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"I think these difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes around worrying about are of no importance whatsoever."               ~Isak Dinesen

Does that include shopping for Christmas Presents!  Maybe I need to focus more on the beauty of the season, I did tell the children Im going to take a day and go shopping and just get what ever I want for them.  That really sounds kind of fun.  Taking time to think about each kid and what they might like and then just not worrying about whether it is on there wish list or not or worry if the store still has what ever it is they are longing for.  I really do want to take the anxiety out of Christmas gift shopping.  It was hitting me today one of the things they wanted I cant find and I dont want to pay the inflated price for the limited addition.  It just to Crazy, and I could feel that anxiety setting in.  So that is how I came up with my plan, I am still hoping they wont be too disappointed.

Mary Star Path

One of the things I thought would be fun as we focused on Mary for our Nativity this week was to make the star path from the book All Year Round.  I have been wanting to make one for a while.  So Im so excited to have finally done it. 

Here is my Mary I had a lot of fun crocheting her and then giving her wool roving for hair.  I just love wool roving.

This is her star journey to the stable.  Each star is numbered with the day of the week up to Christmas Day and that is when she will reach the stable.  She is geting closer every day.   I still need to make a little baby Jesus for her to hold when she arrives at the stable. 

Cherishing

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It could be argued that creativity is a form of prayer,a form of thankfulness and recognition of all we have to be thankful for, walking in this world.   ~ Julia Cameron

Im so excited to start this day!  First it is my youngest daughters birthday! Then I have a bunch of creative ideas roaming around in my head just begging to get out.  So Im looking forward to start working on them!  Yea happy day!

Happy Thanksgiving

Don't be unduly concerned about anything: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.   ~ Philippians 4:6

Learn the craft of knowing how to open your heart and to turn on your creativity.  There's a light inside of you.              ~Judith Jamison

This quote make me want to try and paint again.  I can see the picture inside of my head. Right now its more of a feeling but oh to bring it to life.

   " Gratitude is the food of love-and it is the fruit of love as well."
                                                               ~ Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards
                 Rich brought these home to me and it was such a suprise.  I do so love flowers it was fun to   spend time arranging them!!!  One of those moments to cherish. : )
                                                          

"I think these difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes around worrying about are of no importance whatsoever."  ~Isak Dinesen

Another idea for way to cherish everyday this season is a gratitude tree.  We did one a few years back and it has been fun looking over the leaves and seeing what the children were thankful for back then.   Here are a few pictures of the one we are working on this year.  I recieved a new camera so exciting, but Im still learning how to take pictures with it so they arent that great, but it will give an idea of what our tree looks like this year.  We have also started adding to our visual center of thanksgiving.  : )

"Attitude of Gratitude"

I found this really neat idea from the book LightPost for Living The art of choosing a Joyful Life byThomas Kinkade.  He suggests creating  a visual center for all the things you are grateful for.
"Simply hang a big bulletin board in your family room and fill it with reminders of everything you have to thankful for.  Add pictures of your family and pets.  Tack on mementos from trips or cards from people who care about you.  If the brilliance of autumn leaves make you joyful, add a few leaves to your board.  If you love the funny papers pin up some cartoons that make you laugh.  The point is to fill a visual center with reminders of the blessings in your life."
"If you prefer, you can set up a small table or bench and fill it with favorite things-a jar of sand from your favorite beach ,a sweet-scented candle,some framed photographs etc."
I thought this was such a fun idea I have a bulletin board  in our dinning room, Im thinking maybe I will put a shelf under it and then we can also put little treasures we find that represent the blessings in our lives.

Now all we need to do is start adding things to our board and shelf.  : )

                             
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"Gratitude requires awareness and effort, not only to feel it but  to express it."  ~Bonnie D Parkin

                         

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A Grateful Heart

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"A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness.  It is an expression of humility.  It is a foundation of the development of such virtures as prayer,faith,courage,contentment,happiness,love,and well-being."

                                                                                                                          ~Elder James E Faust

I really like the idea of finding inner contentment being at peace in what ever situation I may be in.  Having a sense of happiness, being able to express love, and having a feeling of well being.  Wow to think that just having a grateful heart and an attitude of gratitude could create all of that. So what could I do today to cherish these thought and apply them into my life?  I think I will make time to write in my Evening Pages.  My evening pages is a journal I started to write in.  Its all the lovely thought and events that happened during the day.  I find it so easy  to focus on the negitive things or the things I didnt get done so a lot of the time I go to bed feeling discouraged.  So I decided to focus on the good and the positive because every day has it ups and downs in it.   I have been feeling that to truly cherish my days I need to focus on the positive.  I havnt been doing it as consistently as I would like so tonight Ill get back to writing and cherishing the beautiful events of the day. 

Blessings

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"Hold fast to the blessings which God has provided for you.  Yours in not the task to gain them, they are here, yours is the part of cherishing them."  ~Pres.J Reuben Clark



Counting my blessings:  Warm home, Sunshine, Beautiful autumn leaves, Sweaters, Children who can make breakfast, : ), Laughter, Hope, Running water, Electricity, Washing machine, Wonderful uplifting books, Music,Time...