Stressless Saturday: Thanksliving Tips

1. Describe what you are thankful for. Some families go around the dinner table and have everyone name something they are thankful for. Others keep a guestbook that everyone writes their thanksgiving in.
2. Spend time volunteering. A good way to teach our kids how blessed they are is to volunteer to serve Thanksgiving dinner in a homeless shelter. It is a good way to remind ourselves, too, that others have it far worse than we do.
3. Delegate. Have a potluck instead of doing it all yourself. Let everyone bring their specialty dish to the dinner and not only share in the work, but also share in the compliments and fun.
4. Use your ipod. Download some inspirational instrumental music and play it in the background to set the stage for a relaxing day.
5. Set up a craft area for the kids with paper, crayons, glue sticks and fall cut outs like pumpkins and leaves.
6. Keep your perspective. Thanksgiving should be more about a chance to be with people you care about than the perfection of the meal that is served.
7. Pace yourself. Don’t wait until the last minute to start preparing. Buy your supplies early and ask for help when you need it!
8. Focus on what really matters. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for, so keep that in mind when the little irritations arise.
9. Moderation. Most of us eat Thanksgiving dinner like it is our last meal and we end up feeling awful and hating ourselves for stuffing more than the turkey! Enjoy the meal, but be conscious of how much you’re eating.

THE ART OF THANKSGIVING

The art of Thanksgiving is Thanksliving.It is gratitude in It is thanking God for the gift of life by
living it triumphantly.It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them
as obligations to be invested for the common good.It is thanking God for all that men and women have
done for you by doing things for others.It is thanking God for opportunities by accepting them as
a challenge to achievement.It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an
inspiration to others.It is thanking God for each new day by living it to the fullest.It is thanking God by giving hands, arms, legs, and
voice to your thankful spirit.It is adding to your prayers of Thanksgiving, acts of Thanksliving.

(Wilfred A. Peterson)