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As Thanksgiving approaches.....what are you grateful for?
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<blockquote data-quote="Scent of Cedar *" data-source="post: 640234" data-attributes="member: 17461"><p>There is nothing for which I'm not grateful. I am grateful for the brokenness, grateful for the fear and for the courage to face each loss with eyes open and to own each triumph with eyes cast down, understanding it is all of our triumph, all of our fear, each of our coming real.</p><p></p><p>Those who have been here with us longer know I began watching Joel Osteen during the time I was most broken. This morning, he was about generational blessings.</p><p></p><p>Everyone knows, I think, about the idea of generational curses.</p><p></p><p>There are (of course there are, and how did we miss this!) generational blessings, as well.</p><p></p><p>And once I looked for them, I could see them, could see so many of them right there, in effect and working away, plain as day.</p><p></p><p>Here is a thing for us all to think about: Our parents and grandparents worked hard for me, for each of you, for all of us, for our children and for their children and grandchildren, unknown. They risked and they hungered and froze so we could be right here, right where we are, <em>capable of dealing with our own challenges with grace and with strength and integrity.</em></p><p></p><p><em>It wasn't easy for them, and it does not have to be easy for us.</em> </p><p></p><p>We have been dreamed of and sacrificed for, ourselves, and we need to honor that, not denigrate or apologize for where we are not strong enough ~ or for whatever "enough" it is we believe we are not.</p><p></p><p>Wear your blessings well.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>So, that was Joel Osteen's message this morning.</p><p></p><p>Powerful stuff.</p><p></p><p>I am so happy I watched this morning, so happy you made this thread, Recovering, so I could share it with all of us.</p><p></p><p>There was something else Joel Osteen said, too. A thing we say, here on the site, about there being a plan, some pattern we cannot understand in everything that is happening, to us and to our children.</p><p></p><p>Pretty much, what he said, in essence, is: trust that this is so.</p><p></p><p>Finally, though I am not so sure about where I am or what I claim, in the spiritual/religious belief arena, this is something else Joel Osteen said, this morning: This is why the enemy fights our children so hard.</p><p></p><p>That is an extraordinary thought, a thing to wonder about and consider, whether we reject it in the end or not.</p><p></p><p>I was making breakfast at the time and husband was feeding the dog chicken, which brought the cat in to see what treats the dog was getting while she was out of the room (which the dog found highly offensive, as might be imagined). </p><p></p><p>And I missed the context of that last statement. But...none of us knows how the story comes out. I wrap myself in sadness over what I lose, over my shame, over my shortcomings or over the things my children have done, when I don't even know what is really happening, at all.</p><p></p><p>I do not have the generational long view.</p><p></p><p>Perhaps, this is what acceptance feels like.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>So, I am aware of gratitude as a separate, powerful force, this morning. As something outside of myself that I see when I look to see it there, where it is, working away with or without my awareness.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Thanksgiving toast: "Welcome to our home. This meal was prepared for you."</p><p></p><p>Which sounds too simple to have any meaning, but which somehow works beautifully for us.</p><p></p><p>Then, you toast. It is a rule in our family that we need to look into the eyes of each person when the glasses are clinked together.</p><p></p><p>You would be amazed at what a difference that time of legitimacy, that moment out of time, out of our usual roles, makes for a family.</p><p></p><p>Well, it does for ours.</p><p></p><p>We are all pretty hot and heavy into our roles.</p><p></p><p>:O)</p><p></p><p>I actually say that, every Thanksgiving, even now. I think about each of the people. (Or pets. In the years when we hosted the family? Half the people in husband's family think it is okay to bring their pets to dinner, for Heaven's sake. Add ours, and the fact that husband's mom's grown dog was never house broken....) Anyway, I think of each of the people who will be gathered around my table (probably feeding their dogs underneath it) and I picture their faces and I wish us all well and happy. And I try to be generous in my spirit, and I set that intention for our coming together.</p><p></p><p>And interestingly enough, those good things are the things I remember about those years, about those holidays. (Even though one year? One of the cousins brought a half grown Husky, who wound up getting his head stuck between the wrought iron railing on the staircase when he was chasing the cat ~ who roared into our bedroom and pulled down the curtains.)</p><p></p><p>True story.</p><p></p><p>By the time the cat pulled the curtains down, the Husky was crying because his head was stuck. I don't even know how they got him out of there, but they did.</p><p></p><p>That is why I need to have that time out of time for myself, after the holiday dinner is over and everyone has made their way safely home.</p><p></p><p>Every holiday, after everyone is gone and everyone in my own family is asleep, I make fresh coffee, just for me, and drink it from a fragile, porcelain cup that belonged to my grandmother.</p><p></p><p>I wonder what the holidays were like for her, and I relish the peace and quiet, and the coffee.</p><p></p><p>That's my good secret. Every holiday, I know that, whatever happens, whoever starts a fight or leaves in a huff or cries over their gifts, I will have that time for reflection, drinking coffee from a cup that my grandmother too drank from.</p><p></p><p>It's a beautiful thing.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>When there were little kids, we would light the candles before we made the toast. We would make the toast, and eat the appetizers.</p><p></p><p>The youngest child present got to blow out the candles.</p><p></p><p>The candles are always white, and they will be white, this year.</p><p></p><p>A Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We are moving through our lives as we were meant to. We are strong enough. We are brave enough. We are meant to thrive, meant to be generous and kind and happy.</p><p></p><p>We are the fortunate ones, in so many ways.</p><p></p><p>Cedar</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Scent of Cedar *, post: 640234, member: 17461"] There is nothing for which I'm not grateful. I am grateful for the brokenness, grateful for the fear and for the courage to face each loss with eyes open and to own each triumph with eyes cast down, understanding it is all of our triumph, all of our fear, each of our coming real. Those who have been here with us longer know I began watching Joel Osteen during the time I was most broken. This morning, he was about generational blessings. Everyone knows, I think, about the idea of generational curses. There are (of course there are, and how did we miss this!) generational blessings, as well. And once I looked for them, I could see them, could see so many of them right there, in effect and working away, plain as day. Here is a thing for us all to think about: Our parents and grandparents worked hard for me, for each of you, for all of us, for our children and for their children and grandchildren, unknown. They risked and they hungered and froze so we could be right here, right where we are, [I]capable of dealing with our own challenges with grace and with strength and integrity.[/I] [I]It wasn't easy for them, and it does not have to be easy for us.[/I] We have been dreamed of and sacrificed for, ourselves, and we need to honor that, not denigrate or apologize for where we are not strong enough ~ or for whatever "enough" it is we believe we are not. Wear your blessings well. *** So, that was Joel Osteen's message this morning. Powerful stuff. I am so happy I watched this morning, so happy you made this thread, Recovering, so I could share it with all of us. There was something else Joel Osteen said, too. A thing we say, here on the site, about there being a plan, some pattern we cannot understand in everything that is happening, to us and to our children. Pretty much, what he said, in essence, is: trust that this is so. Finally, though I am not so sure about where I am or what I claim, in the spiritual/religious belief arena, this is something else Joel Osteen said, this morning: This is why the enemy fights our children so hard. That is an extraordinary thought, a thing to wonder about and consider, whether we reject it in the end or not. I was making breakfast at the time and husband was feeding the dog chicken, which brought the cat in to see what treats the dog was getting while she was out of the room (which the dog found highly offensive, as might be imagined). And I missed the context of that last statement. But...none of us knows how the story comes out. I wrap myself in sadness over what I lose, over my shame, over my shortcomings or over the things my children have done, when I don't even know what is really happening, at all. I do not have the generational long view. Perhaps, this is what acceptance feels like. *** So, I am aware of gratitude as a separate, powerful force, this morning. As something outside of myself that I see when I look to see it there, where it is, working away with or without my awareness. *** Thanksgiving toast: "Welcome to our home. This meal was prepared for you." Which sounds too simple to have any meaning, but which somehow works beautifully for us. Then, you toast. It is a rule in our family that we need to look into the eyes of each person when the glasses are clinked together. You would be amazed at what a difference that time of legitimacy, that moment out of time, out of our usual roles, makes for a family. Well, it does for ours. We are all pretty hot and heavy into our roles. :O) I actually say that, every Thanksgiving, even now. I think about each of the people. (Or pets. In the years when we hosted the family? Half the people in husband's family think it is okay to bring their pets to dinner, for Heaven's sake. Add ours, and the fact that husband's mom's grown dog was never house broken....) Anyway, I think of each of the people who will be gathered around my table (probably feeding their dogs underneath it) and I picture their faces and I wish us all well and happy. And I try to be generous in my spirit, and I set that intention for our coming together. And interestingly enough, those good things are the things I remember about those years, about those holidays. (Even though one year? One of the cousins brought a half grown Husky, who wound up getting his head stuck between the wrought iron railing on the staircase when he was chasing the cat ~ who roared into our bedroom and pulled down the curtains.) True story. By the time the cat pulled the curtains down, the Husky was crying because his head was stuck. I don't even know how they got him out of there, but they did. That is why I need to have that time out of time for myself, after the holiday dinner is over and everyone has made their way safely home. Every holiday, after everyone is gone and everyone in my own family is asleep, I make fresh coffee, just for me, and drink it from a fragile, porcelain cup that belonged to my grandmother. I wonder what the holidays were like for her, and I relish the peace and quiet, and the coffee. That's my good secret. Every holiday, I know that, whatever happens, whoever starts a fight or leaves in a huff or cries over their gifts, I will have that time for reflection, drinking coffee from a cup that my grandmother too drank from. It's a beautiful thing. *** When there were little kids, we would light the candles before we made the toast. We would make the toast, and eat the appetizers. The youngest child present got to blow out the candles. The candles are always white, and they will be white, this year. A Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We are moving through our lives as we were meant to. We are strong enough. We are brave enough. We are meant to thrive, meant to be generous and kind and happy. We are the fortunate ones, in so many ways. Cedar [/QUOTE]
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As Thanksgiving approaches.....what are you grateful for?
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