What Am I Most Thankful For?

Thanksgiving always makes me think of all the things for which I am thankful for. It doesn't take me much time at all to come up with a very long list of all the things for which I am thankful for. I am thankful for

my son, my best friend, my home, my success in my work from home business, a turkey and all the trimmings on the table Thanksgiving day, the list goes on and on.

But when I ask myself, what am I most thankful for, I find it hard to choose just one thing. As I ponder each thing for which I am thankful for, it seems to me that everything I am thankful for is a direct result of another. Would I have my wonderful son if there weren't adoption agencies and I hadn't married my husband? Would I have such a great best friend who lives across the street if I hadn't moved here? Would I have a home if it weren't for the jobs my husband and I had before building our house? Would I have been able to pursue a work at home business if my husband didn't have a good paying job and benefits? Would I have all the trimmings on the Thanksgiving table if I hadn't found some success in my work from home business?

So I ponder, what is at the root of all the things that I am thankful for? As I trace each thing I am thankful for back to its root, I find none of the things I am thankful for today just appeared on my doorstep. They required hard work, patience and there were always trials and tribulations along the way. So I ask myself, what made all the things I am thankful for possible today and I keep ending up in the same place. It is my faith in God and Jesus Christ and the power of prayer that brought about all the things for which I am thankful for today.

If I had not had my faith and I had not prayed, I would not have my son today. If I had not had faith and I had not prayed, I would not have been able to move here and have found such a wonderful best friend. If I had not had my faith and I had not prayed, building our home would not have been possible. If I had not had my faith and I had not prayed I would not have found success in my work at home business. If I had not had faith and I had not prayed, there would not be a turkey and all the trimmings on my thanksgiving table this year.

So the thing I am most thankful for is my faith in God and Jesus Christ. When I say my prayers tonight, I will make sure I say thank you to them for being at the root of all the things for which I am thankful for today! 

Make Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh Christmas Decorations

The 3 wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus to represent and honor the meaning of his life on earth. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Gold a valuable possession of the wealthy was given to the baby Jesus to represent and honor Christ as King of Kings on earth.

Frankincense was a rare, precious, sweet fragrant incense that was used in religious rites, as medicine and as perfume and was given to the baby Jesus to represent and honor Christ’s power to heal.

Myrrh is a rare, precious, aromatic known for its bitter taste that was associated with suffering. It was used chiefly in embalming for its perfuming and preserving ability. Myrrh was given to baby Jesus to recognize Christ’s suffering upon the cross and gift of everlasting life.

King of Kings Gold Christmas Ornament

Clear Plastic Christmas Ball Ornament you Can Fill
Gold Glitter Glue Pen
Fake Gold Coins
Gold Ribbon

Fill the plastic ornament with the fake gold coins about ½ way. The on the top empty part of the ornament with gold glitter glue pen write King of Kings and let dry. Tie a gold ribbon bow around the top of ornament and hang on the tree.

Frankincense Scented Tea Pot Mat

Nativity Scene Print Cotton Fabric (Look for a pot holder size scene)
Gold Metallic Thread
Sheet Wadding
Frankincense Powder

Cut out 2 nativity scenes from the fabric leaving a ½" seam allowance all around. Cut sheet wadding the same shape and size as the nativity scene. Sew 3 sides of your fabric closed and slip in the sheet wadding through the opening. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of frankincense powder into the opening. Hand sew the open end closed with a matching thread that will not show. Finish by machine sewing around the nativity scene pad with the gold metallic thread about ¼" in from edge to keep the wadding in place. If you like, you may sew a few diagonals throughout the pad. This quilting gives the pad a decorative look. Fill you teapot ½ way with water and boil. When you place your HOT tea pot on top of your mat, the fragrance of frankincense will come wafting through filling the air with a beautiful aroma.

Myrrh Scented Cross Decoration

Myrrh Oil
Unscented Potpourri
White Lace
White Ribbon
Metal Bowl with Plastic Sealing Lid or Clean Coffee Can

Soak unscented potpourri in myrrh oil in sealed bowl or coffee can. Cut 2 large cross shapes from white lace. Sew cross sides together leaving all 4 short ends open. Reverse lace cross so seams are on the inside. Fill cross with myrrh scented potpourri and tie all 4 ends together with ribbon creating a bow. Leave ribbon bow ends longer on top of cross than the 2 sides and bottom. Tie the top bow ribbon ends together to hang the cross on the wall.

I hope you have fun celebrating the true meaning of Christmas in these unique ways!

Help Plan Your Child's New Year Good Deeds

It is so important to teach our children to give freely of themselves and to be thankful for the blessings bestowed upon them. But how do we teach them, keep track of the events and be prepared in time?

Create an Annual Children’s Good Deeds Calendar!

Take a brand new calendar for the new year. Go through the calendar with your children and circle the date of a holiday or just select an appropriate date each month and decide on a good deed that, with a little help from you, your child can easily perform. If your children are having trouble coming up with their own ideas, here are some suggestions:

January - It’s a New Year with New Babies in Need! - Call your local hospital and find out what articles they take for donation of babies born to low income families and infants going out for adoption. When my husband and I adopted my son (abandoned by his birth Mom), we were given a lovely hand knitted cap for the baby. Your children can select (from a dollar store) some baby bibs, caps, sleepers, pacifiers, teething rings, etc. If your children are older, you can help them make some appropriate items. Select a day in the 1st week of the new year to deliver your items to the hospital.

February - Valentine's Day - So many of our older citizens are alone in nursing homes during the month of love. Your children can show these folks they are loved! Call a nursing home to make arrangements, spend an hour visiting with the elders and distributing handmade Valentine’s Day cards.

March - The 1st Day of Spring - I’m sure you know a neighbor or family member who could use a little help in the garden. If not call your local county for information on a program in your area that beautifies the neighborhood. Plant a few flowers and do some weeding to brighten the way!

April - Easter - Let your child share the true meaning of Easter with friends at an Easter party. Mom reads the story from a children’s Bible. Then each child is assigned to draw one part of the Easter story. 1. The Last Supper, 2. Christ praying to God in Gethsemane, 3. Christ with a crown of thorns, 4. Christ carrying the cross, 5. Christ on the cross, 6. Jesus rising from the tomb. Each child draws their assigned picture six times with crayons or markers on construction paper. Then the children all share their pages and create their own book with a hole puncher and yarn ties. Then the children sit in a circle and each child gets to tell what their part of the story, according to the page they drew, means to them. Of course then you eat lunch and for desert you serve cross shaped Easter candy instead of rabbits and eggs and each child gets to take home their "True Meaning of Easter" book to share with their own family.

May 4th National Day of Prayer - As a family, a few days before, make up a list of people and situations for which the power of prayer can assist our country. Write the prayer together as a family and the children can share it at Sunday school. The prayer can include the president, our servicemen, etc. Say the prayer together as a family at dinner time while holding hands.

June - The 1st Day of Summer - Have a yard/garage sale of all those old toys and things that Mom and Dad don’t use anymore. Donate the proceeds to a favorite charity.

July - Independence Day - Visit a Veteran’s home (make arrangements), bring homemade lemonade and ask the Veteran’s questions. This is a great way for children to learn about the sacrifices our Veteran’s made for our independence.

August 22nd - Be an Angel Day - Your child can be an anonymous Guardian Angel by selecting a good deed to do for someone, completing the task when they are not around, and leaving behind a handmade "Your Guardian Angel is Watching Over You" card behind. The card can be made a head of time but the deed has to be selected on that day. It will be up to your child to recognize and perform the deed. Some examples to get your children thinking are:
1. Lugging the heavy garbage cans from the side of the house to the street for the elderly lady who struggles to do so.
2. Stacking the pile of firewood the delivery man dumped in the driveway neatly beside the house for the elderly gentleman across the street.
3. Making up a picnic basket lunch of non perishables like canned tuna fish, a small loaf of bread, a small jar of mayo, a small jar of pickles and a bottle of juice and leaving it on the doorstep of a family in need.

September - The 1st Day of Autumn - I’m sure you know a neighbor or family member who could use a little help in the yard. If not call your local county for information on a program in your area that beautifies the neighborhood. Rake leaves and pick up debris to brighten the way!

October - Breast Cancer Month - Make pink ribbons to sell at school, church and in the neighborhood and donate the proceeds to breast cancer research or treatment center.

November - Thanksgiving - Have your children write a special thank you letter to someone who did something really nice for them. You child can select a family member, Sunday school teacher or friend. This is a great way to get children really thinking about the blessings bestowed upon them and how important it is to let people know how much you appreciate them.

December - Christmas is for Giving - All year the children fill a special keepsake box with the families pennies. Right before Christmas the children cash the pennies in at the bank for dollar bills Then they buy toys and donate them to Toys for Tots or a similar charity or orphanage.

How Do You Get Bible Time In With The Kids?

We are all so busy these days. Many of us Christian Moms work all day, cook dinner, clean house, run errands and take our children to extra curricular activities. Before you know it, its the kids bed time, we're all tired and we just don't have a half hour like my Mom, who didn't work and didn't drive, always did for Bible story time. Cynthia Powell from Chicks & Cubs has come up with the perfect solution that I just have to share!

When you have dropped the kids off at a friend's house or their extra curricular activities, take a Children's Everyday Bible and tape record yourself reading the daily lessons along with a bible verse to work on memorizing. Keep the tape in the car. Listen to the tape on the way to school, food shopping, friends houses and extra curricular activities.

Cynthia Powell
Christian Mom of 3 boys
Chicks & Cubs
Patty-Cakes, Baby Shoe Bronzing, Slings, Keepsake Boxes, & Child Safety Products.