Thanksgiving Week...a Time to Prepare

Are you preparing the turkey this year?

Are you preparing the pies?

Are you preparing your house for your family to come and celebrate?

Are you preparing your heart for Thanksgiving?

When our kids were young, I would have them think of something they were thankful for and we would share it around the table before we devoured our dinner. I would put 3 pieces of corn (I used corn nuts!) on each plate as a meager appetizer and as we went around the table, each person would share what they were thankful for. They could eat the corn as they shared a blessing. It worked fine for many years but was often just 'last minute thoughts'.
I realized we were forgetting so many blessings that we had experienced during the year. That's when I started using the "Blessing Basket". A pretty basket sits by my back door all year long and as I experience different blessings, I write them on a small piece of paper and drop it in the basket. At our Thanksgiving dinner, the basket is brought to the table and is passed around. Every one reads a blessing from the year and this continues around the table until all the notes have been read. Anyone can drop a blessing into the basket during the year. It is fun to hear what everyone is grateful for and to remember forgotten blessings that would have gone unnoticed if they weren't written down.

Gratitude Journals, Thanksgiving Prayers, Tablecloths that are written on every year that tell of family blessings...these are just a few ways to prepare your heart for Thanksgiving Day. How are you preparing your heart?