thanksgiving is awesome

I am thankful for many things, 

I wouldn’t be here without family and for that I am forever grateful. 

I wouldn’t have as much laughter in my life without friends and for that I am thankful. 

I would be hangry without food and for that I am absolutely thankful.

I wouldn’t have forgiveness of my sins without Jesus and for that I am unconditionally grateful. 

I wouldn’t have as much love in my life without my loyal companions (my dogs!) and for that I am thankful.

I wouldn’t have as much knowledge in my head without my awesome teachers and for that I am so very thankful. 

Thank you, love you, peace.

The Future of Old Conservatives

I do think people are more liberal when they are young and more conservative when they get older, because it’s a known fact. No, it doesn’t go the other way. The older you get the more responsibilities you have, and you realize that other people don’t work as hard and aren’t willing to work for themselves and not every problem can be solved by the government. The youth has this mindset that maybe the poor and the economy could be “fixed” in our time, but as we grow wiser, we find out that fixing something like that probably won’t happen. But no matter what happens I am still hopeful, and we should let God’s will be done. Yay for Trump winning the election – looks like the people of America were ready for a change.

A Very Paleo Thanksgiving

As most (or all) of you probably know, I am now on the (mostly) Paleo diet, which means no grains, no dairy, and no refined sugars. No, this is not because I really wanted to do this... I am not allergic to any foods, but I have trouble digestion certain foods (like gluten, dairy, and refined sugar). I was told to lay off of these foods and certain other foods in order to let my body heal. Now, you may pity me a bit when Mrs. Carnes brings her chocolate cookies to class (and to be honest, I do too!), but it's not as bad as it may seem. Though going paleo makes mealtime a bit harder, I actually kind of love it! Among other things, I feel like I have more energy and stamina which is great during long rehearsals! Any who, Thanksgiving was posing to be a threatening experience for me (what with the pie and sweet potato casserole.....), so my mom and I decided to take on most of the dinner preparations, rather than my grandma, who typically brings the majority of the Thanksgiving dishes. I made paleo apple pie, paleo chocolate chip cookies, and paleo sweet potto casserole! Yum! My mom made few paleo dishes and some mostly-paleo dishes, and my dad prepared the meat! All in all, it was very tasty, and I am SO glad we took initiative to make the desserts... Otherwise I would have been eating carrots, sitting in a pit of self-pity, and watching my family enjoy pie.

(late) But he's just such a nice grandpa...

Musical theater people tend to be pretty liberal. Mind you, I am a HARD CORE musical theater person, but I am not a liberal. My parents voted for Donald Trump this year and I know I would have as well. However, we say that we're "conservative fiscally and liberal socially... on most matters." I don't personally care if our gay friends want to get married or if my cousin wants to be vegetarian. I believe those kinds of choices are up to the individual, and I have ZERO place to judge that kind of thing. Of course, some matters like abortion get me a little ticked, and I believe I will always side with the candidate who values a fetus as a human being. This is typically the republican, or conservative, candidate. On the fiscal spectrum of things, I am not under the impression that anything comes for free... I know that someone has to pay for things like "free college" and "super cheap healthcare." Unlike me and my family, many of the young musical theater people I talk to feel that the candidate who promotes these "free" or "inexpensive" things is the candidate with the biggest heart and who cares about people the most. I don't like to criticize my friends with these opinions because they are young and want to believe the best... They believe what they see on social media and were truly convinced that Bernie Sanders was just a nice grandpa who wanted everyone to have a great life. No kidding, I have literally heard people refer to him as a "nice grandpa"... And again, they truly believe that this man would have been the best candidate because he had a plan to provide college kids with free education, etc. etc. So, yes, in regards to this quote about socialism, I believe that many young people (especially those in the liberal arts) feel that the socialist candidate has the biggest heart... They vote from a platform of rather ignorant hope. Now hopefully, as one grows older and begins to understand more about how the economy works and that nothing is actually free, they understand socialistic ideas to be rather illogical. As the quote suggests, a 40 year old American man who still believes in socialism is still uninformed (which is very possible in this age of social media dependency). If he believes that everyone should have free college and free healthcare (because yay!!), he is oblivious to the fact that someone has to pay for that, and PLEASE NO IT CAN'T BE ANOTHER COUNTRY. He doesn't understand why our debt is so high and why wealthy business men are just so 'stingy with their money' (hint: its because those wealthy business men worked for their money and would prefer not to lose all of it... that's another discussion for another day). This man may have a big heart, but as a 40 year old, he is expected to have an informed mind to compliment it. Otherwise, he votes for the candidate who promises awesome free stuff but has no logical way to carry that out but to make enemies of basically anyone who has worked to earn themselves success.

Thanksgiving and Sorrow

Thanksgiving has been... interesting this year. It's interesting for family to gather at your house because they are mourning not because they are grateful. It's interesting to have a fridge full of leftovers because your parent's Sunday school class has brought you meals four nights in a row not because you made too much turkey. It's interesting to come to the breathtaking realization that one less person isn't here for Thanksgiving. And they won't be here for Christmas. Or your birthday. Or your graduation.

Needless to say, when your Grammie dies a week before Thanksgiving, there isn't a lot to be thankful for.

Sorrow was definitely a guest at our table this Thanksgiving. He's technically been living with us since February, and he doesn't seem to be moving along any time soon. Sorrow is like wearing glasses, it distorts the way you look at things. Somethings look blurrier, like happiness and thanksgiving and Christmas lights when you're crying. But somethings look sharper, like love and anger and the spindly leafless maple trees and frayed edges of Bible on Sunday morning and the mellow sweetness of the pie I made just like my Grammie would've.

Maybe I'm thankful for the sorrow. Because it reminds me that she mattered.

Thanks

Among the things I am thankful for are my friends, family, sports, food and above all living in a country where I can worship the one and only God.  Now as many of yall know I moved here just over a year and a half ago and I am very thankful because if I did not move many of the relationships I have know would have never came to be.  Lastly I would like to say how thankful I am for all of yall and how God placed yall in my life.

Sad but hopeful Thanksgivin'

          Ever since I was young, my family traveled to Texas where we would have an epic feast at my aunt's house. I grew up in Texas, and most of my family lived there so when we moved to Georgia, we had to head back to Texas for family events. Boy did i look forward to Thanksgiving not just because of the delectable food, but because the amazing stories and hilarious games my family so happily engaged in. However, ever since my grandmother died, there's been a great divide within my family, and I haven't been to a Thanksgiving feast in at least five years. This being said, my family is quite dysfunctional on it's own, and my extended family is even worse. However this doesn't provide sufficient reasoning for the great split that has occurred in my family. I aspire to one day reunite with my extended family and once again partake in the exhilarating games and stories we used to play. Moreover, the warmth that my family has given me in the past and present is what i'm truly thankful for , and i am grateful for the blessings God has bestowed upon my whole family.

for thankfulness

Firstly, I am thankful for my family.  They have supported me throughout my life and pushing me to do my best.  They help me when times are tough and i am getting stressed out with life.  I know they will always be here for me and no mater what I do they will love me.  Also i am thankful for my religion.  North Point Church has helped me out a ton with figuring out the life i want to live and bringing me closer to friends.  I am thankful for friends because with out them id probably be bored.

I am Thankful for...

I have plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Most importantly I am alive and well, so that is good. Second most important I am about to graduate which is great (and I think I may have an idea of what I am going to do after high school). However, I will definitely miss certain things associated with high school, such as the social aspect and the simplicity of certain things. I am also thankful for family, Jesus, friends, you know, the usual stuff. This Thanksgiving will be like no other for a number of reasons. The first is that we are breaking our tradition of staying in town (where all of our family is) and our entire family is going down to Panama City Beach for the whole week. I will miss tradition, but I am sure we will all have fun. The second thing that is special about this Thanksgiving is that it is the last one where I will have to be thankful for no school!

Thanksgiving: Gluttony at its Finest

I'm kidding about the gluttony thing. I love food, and more importantly I love people. So a day literally devoted to both is pretty swell. Also, let me say, baking as many pies as you have guests is legendary and deserves appreciation. (Side note, do you sell pies like you do cookies? Cuz that would be kinda awesome) Anyway, for me and my family, we always chill at my grandma's house. Its a great time filled with football (the Georgia v Georgia Tech game is always a crowd favorite, as my grandma and aunt both cheer for UGA and my dad and I cheer for GT). There is also PLENTY of food to eat at any given time to ensure that I gain ten pounds.Its spectacular. By the end of the week, I can just walk into the kitchen and make myself a 17th plate of thanksgiving goodness. I'm so proud... Gosh reading back over that I sound awful. Ah well. I'll keep it in. Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

#blessed

When I think of thanksgiving, I think off the food first and foremost. I think about the tradition of waking up to a yummy breakfast and the Thanksgiving Day Parade to watch with my family. I think about when we could to my grannys house to hang out with the family and eat the best mashed potatoes and gravy ever. I love how close my family is to one another so we can always spend time together on the holidays. I'm so blessed that I get to eat and have sick fellowship with them.

It's Just Luck

Out of all the things I have in life, I'm thankful for the interactions and friendships I'm able to have. I know from experience that material gain is only temporarily satisfying, and true happiness comes from the social interactions you produce in your life. I give my thanks to everyone at Fideles for tolerating my nonsense for these last few years.

with a full heart

     Thanksgiving is a blessing itself. It's a day where we can eat literally everything and still have leftovers to do it all again. I always go to my grandma's house. We cook ALL day long together usually while my mom is running a half marathon. And there is always more dessert than food, but that's not a bad thing.
     I'm thankful for of course, my God. He is always there for us, and he has given me such a life to be oh so thankful for. Y'all at Fideles, I'm thankful for you too, and I can't wait until our Friendsgiving. My family is the bomb.com, and I love each and every one of my 13 chickens (yes, even that ol' rooster). My dog and cats are basically more family and I'm going to agree with Mrs. Carnes, thank the Lord for Steph Curry! All the sports, all the teams, and all the people who've influenced me, I'm thankful for with a full heart.

My 2nd Thanksgiving!!!

This past year has been very eventful for me. Let's see I turned 18, got adopted, met my extended family for the first time, and started a new school. I am thankful though for the many things in my life. I am thankful for my amazing family who love and care about me non-stop, my sisters who I know are happy,  and for my new friends at Fideles. Those are just a couple of the many things I am thankful for. I don't really know of any Thanksgiving traditions in my family, but this is just my second Thanksgiving with them though. I love going to my grandparents' house for each holiday and catching up with them and seeing how many things Gaga bought. I would love to make some fun traditions to do with everybody in my family around this time of year.

Family

I am thankful for having the most unique, sassy, hilarious family in the world and my aunt's most-delicious-thing-you'll-ever-eat meatballs.
Every year for Thanksgiving, my family migrates to our doors from all around the South. With the average height well above six feet and personalities to match, they somehow seem to be a thousand people instead of ten. The next hours are full of outrageous jokes and stories, each attempting to outdo the rest. Stories of how my uncle shot a squirrel that was skipping along a branch and which promptly fell on my cousin's head. Tales of oh remember that time when burglars broke into the little store next to my cousin's trailer, and he poked his head out with a machete before reluctantly deciding to just call the police.
And, always, the bucket-full of heavenly meatballs that my aunt cooks every holiday, and for my aunt for not hating me when I eat twenty.

thxgiving

Goodness me. There is so much to be thankful for. My family always goes down to Florida for Thanksgiving to visit my grandparents. During the evening, I see a lot of relatives that I only get to see once or twice a year. So, during this time is where all of us reflect on what we've done during the past year and what we're thankful for. I look back and I see all the opportunities I've had. I see all that I've experienced. I see good times and bad times. I was able to travel out of the country twice this year. I met my wonderful boyfriend, and we've been dating for almost 9 fantastic months now. My family adopted a new kitten, Haley. I travelled a lot for club volleyball, and now volleyball is no longer a part of my life. I've been able to grow friendships, and even see some fade away. My faith in God has been redefined. My life has changed a lot in the past year. And if you were to tell me that all of this^^ would happen at this point last year, I probably wouldn't believe you. I'm so thankful for my never failing God, my family, my health, my boyfriend, my cats, my friends, sushi, Starbucks, detox tea, the gym, and pretty clothes.

Thankful

I am thankful for what I love. Some do not love enough, but wish they could. I am thankful to be independent and surrounded by amazing friends, at Fideles and outside of here. The life I have put together is one I would not trade for anything. That being said, I am glad that I always find ways to improve myself. I am thankful for Stephen Patrick Davis because hes a bro.

Thanksgiving

My November Guest - Robert Frost

My Sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise

__________________________________________________________

What are you thankful for?

Above all, I'm thankful for family and faith. I'm also grateful for the opportunity to teach smart, interesting students at Fideles. I'm thankful for peace, books, Netflix, friends, forgiveness, the Bible, crafts, the Big Creek Greenway, Steph Curry, creativity, baseball, my dog, cooking, e.e. cummings, and coffee.

What about the Robert Frost poem? He uses personification to describe Sorrow as his companion. She delights in the barrenness of November, in the grey, faded natural world. How does Frost feel about November's dullness? What is his relationship to Sorrow/sorrow? We are usually drawn to fresh, growing beauty in Nature: spring blossoms, green leaves, flowing streams. Can you see any beauty in nature's death, decay, depletion, emptiness? 

Two weeks from tomorrow is America's second-best holiday (according to my children). I've hosted Thanksgiving every year since 1998. It's quite an undertaking: my extended family refers to it as my Super Bowl. Several years ago I was intrigued by this Slate article about a woman who makes about as many pies as she has guests for Thanksgiving, and now I do the same.

Use this blog entry to write about the poem, gratitude, Thanksgiving traditions, or the month of November.