Happy Thanksgiving

Dear precious Lord,
We bow our heads in heartfelt, thankful prayer;
For all the ways You've blessed our lives
And for Your loving care.
We thank You for the hands
That have prepared this special treat
And pray that You will bless all those
Who have no food to eat.

We're thankful for Salvation's plan
And for Your Holy Word;
And pray we'll help to spread
Your love to those who've never heard.
We're thankful for our freedom
And for churches that are near;
Where we can meet to praise Your Name
And worship without fear.

But still our hearts are saddened
By our brothers who aren't free;
Who suffer death and torture
For their Christianity.
We pray You'll give them strength
And courage as their cross they bear;
And let them know God's family
Remembers them in prayer.

We thank You for heroic troops
Who fight for liberty;
And daily risk their lives
And limbs to keep our country free.
Forgive us of our many sins
And keep us close today;
And bless this food You've given us,
In Jesus Name, we pray.
Amen

A Greatful Heart

Turn on the television these days and you’ll find just about every kind of makeover show possible. We seem to be drawn to this makeover madness by our desire for something fresh and new in our complicated, and sometimes disorganized lives.

I’ve recently become aware of a makeover I can do every day. It doesn’t cost a dime. It doesn’t require an expert. And it takes very little time.

Rather than the external makeovers we see on television, this is an internal makeover that starts in my head and moves to my heart. It is initially unseen by the outside world, but if I stay focused on this “inside job” it will eventually become very apparent to those around me.

This might be called an “extreme heart makeover,” because it moves my heart from grumbling to gratefulness.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m pursing this makeover as it pertains to the work I do for my family everyday. I sometimes exhibit an ungrateful attitude in doing these tasks when I forget what blessings the tasks actually represent. This week I'm working on a shift in thinking. I'm considering a different perspective.

As I evaluate all my responsibilities, I’ve discovered I'm thankful for:

■Laundry…because it means that my family has clothes to wear.
■Dishes…because it means that my family has food to eat.
■Bills…because it means that we have financial provisions.
■Making Beds…because it means we have a warm, soft place to rest at night.
■Dusting…because it means we have furniture to enjoy.
■Vacuuming…because it means we have a home to care for.
■Picking Up Toys…because it means I have children to bring joy to my life.
■Homework…because it means my children can learn and progress through life.

Would you like to join me in this exercise? What part of your life seems to be the most overwhelming? What do you grumble about most often? What tasks, responsibilities, or challenges bring about frustration or anger? Once identified, ask yourself what blessing you haven’t been able to see. Now focus on the blessing and thank God for what it means in your life. Watch your perspective change from grumbling to gratefulness in no time flat. The “extreme heart makeover” is available to every person, every home, and every family every day.

I can’t think of a better way to capture the essence of Thanksgiving.

By Jill Savage, founder and CEO of Hearts at Home

As Seen on the Web & a giveaway!

Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win a copy of Generous Kids by Colleen O'Donnell and Lyn Baker.

Amazon says: "This simple book will help parents make giving a fun and fulfilling part of their children's lives through learning the habit of giving. It's an easy-to-read book full of entertaining and practical suggestions, amazing true stories, simple examples, and plenty of "We can do that too!" take-aways for busy moms and dads."

Today on Tip Junkie they featured a post with creative ideas to be greatful. You can read the complete post by clicking here. Thanksgiving is just a week from tomorrow and many of these ideas can be used during the entire month of November if you like.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Thankful Bucket by The Idea Room...I absolutely love this one. The idea is to drop slips of paper into the bucket and then after Thanksgiving dinner, everyone gathers to listen as the slips are read. I think this is a tradition we might have to start this year!

A Thanksgiving Tree Craft from Crafts by Amanda...very simple idea using the handprints of our little ones....you could even use handprints of everyone in your family if you wanted to include grown ups as well.

A Gratitude Advent by Craft Critters....this one offers thanks for the little things we have, as well as the big. Each day has an activity you can do that is very simple and fun. Great ideas to give thanks each day!
Changable Frame from Flamingo Toes...love the idea that you can wipe off and make a new list each day. Instead of embroidery you could also use scrapbook paper like Connie's craft activity we did at our meeting for Halloween.
Life at 7000 Feet gives us a Thankful Turkey Centerpiece. Easy idea that even the youngest members of the family can participate in. The young ones can dictate to mom or dad what they are thankful for and parents can write on the feathers for them.
Now...don't forget to leave a comment to be entered for a copy of the book!