We live in a fast-paced, hectic world. It is constantly evolving and changing and we conform to it. Now there is nothing wrong with fast-paced, I personally talk fast and eat like I am off to fight fires or to save the world. With all the changes life brings, I feel like we miss out on counting our blessings. I love the holiday season, don’t get me wrong, but through the years I have noticed that some major holiday traditions are lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Christmas decorations go out in October… October! Does anyone else not find this absurd? The leftover discounted Halloween candy is not even off the shelf before the candy canes are out. I was in Walmart the day after Halloween and was floored when I saw an employee placing candy canes out beside the discounted candy. Truth be told, I was there for the discounted candy, so the candy canes were an added bonus, but still they were being placed on the shelves the day after Halloween! Crazy! What about Thanksgiving? What about expressing your thanks for the abundance of blessings God gives us 365 days of the year? It is very easy to get swept up into the Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving, but I feel that in order to fully appreciate the beauty of Christmas one must first embrace how thankful they truly are.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year and find all the beauty that comes with it, despite it not being the best one ever sometimes. Personally, the past year has brought a lot of lows for my family and myself, but in the same way so many joyful highs as well. It is important to be thankful for the highs as well as the lows. The lows are what strengthens us, leads us closer to God, and helps us realize the people we can lean on during our times of struggle. The lows have made us closer and taught us to appreciate all life has to offer. Between our lows, came some of the best and most wonderful highs. We welcomed our sweet Cleo into the world this January and the joy she has brought my family has been unimaginable. A little blue-eyed, blonde-haired baby girl whom we prayed and wished for was finally here. I was able to watch my aunt become the wonderful mother I knew she always would be and it has been simply incredible. Cleo is now babbling away and eating just as fast as I do (this family seriously loves food). Just yesterday, I was once again reminded just how blessed we are and why giving thanks is vital. Over the past couple of years, I have watched my best friend’s younger brother suffer through cancer treatments, yet yesterday we received the best news and learned that he is now a two-time cancer-fighting champion. Though he is not my brother, when I saw the words appear on my phone that he was cancer free, tears of joy flowed from my eyes. My best friend’s baby brother, who should not have had to endure half of the things he has at the age of thirteen, is cancer free! How incredible is that?

Thanksgiving Day is one of my favorite days of the year. I love being able to sit around the table with my family eating way too much food. Thank the good Lord above for leggings that are stretchy! Turkey... stuffing... turkey, oh my! I love getting to see family members I don’t see often and catching up. I love being able to have the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade playing in the background. However, the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade is usually switched to football rather quickly when the guys get hold of the remote. I think the best part of Thanksgiving Day is knowing that I have the day to reflect and remain calm before the hustle and bustle of Christmas appears. I also love the fact that when Thanksgiving Day ends I can nap and then prepare to shop the night away.

Let’s put the Christmas decorations down (for now), place those candy canes back on the shelf, break out the “Gobble til’ you Wobble” pillow, eat too much turkey, and count your blessings until November 25. My hope for this upcoming holiday season and the many that will follow is that individuals will stop, pause, and reflect on their blessings, the good times, and even the bad. I pray that your Thanksgiving holiday is a joyful occasion full of family, friends, yummy food, and thankfulness.