front porch. 
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Spiritual: November 27, 2013 Issue [#6013]
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