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Psalm 100
1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Look at verse 5. It states 3 reasons to worship our God.
1- The Lord is good!
2 - His mercy is everlasting! (I don’t know about you, but I am glad I am on the mercy plan!)
3- His truth endures forever! (God is faithful to keep His promises.)
I have so many things for which to thank God. I have a wonderful and loving husband, three precious boys whom I can stay home with, friends, good health, food on the table and a place to keep me warm. Most of all, I have God’s grace everyday.
I Timothy 6:6-8 says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
So, according to this verse, everything beyond food and clothing is a plus. Truly, I am blessed beyond measure.
How about you? Are you content? Think twice before you complain. Better still, think about this. Did you know that one-third of the world’s children went to bed hungry last night? Christians are to be sufficient and satisfied, and not to seek for or whine about wanting more than what God has already given them. God is the source of true contentment.
Thanksgiving is always a time of fun, family, food, and, most of all, giving thanks to God. However, it is also a time when the kids can get a bit stir crazy, especially if the weather is bad. If you plan some activities that can keep them distracted, you won’t have to hear, “We’re hungry!” every five minutes this year. If the kids are old enough, invite them to help fix dinner. There are simple things they can help with, including setting the table. Plan some things in the menu that are easy for kids to cook. Depending on the age range, some of the kids could really be a big help in the kitchen, even if it’s just getting utensils and potholders. Set up a craft room where you can put out different supplies that are age appropriate. Let their imagination run wild. An older, responsible child or an adult, who isn’t helping prepare the meal, can keep an eye on the younger children. Make it a contest. See who can come up with the best turkey, Pilgrim or Indian drawing or costume. They could make a specific project, such as napkin rings, or other things that could be used to decorate the table. You could even challenge them to see who can draw or write the most things for which they are thankful. Of course, another craft is the standard handprint turkey, where the children trace around their hands, with the spread fingers making the feathers. If you have a large window you want to decorate, you can also use tempera paint to make a flock of turkeys on your window. Add a little liquid soap to the paint first to make washing off both the window and the children easier. Let them paint their thumb and palm brown and the rest of the turkey “wings” (fingers) using other colors. Gently press their hands on the glass to see their turkeys appear! If weather permits, have a mini-Olympics. Have various events the children can compete in for prizes. The sillier the games, the better. Two game ideas are an Egg Relay Race and Turkey Bowling. Egg relay races (as long as you have enough for dinner) are always a favorite. All you need are two hard-boiled eggs (less messy), two spoons, and four bowls. Divide the children into two teams and line them up. Have the first child on each team take an egg in the spoon to the empty bowl, which is placed a few feet away. They have to deposit the egg in the bowl, bringing back the empty spoon. They hand off the spoon to the next child, who runs down to bring the egg back. This pattern continues, until the first team has all its members complete the task. Turkey Bowling is easy and fun (and can coordinate with craft time). Get ten two-liter bottles, put a little sand in the bottom, and then spray paint them brown. Glue or paint feathers and faces on the bottles. Once they are dry, set them up in a bowling pin pattern, and then use a ball (small for the older kids, medium for the younger) and your set to get a turkey (three strikes in a row). Keeping the kids busy will make the day much more enjoyable for all, and less frustrating for the grownups. You may discover some new traditions along the way that will continue when the children grow up and have children of their own.
Years ago, before online purchases became the norm it is today, shoppers would prepare for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. This is the one day of the year when most people would find the ultimate bargains for Christmas gifts. To make it a bit easier, here are some Black Friday survival tips for anyone who is preparing to take on this annual challenge.
The week of Black Friday, check your local newspapers. They will undoubtedly have pages of ads from department stores delineating upcoming sales. If there are coupons available, clip them out. Read the fine print. Sometimes a sale may be for a few hours on a specific day or one day only.
Ensure you have your complete Christmas list ready. Check online prices so that you can compare the items you have selected. Keep in mind that even though the store might have a variety of sales, it is most likely the case that some items may not be a bargain at all and you may find these items cheaper online.
A week before Black Friday, visit the stores where you will most likely shop. Locate the items you have on your list. In this way, you will not waste any time on Black Friday trying to find the specific department that has your item.
For the last several years, most department stores have extended their hours. Some open at 6am, some at 7am. Plan which stores you will go to first depending upon their opening time. Arrive early and head straight to the department where your item is located. This will save valuable time. Conversely, if morning shopping is inconvenient, most stores stay open as late as midnight. You can easily shop in the late evening as well.
Stay focused on the items on your list. Try not to wander into different sections of a store to browse, because while you are looking at other items the check-out lines are getting longer and longer.
You may have seen the long lines outside a store when a popular item is up for sale. There are some department stores and large chains who will allow you to put an item away until Black Friday. It doesn’t hurt to ask. In this way, you can pick up the item anytime on Friday.
Finally, you have an alternative to shopping at department stores on Black Friday. Check the stores online to determine if they are offering the same sale items listed in the newspaper. If so, buy online. Note, however, this does come with a caveat. If you are purchasing electronics, you may want to visit the store beforehand to ensure it is the item you want. Also, if you have specific clothing sizes on your list, you can easily purchase them online as well. Toy store sales can go either way; so check online first to determine the best selling price.
While most people love going to stores to shop, there are just as many who find Black Friday too intimidating. Either way, you have options. Even though Black Friday is the “sale day of the year,” it is not the only day. Sales will be on-going until Christmas Eve.
