Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Hello December

I know you are expecting something all Christmasy in this post since I did mention December in the title but hold your rocking horses for just a minute. Before we kick into sugarplum mode I think I'd like to say just a few words about the month that was.

During the month of November I participated in a little gratitude meme hosted by Leah at South Breeze Farm. It was a simple act really...I was to list one specific thing that I felt especially thankful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving and I must say that I absolutely loved this. I found myself thinking about what I'd add to my list as I went thru my day, when I went to bed at night and especially first thing upon waking. I loved that each morning when I sat down at my blog my thoughts went immediately to a place of gratitude...not to a place of worry, not to a place of complaint or self-pity, not even to my extremely lengthy to-do list...instead my thoughts were filled with all the things in my life for which I'm grateful. And I realized there are many.

I changed my blog background today...my previous background was full of fall colors and they felt out of place in this month of reds and greens and golds and silvers. It feels like our focus wants to change this month as well. As Thanksgiving approaches we somehow manage to take a collective breath and step back long enough to recognize how much we have to be thankful for...we make an effort to be grateful, often even in circumstances where gratitude is not the obvious response. And then December comes. Almost overnite it seems we move from November's quiet contemplation to December's activity bordering on exhaustion.

Like everyone I have a laundry list of jobs to complete before Christmas Day. Shopping, cooking, cleaning, wrapping and making my house ready for lots of company...I'm sure yours is similar. Sometimes those things make me cranky. Really cranky. But I don't want to be cranky. I want to be grateful. December is here with all its joys and stresses and it is in this month that I want to remember the spirit of thankfulness that filled my November. I want the words 'be grateful' to remain at the top of my to-do list each day.

So bring on December with all its busy-ness, late nights, early mornings, spending and wrapping and baking and houseguests and even the laundry...in the midst of it all I will find my November.

And just in case you don't study my sidebar when you visit, here is my list from the meme-

I am thankful for...

holiday traditions
nephews
sweet daughters
music
live theatre
my central vacuum
a clean house and a well stocked frig
great books
lunches out
my sweet mother
safe airline travel
the mountains of East Tennessee
sunshine and warm weather
college friends and our shared memories
my husband
Camp Sandy Cove friends and memories
good health
my brother (Happy Birthday S!)
old friends
Mexican food
those who serve our country
sisters
a full moon peeking thru the trees
the right to vote
deer on the backyard hillside early in the morning
the colors of autumn

8 comments:

  1. What a beautiful list. I think this post will help me to be as grateful this month as I was last month. Thanks, Joyce.

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  2. Joyce,
    What a great reminder to be thankful in December; every single day for that matter. I like how you put it when you said, "... in the midst of it all I will find my November." I really needed to find it today because I was cranky.

    Thank you for a great post.
    Blessings to you.

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  3. Great list Joyce! I think we all should make an effort to start our days being thankful. Great encouragement!
    I love your new blog colors and background.

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  4. Thanks! And I am ever-so-slightly jealous of your central vac!

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  5. Wonderful post, Joyce! You are such a talented writer and have an amazing way with words. You know exactly how to express yourself! I had read your list of things you were thankful for earlier. I too, need to be reminded of all my many blessings! Here's hoping you have a great week. Love & blessings from NC!

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  6. What a great list. I love this. Finding my November in December. ;)

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  7. What a beautiful post.. I thank you for the reminder to be thankful in December.
    Wish I knew how to add a new blog background ,not in the ones they choose but I am just not that smart... No big deal,, I am glad I can blog.

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  8. Your background is very pretty!
    I'm so glad you all had such a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.
    My husband would love to see all the wildlife in your yard.
    Of course, he's a hunter, so you'd probably not like having him in your yard. Ha!
    No, he loves turkey hunting. He says that's one of his favorites.
    I'm trying to catch up on reading blogs and commenting. I'm doing it slowly.
    Have a great day and I'll chat again soon!
    Love,
    Valerie

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