Thankful Thursday: Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Happy Thursday y'all!

Today for Thankful Thursday I want to share some of my thoughts on Thanksgiving.

I hope it's not too controversial.

Around this year I hear a lot of comments like this:

"I can't believe they're playing Christmas music. It's not even Thanksgiving yet!!"

"They're putting out Christmas stuff before they've even taken down stuff from Halloween!"

"It seems like everyone just forgets about Thanksgiving these days and jumps straight to Christmas."

I love Thanksgiving.

I really do.

I love the time with family.

I love the message it sends.

I love the food!!

But is there a reason that Thanksgiving is any less Thanksgiving with Christmas music on the radio?

Or stores with Christmas decorations up?

I don't necessarily think these things should detract from Thanksgiving at all.

I just fail to see how these things should stand in anyone's way of being thankful and celebrating Thanksgiving.

Do these things really prevent anyone from sitting around the table on Thanksgiving and being thankful?

I can think of things a lot bigger that Christmas that might stand between people and being thankful.

But moreover, thankfulness should be something that happens every day of the year.

Not just at Thanksgiving.

I personally think the holiday should serve as a reminder of all the things that you have in your life to be thankful for year round.

So yes I have been thinking of what to give others for Christmas.

I have thought about Christmas cards and scanned lots of Christmas decorations at the store.

I have listened to Christmas music on Pandora already!

And I will still be thankful on Thanksgiving.

As I will be every day.

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for today!

I'm thankful to see my hard work pay off.

On Monday, I had a HUGE Chemistry test.

I thought I was without a doubt ready for it.

I studied.

I did the homework multiple times.

I went to my teacher for help.

I asked questions.

I felt good about the practice test my teacher put out.

And then I took the test.

And I thought I failed.

I went home that night upset.

I felt like,

"Why did I even bother to work so hard if none of it was going to pay off anyway?

I felt like the test wasn't a good judge of how well I knew the material.

Not to mention my grade really couldn't have afforded me to fail this test.

Well yesterday I got my test back.

And I don't know how I did it,

but I got a 90!!

So thankful!!


What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

It's time for Thankful Thursday!

Just some words to live by on being thankful:

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for this week.

I'm thankful for my sister Michelle.

It's her 20th birthday today!!

My sister is my best friend.

We've been through a lot together.

A lot of fights.

A lot of makeups.

A few broken hearts.

Lots of tears.

Lots of laughs.

She knows more about me than just about anyone.

She knows what I'm good at.

What I suck at.

What my favorite food is.

What I'm scared of.

And she loves me through it all.

She's the person I can tell anything to.

Who is always there to listen.

Who always offers her advice.

Who would do anything for me.

And who I would do all those things for in return.

I couldn't have been given a greater blessing in this life

than that of my sister.

And for that, I'm thankful.

Happy Birthday Michelle!! I love you!!

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

This week I'm especially thankful for sleep!

Sleep is something I've definitely taken for granted.

This week in school has been especially tough.

It's the week before Fall break, so all the teachers are getting their tests in this week.

This week I had 2 quizzes, 3 tests, and I still have one more test to go today.

Yesterday I had 2 tests; one in each of my hardest subjects.

I was literally up ALL night!

So at 6:00 a.m. I had already been up for 24 hours, and my day didn't end until 5:00 p.m.!

This is what my all-nighter looked like:

Complete craziness!

So today I'm thankful that my first class isn't until 2:00 p.m. today so I have some much needed down time.

And I'm thankful that last night I got sleep!!

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Just a simple reminder today for Thankful Thursday.

Something I think we can all stand to hear.

So what are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us  know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for today.

I'm not going to lie to you.

Lately I've been having a hard time.

As many of you remember from this post, I have a problem with depression and anxiety.

And since making a tough decision to go off my medicine for health reasons,

it has recently gotten worse.

Lately I've been feeling like I'm drowning.

And I look up,

and everyone is staring down at me watching me sink.

And life keeps on throwing buckets of water on top.

And it seems like I'll never get out.

Source: google.com via Dany on Pinterest

It's hard for me to think about what I'm thankful for when my life gets in ruts like this.

I've had to remember lately

that it doesn't matter if I'm thankful for 50 awesome things going on in my life right now

or just thankful for the basic things that I'm blessed to have.

As long as I'm thankful.

So today,

I'm thankful for the gift of today.

It's a simple as that.

Source: mybluecanoe.tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know :)

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

For Thankful Thursday this week I'm offering some food for thought.

A reminder to count your blessings everyday and not just here on Thursdays :)

Source: google.com via Holly on Pinterest

So even on the bad days....

Be Thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

I know I've been a little absent from the blogging world lately.

School is back in full swing and having Army duties last weekend put me behind.

But I couldn't forget about Thankful Thursday!

I really need to think about what I have to be thankful for this week!!

I'm thankful... for all the sweet comments I got on last week's post. It means a lot to me when I write something personal like that to get such a positive response. I didn't get a chance to respond to every comment, but I read them all and was really touched! Because of the response, I will be adding it to my Best Of Southern Charm section on the left of my blog.

I'm thankful... to have a little bit more laid back weekend this weekend even if I do have two tests to study for. Last week I went to school all week only to have the Army stuff Thursday through Sunday. Then I started my week off bright and early Monday morning at school.

I'm thankful... for my mom. She's always there to support me when I'm feeling down and encourage me when I don't think I can do something.

I'm thankful... for my husband. I don't know how I ever went to school living in a dorm without anyone's help getting things done. I guess then I didn't have a whole house to take care of, and I didn't have to cook. But still. He takes very good care of me so I can get my work done!

I'm thankful... for all my loyal readers who have been so understanding about my absence lately. I really miss y'all and am hoping to be around more in the next couple of days!

I'm thankful... that the weather is finally cooling off a bit.

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday: And She Changed Me

Happy Thursday y'all!

Today I want to tell you about a person that I met for one hour.

And completely changed the way I think.

Even still today.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a massage therapist.

A year and a half ago I was working doing massage in a chiropractors office.

And that's when I got the call.

The chiropractor I worked for had a client that came in and knew someone who was in their last weeks of fighting terminal cancer.

One thing she had always wanted to do was get a massage.

I agreed.

I wasn't given much information.

Just a name.

A phone number.

An address.

I walked in the house and was eagerly greeted by family who helped me get set up.

When I went into the room to do the massage, I met Jenni.

A girl who was frail and looked about 10 years old.

I was devastated.

I had assumed in my lack of knowledge about my client that she was older.

I began the massage.

Really it wasn't that.

It was very gentle, and I tried to be as soothing as I could.

I didn't want to cause her any pain.

Her breaths were ragged.

We tried to make simple conversation.

Dancing around the obvious.

As I continued the massage, I started to look around her room.

She had pictures up everywhere.

Pictures with family.

Pictures with friends.

Pictures with her boyfriend.

And that's when I realized:

Jenni is my age.

And suddenly I felt fortunate.

And suddenly I was grateful.

And suddenly I was thankful.

And suddenly I was sad.

Why her?

When it could have just as easily been me.

And the loads of homework I had waiting for me that night didn't matter anymore.

Because I was blessed to be going to school and getting my education.

And the wedding planning stress faded away.

Because I was lucky enough to have found the man of my dreams and blessed to be getting married.

And the million other little things that I loved to complain about didn't matter anymore.

Because I was healthy.

And I was alive.

After the massage had ended I placed my hand on Jenni's back

and told her that it had been my pleasure to meet her and to do that for her.

And then I left.

Not even a week later Jenni passed away.

And I was heartbroken.

Soon after that I spoke with the client that knew her and that had requested a massage therapist to be sent.

He said that he had spent a lot of time talking and praying with Jenni throughout her struggle with cancer.

She had hoped that if nothing else, she could make a difference and touch as many people's lives as she could.

I sincerely believe that out of all the therapist that could have been that day, God wanted me to go.

Because He knew that I needed to experience the lessons that Jenni could teach me that day.

Because she made a difference in my life.

And she changed me.

And I'm thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Happy, happy, HAPPY Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for this week!

This is pretty much going to be school edition!

I'm thankful that today is my Friday!! I really need a minute away from classes to catch up on all the work I've managed to get behind on (in the one week that school has started back!).

I'm thankful that even though it's 2:30 a.m., and I have to be up at 6:00 a.m. I think I finally understand my chemistry well enough to do well on my quiz!

I'm thankful that after I go to chemistry I can come home and take a nap for a couple of hours before I have to be to my next class.

I'm thankful for my husband. He has really kicked it up a notch and been so helpful now that I've started back to school and am not home to do everything like I was during the summer.

I'm thankful for my mom. She knows exactly how to make me feel better on days like today :)

I'm thankful for my bed. It feels soooo good to lie down after a night of intense studying!

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful.

Source: lifeofpolarnper.blogspot.com via Dana on Pinterest

If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep you are richer than 75 % of the world.

If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering.

If you can read this message you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

I love Thankful Thursday! I don't know about y'all, but I definitely need the reminder every week of what all I have to be thankful for.

Here's what I'm thankful for this week!

I'm thankful for the safe travel I had coming back home on Monday. It was a really smooth trip!

I'm thankful that I got to take my dad out to lunch early for his birthday. I didn't get to be there on his actual birthday, but I got to see him the day before :)

I'm thankful for my furbabies! They add so much happiness to my day!

Like the other day when I found Youri sleeping in his daddy's sock drawer!!

{Everything was all pushed around like that because we were painting our bedroom.}

I'm thankful that school starts back for me next week. I'm ready to get another semester knocked out.

I'm thankful for my sweet husband. He is really good to me.

Oh, and he makes me laugh :)

What are you thankful for this week?

Link up and let us know!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Today it's simple:

I'm thankful that I have the type of blog where I can finally share my secret and be ok with that.

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know.



Don't forget that today is the LAST day to enter my giveaway! Enter HERE.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

This week is just flying by for me!

Here's what I'm thankful for today.

I'm thankful for blogging. This blog has turned into so much more than I ever dreamed when I started writing. I had no idea that I would be capable of holding the interest of even one person that I didn't know IRL or that wasn't related to me. But I kept writing and you stuck around, and I am so thankful for all of your sweet comments and the conversations we have. It makes my day!

I'm thankful for all the "me" time I've had this week. It's been so nice to do some crafting and stuff just for fun before I start back to school in a couple of weeks.

I'm thankful for the great weekend I had with my husband for our anniversary last weekend.

I'm thankful that my mom is coming up to visit me this weekend!

What are you thankful for this week?

Link up and let us know!

Have you entered my giveaway yet? Enter HERE.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for today!

I'm thankful... for all my readers! Y'all seriously made my day yesterday with all the comment love for my anniversary!

I'm thankful... for the rain we got this week. It cooled things down a few degrees, and we really needed the rain. It's been so hot!

I'm thankful... that my husband and I are able to go on a trip for our anniversary this weekend. We have the finances we need, the health, amazing parents to watch our furbabes while we're gone, and Chris has a job now that allows him regular hours with weekends off. THANKFUL!

I'm thankful... that I've been able to spend the first year of our marriage home with my husband. Being in the military there's always a risk of deployment. I'm so thankful that we got to have the ENTIRE first year of our marriage to experience newlywed life normally. THANKFUL!

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!

Friday Confessional

Happy Friday y'all!

These are my confessions.

I confess... I'm super excited about all the people who linked up their thankful lists to Thankful Thursday yesterday! It makes me so happy to see what everyone is thankful for :)

I confess... that I still haven't gone to see the new Harry Potter movie yet. I think that is definitely going to be on my list of things to do this weekend.

{via}

I confess... that I don't understand what made moustaches popular all of a sudden.

source: weheartit.com via Liene on Pinterest

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: http://tentaculement-votre.tumblr.com/page/3 via Justine on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Joan on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Camille on Pinterest

Source: http://www.heycupcakedd.blogspot.com/ via Julie on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Pachia on Pinterest

I confess... that whatever it is that has made them so popular... I LOVE IT!

I hope everyone has a fab. Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for today!

I'm thankful for my hard working husband! He works all day at his job and still helps me around the house when he comes home without complaining.

I'm thankful for what a fresh coat of paint can do for a room.

I'm thankful for showers after a long day of working on the house.

I'm thankful for OTC sleep aide. I don't know what I'd do without it!

I'm thankful that my baby cousin Zeta is finally having surgery that she desperately needs to remove a brain tumor. She has been in and out of the hospital for the entirety of her life and hopefully a lot of problems she has will go away once the tumor is removed. Please keep her, her family, and the doctors performing her sugery in your thoughts and prayers today.

Zeta with her two older brothers.

Zeta's mom, Angel, writes a blog where she talks a lot about Zeta's condition. You can check out her blog HERE.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday y'all!

Here's what I'm thankful for today!

I'm thankful for the great time with family and friends I had last weekend for the Fourth of July!

I'm thankful that I was home and able to spend the Fourth with my family and friends unlike so many soldiers who spent it in Afghanistan or Iraq.

I'm thankful that my sister got another chance to come up and visit me this week before she gets started with another semester back at school!

I'm thankful for good music on a bad day!

I'm thankful for my furbabies! I don't know what I'd do without them :)

I'm thankful for my sweet husband! 

What are you thankful for today?

Link up and let us know!