12 Days of Giving #10
By Vivian Arend
Time to refocus…
Give a whole lot of Thanks.
When my kids were young and we lived in a rather remote location, I found a homeschooling community online. It was wonderful to have ‘adult’ conversation during the day, even though it was all written communication. The funniest thing though–I remember a lot of the ladies mentioning taking from Thanksgiving to Christmas off from formal schooling with their littlest children since the kids got lots of informal school writing Christmas cards, doing math during baking, etc.
I thought this was the most extraordinary thing. Take off from mid-october to Dec 25? Crazy! Then I realized they were taking about US Thanksgiving to December 25, which isn’t as insane as it sounds.
But let’s go a step farther. We’ve been busy lately, really busy, right? And there are moments of frustration that sneak in and make us want to throw up our hands or sit down and have a good cry. I challenge you to stop for just a minute and make a Thankful List. Fifteen things in fifteen minutes or less. What are you thankful about this year? From the BIG picture down to the littler things. Because it’s tough to be stressed over what’s happening in our lives while we’re being thankful for what’s happening in our lives.
One commenter will get a $10 Amazon or B&N gift certificate! You don’t have to share your 15 things if you don’t want, but leave me a comment to be entered for the gift.
Sullivan McPig
Dec 22, 20127:19 am
I’m the kind of piggy who’s thankful for the little things, like an evening spend reading a good book or drinking a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day, so a list is easily made.
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 201210:36 am
Little things are big, because looking for them and appreciating them fill the space of worrying or being ungrateful.
((hugs))
denise
Dec 22, 20127:35 am
I am thankful to still be here another year with my family and to be home and not in a hospital .. that there is a great gift to me .
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 201210:37 am
Health is one of those things too easy to ignore when you’ve got it, so yes. Hoping for continued good things for you!
angelmarie
Dec 22, 20129:53 am
Im not sure that I have 15 but I’ll give it a try.
1.Happy healthy daughters
2.My dad is in my life again
3.I have a happy and content fur baby(kitty)
4.Another year of not going into the hospital
5.Being clean and sober for almost 13yrs
6.To be able to provide for my kids
7.Having a roof over our heads
8.CAFFEINE!!
9.That I can find a really good book
Thats all that I can come up with:) but Im sure theres more.
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 201210:38 am
Your list is amazing! So many things to be thankful for. Thank you for sharing–those are huge happy making things, aren’t they?
KittyKelly
Dec 22, 201211:29 am
Hmm let’s see what I can think of on the fly…:)
1. Thankful for my son who reminds me everyday how much I love him so I don’t tape his mouth shut.
2. For my family and freinds who help me through hard times and good times of course.
3. Modern medicine: thanks to surgery I am going to know what it’s like to not be in constant pain for the first time years.
4. my authors for continuing to write books that allow me to escape from the stress at times.
5. For being able to pay the bills. I may not be able to do more than that but at least they are paid.
6. For my kitties that love me unconditionally and make me happy when I’m sad.
7. Electronics because I can reach friends who are far away when I miss them and carry 5000 books with me no matter where I go.
Im’ sure there are more but my brain isn’t working as well as it used to. lol
KittyKelly
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 20121:49 pm
So happy that you’ve been able to move past that constant pain. It has been a good year!
Colleen C.
Dec 22, 201212:47 pm
Things I am thankful for:
My family
My wonderful pets
The many books out there to enjoy
The terrific authors that write those books to share with us
The little extras that make things easier
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 20121:50 pm
Boooooooooooks.
Brenda Hyde
Dec 22, 201212:51 pm
Fifteen things– let’s see:)
1. My kids
2. My husband
3. Living in the country, not the city any longer
4. Being able to work at home.
5. My health– no diabetes, and it runs in my family.
6. My kindle.
7. Our cats.
8. My flower and herb beds.
9. Our family– both sides:)
10. That my kids love reading.
11. The internet– yes, a distraction, but it’s a lifeline for me.
12. Listening to and talking about music with my kids.
13. My ability to write.
14. Coffee.
15.Chocolate.
I love all these things, and I’m very thankful:)
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 20121:50 pm
Living in the country-yes yes yes to the internet being distraction but a lifeline!
Lisa B
Dec 22, 20121:28 pm
A quick top of my head list because I’m on the 2nd day of a headache and i have family Christmas today in a couple hours and i just got home from work. For me though the list would be little things. Little things mean a lot to me. Time people take out of their lives to talk to me, help me with something or just offer some conversation. Reading a book for a couple hours that makes me laugh. Being there for me if only with a kind word. My kids and husband’s support.
Lisa B
Merry Christmas Vivian I have enjoyed this whole 12 days of giving.
Vivian Arend
Dec 22, 20121:51 pm
Merry Christmas, and I’m so glad to be able to do this again for my friends.
CrystalGB
Dec 22, 20122:35 pm
I’m thankful for:
my hard working husband
my great siblings and their families
having wonderful parents who raised me right
my good health
having jobs to pay our bills
my good friends
my fur babies
having amazing books to read
Lindsey E
Dec 22, 20123:32 pm
Yes there are lots of reasons to be thankful this year. And off the top of my head are family, a job and my health. And the electric blanket which keeps me warm all night so I can keep the heat low. Also the cats. I will keep thinking on this while at work.
Jane
Dec 22, 20124:13 pm
I’m thankful my family and friends are doing okay after Superstorm Sandy. We were very lucky not to have any damage to our homes.
elaing8
Dec 22, 20126:38 pm
LOL..on the mix up to Thanksgiving to Christmas. I was thinking the same thing as I read it.That would have been awesome to be from Oct to Xmas.
I love the idea of the thankful list.I will be doing it.Probably between baking items,when things are in the oven
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
Fedora
Dec 22, 20129:34 pm
Awesome, Vivian! I’m SO thankful for so many things–God has been incredibly good to us this year. So, the quickies:
- healthy family, with kids who at least like each other some of the time
- DH, who is not only smart and capable and an excellent cook, but as understanding a spouse as one could hope for
- a large and ever larger TBR
- which I suppose is really a thank you to you, Vivian, and all those other incredible authors who keep on writing and sharing their stories with us all!
- being geographically close to most of our immediate family, and having a warm and loving community of friends, both in person and on-line
- health–so thankful for this
- having enough to share with others on many fronts–and it’s true, we can’t ever seem to outgive God
Melanie J
Dec 22, 201210:39 pm
I am thankful for my health, job, friends, family, my sony ereader, coffee, chocolate, my dog, shoes..
Happy Holidays!
Nancy G
Dec 22, 201211:10 pm
Things I’m thankful for
1. My family (in all of its dysfunctional beauty)
2. My EDJ (though it may make me crazy at times)
3. My health, which is mostly good
4. My home, small though it may be, it is home still
5. Friends, both here and especially those online
6. My never ending supply of books, by authors who are also ‘friends’-though we have never met, I treasure their work and their communication
7. My cat-she is the one who gives me unconditional love
8. Music-when things get too stressed, I wind down with my favorite sounds
9. My ereaders, so that I am never without good books
10. The newly remodeled library, a place to go to connect with people and find even more books
My laptop-my lifeline to my friends online
11. I’m thankful that the mayans were wrong-I’m still standing
12. My favorite foods-chocolate, Dr. Pepper and fried chicken (not necessarily together)
13. Cold nights where I can snuggle with hot chocolate and a good book and let everything else take care of itself
14. I’m thankful for being able to help others, whether it is in person or via the internet
15. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate and did I say…chocolate?
And I’m thankful that you, Vivian, have shared your talent with all of us-be it Wolfies, Cowboys or hot couples, I enjoy every one and wait impatiently for the next one.
Debbie Saraceni
Dec 23, 20128:33 am
That gives me a lot to think about…mostly I am just thankful that my family is safe and healthy! Usually anything I wish for always goes to my family. As long as they are happy that’s all I need to make me happy.
Chelsea B.
Dec 24, 20124:48 pm
Would it be okay if I named my top 3?
1) My family. Always.
2) Reading amazing books that take me to amazing places right in my bedroom.
3) Inside jokes