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New For November

Happy November!!!  Beginning in September, I think each new fall month is my favorite!  September marks the promise of fall, October finally brings some relief from summer heat but November marks full blown fall blessings!  November kicks in with the anticipation of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas celebration season.  The beginning of November means there is some time to prepare before the busy season and can be used as a month to prepare our hearts to truly enjoy these holidays.

Gratitude, thankfulness and contentment are some qualities of November and Thanksgiving.  I'm hoping to use the entire month, not just the week of Thanksgiving to prepare and cultivate a thankful heart. 

A timely newsletter arrived in my inbox this morning with some great thoughts to begin this month:  This excerpt from the book "The Resolution For Women" by Priscilla Shirer often describes my attitude:
"Instead of relishing each moment, each year, each opportunity, each step on the journey, I'm constantly overeager to get on to the next thing, which always looks more enticing than what's currently before me" 

Sometimes gratitude and contentment take deliberate, focused planning.  Another quote from Linda Dillow's book "Calm My Anxious Heart" gives the reminder:
"Most of us base our contentment on our circumstances, on our feelings or on other people.  However, true contentment is separate from our circumstances.  Contentment is a state of the heart, not a state of affairs."
A few tools that help me keep a thanksgiving focus are identifying and writing down blessings and things I"m thankful for each day.  A Holy Experience offers a beautiful monthly printable to record daily blessings or 7 Times a Day blessings.  Sheri Graham offers a free "The Gifts Of Each Moment" adorable printout to keep handy and jot down those blessings experienced each day.  (Scroll down to the bottom page of the newsletter for this printable.)

Feasting our eyes on beauty and the grace of God's Word each time we sit down at the computer keeps the heart focused on the things of the Lord.  Revive Our Hearts has some beautiful fall wallpapers with Scripture and for the crafty The Shabby Shop offers a free desktop wall paper you can edit with your own photos or just enjoy some shabby beauty!

Last, but not least, the 30 Day Growing In Gratitude Challenge offers a printable or an email reminder for 30 days to encourage us to seek the daily moments of thankfulness and to be intentional about thanking God and others for the blessings that come our way every day.

Will you join me early this year to celebrate Thanksgiving every day?


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Comments

  1. JenniferNovember 2, 2011 at 11:18 AM

    WOW - thanks for all the resources! It can be hard to "pump up" Thanksgiving and counting blessings, etc. now that it is just the two of us at home. At least, it seemed easier (and a bit more fun!) when the kiddos were home:) But I am wanting to find a way for Hubbie and I to focus our hearts and thoughts toward gratitude. Anxious to look through all these sources. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LisaNovember 2, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Thanks for such great resources!

    Giving Thanks with You,
    Lisa

    www.moretobe.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. HeARTworksNovember 3, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Sometimes we are focusing on what could be instead of what is, and missing everything wonderful about the present! Thanks for the timely reminder! Patsy from
    HeARTworks

    ReplyDelete

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