Friday, November 9, 2012

Welcoming The Season......





The Thanksgiving Season is here. One of the highlights of the year is of children preparing their Thanksgiving feasts at school and also participating in fall programs about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.  Our rich history grounds us as Americans.Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because of so many wonderful memories I have of growing up in a community that truly celebrated the love of tradition, family, faith, and friends.  This is now a blessing I love to share as my own family gathers to share the beautiful traditions that my husband and I have created over the years of our marriage and homelife. There is a grateful praise that The Psalmist sings in Psalm 100 and this fills my heart in anticipation!

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise;
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues  through all generations."

What a wonderful promise we are given and especially for the season of Thanksgiving!  For me and my family, this has been a wonderful year. My heart is full of gratitude.  We welcomed a healthy and precious new grandson, John Brian, in April and completed the year with a new daughter in law to love as our son, Steven, married Sara.  There have been other blessings too....another daughter, Kacie, and her family relocated to a new state and God's faithfulness and blessing have been in every detail of their relocation.  There have been difficulties we have known too but those are minor when placed under the grace and goodness of the Lord.  He has loved us well and we want to share His goodness with others.

The table setting above is ready for an early holiday dinner with a few friends.  I decided to stray from the traditional colors of fall and go with a few green plants in my tablescape.  The tablecloth is a new gift from someone special.  The linens are vintage and I had them monogramed  to give just the right touch.

Inspiration can come when we least expect it. I am always inspired by the outdoors, it's freshness and the variations of green.  What inspires you?  Who inspires you?  I am moved by kindness, by people I see helping and sharing with others, by acceptance, by smiles, by nature, by books, by The Lord God, by His gracious and ordinary blessings of the day.  I hope in this season of Thanksgiving that you will take the time to share your own blessings of life with others.  It seems these days we do not have to look far from our own front door to see or help someone in need. I hope we can all remember to  guard our hearts and guard our words.  Watch over your heart this season.........this beautiful and thankful season!   Blessings of love and thanksgiving to you my friend!!!