Nov. 25
I am thankful for traditions.
The main reason behind this thankfulness is Sundays in particular. Growing up, my parents instilled traditions. Some I grew out of like Trick-or-Treating on Halloween. Some continue. Sunday was a day of rest. We got up, got dressed, and went to church. After church, we went somewhere for lunch. It didn't matter if we had eaten out every single day that week or if we had eaten at home, we went out for lunch on Sundays. The afternoons were spent being lazy...so to speak. Sometimes it was a drive somewhere after lunch. Sometimes it was sitting outside just relaxing in the shade. Sometimes it was spent sitting around reading. Half of the time, it meant a nap for my dad in his recliner. After I grew up, moved out, and got married, a lot of the traditions I had grown up with changed or stopped. A few years ago we started going back to church. Lunch out started out yet again....just like when I was growing up. Lately hubby and I have been trying to eat at home more. It's cheaper and healthier for us. Sundays? We still schedule lunch out after church....continuing the tradition.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Thankfulness Day 24
Nov. 24
One of the reasons I had gotten behind on thankfulness is because of school. That is actually ironic because this day I am thankful for the Freedom to go to School.
I decided a few years back to go back to school in order to obtain a degree. Being that hubby and I weren't stateside and not going to be, how to get a degree...in anything. I did a bit of research and found out I could take on-line classes through a few choice schools. The one I chose was University of Maryland University College....UMUC.
When I started, I thought a Business degree. That would get me into doing....something...and figure out exactly what later. I finished my Associate's and received my diploma in the post....I chose not to "walk." Now onto the bachelor's. After taking only one class for my "minor," I switched majors. My major became my minor and my minor became my major. I am now (as of this typing in January) two classes away from a major in Accounting with a Business minor. Yes, I should have been done long before now, but....well, life happened.
What I am thankful for is the fact that I'm in school at all. For one, there are many countries that won't even allow females to get any kind of proper education...let alone a college degree. Two, if all of this would have occurred back when I was in High School, an on-line degree was a thing of lofty dreams and imaginations of inventors. If the base didn't offer the class, I would have been out of luck. Because of the advances in technology and dropping prices of laptops and internet service, distance isn't an issue any more. I've lived in two different countries while working towards the degree and my professors have been all over the world....from Germany to the US west coast; from the US east coast to Japan. Everything coming together in order for this degree to happen is amazing and unheard of not too many years ago.
One of the reasons I had gotten behind on thankfulness is because of school. That is actually ironic because this day I am thankful for the Freedom to go to School.
I decided a few years back to go back to school in order to obtain a degree. Being that hubby and I weren't stateside and not going to be, how to get a degree...in anything. I did a bit of research and found out I could take on-line classes through a few choice schools. The one I chose was University of Maryland University College....UMUC.
When I started, I thought a Business degree. That would get me into doing....something...and figure out exactly what later. I finished my Associate's and received my diploma in the post....I chose not to "walk." Now onto the bachelor's. After taking only one class for my "minor," I switched majors. My major became my minor and my minor became my major. I am now (as of this typing in January) two classes away from a major in Accounting with a Business minor. Yes, I should have been done long before now, but....well, life happened.
What I am thankful for is the fact that I'm in school at all. For one, there are many countries that won't even allow females to get any kind of proper education...let alone a college degree. Two, if all of this would have occurred back when I was in High School, an on-line degree was a thing of lofty dreams and imaginations of inventors. If the base didn't offer the class, I would have been out of luck. Because of the advances in technology and dropping prices of laptops and internet service, distance isn't an issue any more. I've lived in two different countries while working towards the degree and my professors have been all over the world....from Germany to the US west coast; from the US east coast to Japan. Everything coming together in order for this degree to happen is amazing and unheard of not too many years ago.
Thankfulness Day 23
Nov. 23
This day was started years ago, but just became an unofficial holiday not too many years ago. I'm referring to the day after Thanksgiving...Black Friday.
Years ago when businesses actually used ledgers to record money going out and money coming in, they used red ink for any amounts that were taking away from "the bottom line" and black for income. For the majority of the year, most businesses operated in the red (negative). However, come Thanksgiving and the shopping days prior to Christmas, shoppers upped their sales and boosted the businesses into the black (positive). The typical busiest shopping day is the day after Thanksgiving....hence the term Black Friday (the first day when businesses operated on the plus side).
I have a confession: I have never been out shopping on a Black Friday. I've heard some of the horror stories long before the shoppers that were killed by the stampeding flock a year or two back. I would wait until Saturday or even the following week to skip the crazy crowds. A few months back, however, I jumped onto the de-cluttering bandwagon. Our garage (the jumping off point) has never looked so messier and cluttered, but the house is slowly being de-cluttered. One of the positives in this is that the desire...the need...to shop for needless things isn't there. I don't want stuff that isn't useful adding to the clutter. Do I appreciate the folks that buy me things? Yes. Would I love them less if they didn't get me a gift? No.
My thankfulness for this day is this: I am thankful for the choice and the desire to stay home on Black Friday.
This day was started years ago, but just became an unofficial holiday not too many years ago. I'm referring to the day after Thanksgiving...Black Friday.
| http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/22/black-friday-vs-jesus_n_2172873.html |
I have a confession: I have never been out shopping on a Black Friday. I've heard some of the horror stories long before the shoppers that were killed by the stampeding flock a year or two back. I would wait until Saturday or even the following week to skip the crazy crowds. A few months back, however, I jumped onto the de-cluttering bandwagon. Our garage (the jumping off point) has never looked so messier and cluttered, but the house is slowly being de-cluttered. One of the positives in this is that the desire...the need...to shop for needless things isn't there. I don't want stuff that isn't useful adding to the clutter. Do I appreciate the folks that buy me things? Yes. Would I love them less if they didn't get me a gift? No.
My thankfulness for this day is this: I am thankful for the choice and the desire to stay home on Black Friday.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Thankfulness Day 22
Nov. 22
The third Thursday in November has been set as an American holiday--Thanksgiving. I am thankful for the reason for today.
Years ago, English men and women wished to worship the one true God. The problem was, the government didn't like that idea...they wanted their laws and rules and choices over the people's choice of worship. Instead of bowing to the government's wishes, they started meeting in private...in people's houses and had "look outs" in case any local police (bobbies) came to check up on them. After living like that, they knew that there had to be a better way. And what? A land founded by Columbus and Amerigo Vaspuchi (sp?) years earlier. They called it The New World. So....they hopped aboard a boat (well, by today's standards) via the Netherlands (safer than leaving from England) and off they sailed across the vast waters. Months went back until they finally spotted land. Where they first landed wasn't very hospitable, so they sailed further north and then around the tip....finally landing for the final time. There they finally were able to build a building that was used (for a while) as a hospital. Fast forward. By the time spring (it was winter when they first landed) came, many more had died of sickness and lack of proper nutrition and nutrients. They met two "Indians" who assisted them with planting crops that would grow locally and to hunt game. When harvest came, the "pilgrims" and part of the first Indian's tribe came together as friends. The "pilgrims" were thankful to the Lord that they had made it across the unknown ocean; through a horrible winter; through spring planting season; through summer growing season; and now to harvest; thankful for natives that helped them learn skills in order to live in this New World.
I am thankful for the original reason for today: the desire for freedom to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and their obedience to His will.
The third Thursday in November has been set as an American holiday--Thanksgiving. I am thankful for the reason for today.
Years ago, English men and women wished to worship the one true God. The problem was, the government didn't like that idea...they wanted their laws and rules and choices over the people's choice of worship. Instead of bowing to the government's wishes, they started meeting in private...in people's houses and had "look outs" in case any local police (bobbies) came to check up on them. After living like that, they knew that there had to be a better way. And what? A land founded by Columbus and Amerigo Vaspuchi (sp?) years earlier. They called it The New World. So....they hopped aboard a boat (well, by today's standards) via the Netherlands (safer than leaving from England) and off they sailed across the vast waters. Months went back until they finally spotted land. Where they first landed wasn't very hospitable, so they sailed further north and then around the tip....finally landing for the final time. There they finally were able to build a building that was used (for a while) as a hospital. Fast forward. By the time spring (it was winter when they first landed) came, many more had died of sickness and lack of proper nutrition and nutrients. They met two "Indians" who assisted them with planting crops that would grow locally and to hunt game. When harvest came, the "pilgrims" and part of the first Indian's tribe came together as friends. The "pilgrims" were thankful to the Lord that they had made it across the unknown ocean; through a horrible winter; through spring planting season; through summer growing season; and now to harvest; thankful for natives that helped them learn skills in order to live in this New World.
I am thankful for the original reason for today: the desire for freedom to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and their obedience to His will.
Thankfulness Day 21
Nov. 21
Hubby came home from deployment to the Middle East the morning of the 20th. The 21st was spent running errands. I am thankful for a sense of normal.
When a military member leaves for a long trip like hubby did, it is hard for the first week or two until I get a routine down. Once that occurs, day by day is marked off the calendar as a temporary routine occurs. Sunday is church, Monday is errands, Tuesday is a local market, etc. The hard part comes when the routine is so down pat that when the loved one returns, it's hard to break the routine and re-instill the old one or to invent a new one. Hubby & I have done this for a few years now and are getting a little better at re-establishing our routine that takes precedence over my temporary one. It's we because I need to figure out how to stop my old one and allow a new one to form; while he needs to give me time and us patience for it to form. The good thing is that this day we ran errands (I had pushed back to help) just like we would have done if he had been off work and was going along with me. That sense of normal was reassuring and comforting. It's nice to know your loved one is safely home and just going about your day-to-day stuff...like he had never left.
Hubby came home from deployment to the Middle East the morning of the 20th. The 21st was spent running errands. I am thankful for a sense of normal.
When a military member leaves for a long trip like hubby did, it is hard for the first week or two until I get a routine down. Once that occurs, day by day is marked off the calendar as a temporary routine occurs. Sunday is church, Monday is errands, Tuesday is a local market, etc. The hard part comes when the routine is so down pat that when the loved one returns, it's hard to break the routine and re-instill the old one or to invent a new one. Hubby & I have done this for a few years now and are getting a little better at re-establishing our routine that takes precedence over my temporary one. It's we because I need to figure out how to stop my old one and allow a new one to form; while he needs to give me time and us patience for it to form. The good thing is that this day we ran errands (I had pushed back to help) just like we would have done if he had been off work and was going along with me. That sense of normal was reassuring and comforting. It's nice to know your loved one is safely home and just going about your day-to-day stuff...like he had never left.
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