Monday, November 6, 2006

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  I enjoy cooking and I enjoy eating.  So what's not to love about it?

But I like being thankful, too.  Throughout my life, I've noticed that the happiest people I've known were those who are thankful for what they have; and the most miserable folks were those who constantly bemoan their lot in life: 

"Woe is me... I never get a break."  You know the type. 

The happiest times of my life have been those days and moments when I stopped long enough to be thankful.  I've been up, and yes, I've been down.  So I know whereof I speak.  Even when I was "busted, dusted, disgusted and couldn't be trusted" (Woody Guthrie), I realized that if I'd look around and see how many things I HAD, I no longer focused on the things I did NOT have. 

Could it be that thanksgiving is the secret of happiness?

You don't believe in God?  Then be thankful to the universe, or to the parents who gave you life.  Be thankful to your employer and the grocery store that presents you with such a wide variety of good things to eat.  Be thankful to your insurance company for covering the cost of your health care.  If you are truly at the bottom with no way out, then be thankful for so many ways to commit suicide.  (That's written with tongue in cheek, but I must say there's a grain of truth here.)

For my own part, I will continue to "praise God from Whom all blessings flow."

Throughout the month of November, I hope to conclude every entry I make by mentioning something for which I am thankful.

Today, I am thankful that my home is in the "Show-me state" countryside, with the Missouri River just a short horseback ride away.  It's truly "God's country".

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, You do have a lot to be thankful for and so do I. Helen

Anonymous said...

What a blessing. Even being thankful for being thankful. Love it!

Anonymous said...

Well, now, hold on there little britches!  Everybody knows God Blessed Texas!  lol  "Count your many blessings, angles will attend.  Help and comfort give you till the journeys end."  Counting blessings and being thankful are the keys to contentment.  A good post!  -  Barbara

Anonymous said...

You are right.  I'm going to dig deeper and do my best not to bemoan.  I think God will bless for that.  He must get an awful lotta complainers.  Happy Monday!  Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Way to go !  We can be thankful together !!! You are so right we all have so much to be thankful, if we'd just look for it!  Someone said gratitude is contagious, maybe we can start an epidemic !!!  Thank you !  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

You are so right. If only more people wouyld look at it that way. Thank you for you. I think that you are what I have to be thankful for today.

Anonymous said...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, also.  You can have Christmas.  I've never been a big fan of it.  I love Thanksgiving because I can have all my children and loved ones around me, and I am so thankful for that!  
I try to be thankful for the good times and the bad, in my life.  I figure God is trying to teach me something during those down times.  

I enjoyed this entry, Donna..

Hugs
Jackie

Anonymous said...

Great entry!  I love Thanksgiving as well.  Xmas was good when my son was small.  But, it's different now.
You have a lot to be grateful for Donna.  I can list some stuff for you!!
Pam

Anonymous said...

A great entry!  My husband and I are thankful for your journal.   We vicariously live 'the country life' we'd dreamed of in our younger years.  (I believe I may have written you a bit about our story in the past).  When we were teens he said "Marry me, and we'll go west to Montana, I'll buy you a ranch, we'll raise horses, and I'll build you a beautiful log cabin .. and we'll name our ranch "The Diamond M" (I still have the wonderful sketch of said ranch he drew for me).   Well, were retired now, we stayed in our hometown in CT, raised our three daughters ... never did realize our 'ranch'.   Life has been good regardless.    So ... your life right now mimics what we'd long dreamed of, and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of it !!!  THANKS.   Judy and Cal ....

Anonymous said...

Very nicely put!  I thank God for my J-land friends!

Anonymous said...

Mosie,

We take so much for granted. I was thinking about what you said. Be thankful for the grocery store being full of wonderful choices of food. Many in the world don't even get 500 calories a day. Thank you Lord for my blessing, in Jesus name amen.


In Christ,
Gabrielle

Anonymous said...

You are soooooooooo right Mosie.....We have a lot to be thankful for and sometimes we just all take so much for granted...
love ya,
carlene