In Search of Thanksgiving

Somewhere between raking massive heaps of wind swept leaves and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, a holiday has gone missing. Commercialism and Consumption has taken over. The focus has shifted from families sitting around the table enjoying good food and company to the biggest and best deals of Black Friday. When I grew up, this Friday was known simply as "the day after Thanksgiving." Now, it has its own special name and delirium, overshadowing a day purposed for thankfulness and gratitude.

Instead, the week before that forgotten Thanksgiving holiday, we are bombarded in our emails, newspapers and mail fliers with the updates of retail sales shouting: INCREDIBLE!! HUGE!!. Every day. After all, you wouldn't want to miss that, would you? Lists are made and checked twice to see which stores open what time (really? 3AM?) and which have which deal. Advertisement cleverly creates a gray area, associating a "want" as a "need". The shop-til-you-drop euphoria creates breathless excitement before one has even left home.
This kind of commercial hype is catchy and the media has capitalized on it.

However, our society pays dearly for this madness.
We spend more time away from our family and friends;
shopping and working; working and shopping.
Our activities have distracted us
from the true meaning of our existence.

We need to bring back leisure time and vacations.

Time spent together.

Now I'm no Scrooge, I love to give gifts to my family and friends just as much as anyone, but when one thinks of all the credit card debt, all the wrapping paper sent to the dump and the general stress one has to endure, the whole frenzy takes on a sinister side. And to think that some even dare to extol frivolous shopping as a way to boost the health of the economy. This kind of thinking only encourages the making, selling and trashing of consumer goods. Goods are made to break. When did we get to be so materialistic?
It is true, it is good to give. But much of the spending during this time is continent on receiving.
And in all this rush and bustle, in all this craze and hysteria, we often get the adverse affect:
Cranky, Rude, Impatient Shoppers.
We need to take back Thanksgiving so we can go into the Christmas holiday season with the right attitude.

So. What shall we do?
Put Thanksgiving back in its rightful place.
In our hearts.
Dwell on the bounty and gracious gifts you have.
Contemplate how even the struggles make us stronger.
Grab hold of your family and share memories; time spent with family is an undervalued commodity.
Keep it light and laugh. Alot.
Bake together. Play some board games.
Volunteer your time to a Charity.
Create traditions.
Use the extended Thanksgiving time to focus on being connected with your loved ones.
Instead of counting down days 'til Christmas with dread, enjoy the special Joy of the season.

Instead of wanting more, become content.

Be thankful.

Which brings me back to that beloved forgotten holiday:

Thanksgiving.

We have SO MUCH to be thankful for.

Not too long ago, our area had a severe storm.
We lost electricity and heat for 5 days.
The experience taught me that it is easy to be thankful when your house is warm, you are eating delicious meals and you can read your favorite books by the light of a lamp.
But when the storms of life come
 -and they do- thankfulness isn't so easy.
It's hard to express appreciation
when your world is upside down.

And yet, that is when I learned about it the most.

Don't look at thankfulness as an emotion of the heart but, instead, as an action; a verb that requires attention and consistent practice. Then you will see that a thankful heart shifts the focus of attention from yourself to others.

Let's not let Thanksgiving get lost again this year.

Put aside all those Christmas thoughts until
Thanksgiving weekend is over.
Give it the full attention it deserves.

 Give Thanks. Be Gracious.

And please, save me a drumbstick.

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Doing What You Love

Too many of us go through life in a state of "Just Because".
Are you waiting for the "Big Break"?
Do you think things will be better when you get older, richer, thinner or ________ (you fill in the blank)?
This vein of thinking only stagnates you;
 leaving you lethargic and dull.
We all have a niche.
But to develop it, you have to LOVE it.

As an example, let me introduce you to
 my daughter's husband, Brian, the Entrepreneur.
A few years ago, he and his partner quit their jobs (risky!) and decided that brewing beer was their destiny.
To date, they have launched 3 Craft Beers.
Beach Haus (Classic American Pilsner)
Winter Rental (Black Lager) 
and
Kick Back (Ale).
(see him on www.beachhausbeer.com
 and like him on Facebook).
Hours are spent on tastings, brewing, marketing & packaging.
And when the work day is over, what does he talk about?
Yup, you guessed it.
Beer. 24/7.
He LOVES what he does,
as his dream is being realized.

Or, take my daughters Melanie and Kaitlyn,
Fragrance Enthusiasts.
Mention the word SMELL and they are transported into another realm, speaking of formulas and scents with such fervor that it can put you in a tizzy
 (Citronella is a citrus? Really?).
They can go on forever hours  about mixtures and biological terms that put me in a trance.
But the truth of the matter is this.
They LOVE what they are doing.
And their intensity is contagious and educational.
(Although it is a little weird when Melanie can stand next me and tell me the brand of deodorant I'm wearing).

And then there's Sous Chef Scott.
Chop. Sizzle. Serve.
Food. How to prep it. How to serve it. What it goes pairs with (see, I'm learning).
The use of herbs and spices in food.
The combining of colors in food. Leftovers in food.
It's enough to make your mouth salivate with anticipation.
He's always introducing me to new foods
 (Freekeh? Haven't tried it yet).
This is someone who LOVES the kitchen.
And I love being the recipient of this passion of his.

And speaking of earnest endeavors,
my son, Matthew, is Carpenter Extraordinaire.
Wood. Nails. Saws. Levels.
I'm always amazed at how and what he can construct.
Need a shed? No problem.
Want a pergola? Done.
Trellis over the garage? When do you want it?
He is an abstract thinker
And he LOVES the challenge.

I'm trying to take a lesson from all this and figure out
where MY passion lies.
Perhaps you're like me and are still searching.
But I'm sure if you look around you,
you also have people who inspire you;
who Go for the Gusto!
Carpe Diem.
Today's the day.
Don't let your dreams expire.
Get out there and LOVE what you do!


~ The happiest people don't have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything they have ~



~ Please feel free to go to

 http://www.seizingtimetoday.blogspot.com/

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Love is a Verb

"Kindness is the language which the deaf hear
 and the blind see." ~ Mark Twain

Recently I read the book,
 The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason Wright.

In his book he coins the phrase,

"Love is a Verb".

How true.
Too often, the word "love" is overused and,
 as a result, appears as a masquerading imposter;
a charlatan word to smoke screen emotions.

But to act on Love.
To vigorously influence an effect.
 Yes, to execute, exert and commit oneself  is....

Powerful.

Fortunately, I have several people in my life
who know how to set love in motion.

Words. Deeds. Gestures.

We tend to go through life without cognitively recognizing the positive actions of others.

Media, in all its forms, helps us concentrate on all the violent, unruly, maniacal behaviors of others,

But what about Kindness?
Are there any Generous, Considerate, Warmhearted people?

As an experiment, I've started a Kindness Journal.

In it I'm writing one kind thing someone does for me each day.

After only a few entries, when I reread them,
 I experience a warm feeling for others:
The extension of a hand; a door held open;
 an unexpected Thank You; the swipe of a stranger's train pass.

 A smile finds itself on my face and in my heart.

And, in turn, I find myself amiable towards others.
It is amazing how, to use Wright's idea,
 it only takes 17 seconds to change your course.
To change your life.

But let's not stop there.
We can change our own little spot in the world
 one second at a time.
Try it.
Conciously and actively, for the pure joy of it:
Become a human doing instead of a human being.

"Be Kind to Unkind People.
They need it the most." ~ Anonymous

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 http://www.seizingtimetoday.blogspot.com/

to leave your comments ~

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Maybe it's Dementia or early Alzheimer's onset.

Maybe I spilled coffee on my keyboard
or my computer was in for repair.

Maybe I broke my fingers or had carpel tunnel.

Actually, none of these are true
(well, at least not most of them)

and I have NO EXCUSE why I didn't get this blog out on June 9,

my son Scott's birthday.

So let's celebrate Scott's birthday, a bit late;

a young man who hasn't had to make excuses
from the day he was born.

Born three months premature, weighing 3 pounds 4 ounces, dropping to 1 pound 12 ounces, enduring several surgeries before he was 2 months old...he made no excuse as to why he was determined to fight.

And fight he did.

Through heel cord surgery, through speech therapy,
through physical and occupational therapy.

By his example, his siblings also learned what it meant to fight.

When schoolmates made fun of the way he walked,
his sister cried.

When he couldn't run the bases in sports,
his brother ran for him.
When his younger sister was born, he was her protector.
He shrugged his shoulders. It was no problem.
He wanted no excuses.

Through elementary and high school he hated reading
and was short on conversation.

"How was your day, Scott?"

Response: "Good."

"How was your Math test?"

Response: "Good."

"Where did you go on your bicycle ride?"

Same response: "Good."

Today?

He's making up for lost time.

We can't. Shut. Him. Up.

(Nor do we want to)

Determined, he found his niche in life.

Cooking.

So off to culinary school he went.

Not only did he graduate with honors,
he got his Associates Degree, too.

Today, he is a Sous Chef in Washington, DC;

yes, he reads,

 and even teaches this old broad some fine cooking tips.

He is fun to be with and always has a smile,

(except if I forget to have milk in the house
when he comes home).
He has solid judgement, tenacity and focus.
But most of all, he never forgets his family.

Make no excuse about it.

Scott has made us all Proud.

Happy Birthday Scott!

We all love you!
XXXOOO

Oh! And if you didn't get a chance to wish Scott
a Happy Birthday yet this year,
he's still accepting congratulatory wishes ;)

~ Please feel free to go to

 http://www.seizingtimetoday.blogspot.com/

to leave your comments ~

I Heart Photo Challenge/All Boy

In Celebration of Father's Day......

I Heart's Photo Challenge is All Boy

Some NEVER grow up!

Head over to to I Heart Faces for more photos or enter your own.

Click on this link:

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I Heart Photo Challenge/Hey Girl

This month, I Heart's photo challenge is focused on Girls.

This photo proves that no matter where you are in the world,

the universal language of the smile binds us.

Keep Smilin' ;)

Head over to to I Heart Faces for more photos or enter your own.

Click on this link:

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Happy Birthday Matt

He came barreling into the world with a presence at
 9 pounds 12 ounces,
earning him the name,
"Fat Matt".

Although the nickname stuck, by the time he started kindergarten there wasn't an ounce of pudge on him.
However, to his chagrin, we continue tease him with that moniker.
But I'd like to share with you a few things about
Matt that are actually "FAT".

He has a HUGE, sentimental, loving heart.

Yea, he's "mean and tough", but he knows how to
listen to others and "feel their pain" or happiness.

He has the BIGGEST, strongest, uncontestable, enveloping
 hug of anyone I know.
They are healing, soothing, comforting and full of warmth.
I wish he never left home.
Then I could get one whenever I need it.

He is creative.  And his work shows it.
He impresses me everytime with his IMMENSE knowledge.
 He is the Go-to-Fix-it-Man.

Paul McCartney once said,
"You can judge a man's character
by the way he treats his fellow animals."
That being said, if you've ever met his dog, Shorty, you would instantly
know Matt's MAGNIFICENT inner qualities.
Never has a dog loved his Master so.
When Matt is away from the house, Shorty lays facing the window.
Waiting, wondering, wishing for his return.
And when he arrives?
Pure, elated, unabashed joy.
The rest of the night, Shorty follows Matt wherever he goes;
 a look of adoration on his hound countenance.
How many of us can say we have that waiting for us at home?

Matt has an ENORMOUS amount of patience.
He would make an excellent teacher. In anything.
He's one of the few people I know who can break down the difficult
and explain it in Stupid Simple terms.

And although I could go on and on (Mother's are like that)
I could not end without mentioning his
VAST ability to analyze just about anything.
We are alike he and I in this manner.
So much, in fact, that we were are often in danger of being
separated at the dinner table.
We look at each other and know what the other is thinking;
sending us into a fit of giggles.

Today, Matt may be scrawny, tall and lean,

but now when you hear anyone call him
 "Fat Matt",
you'll know what they really mean.

Happy Birthday Son.
I LOVE YOU
XXXOOO



~ Please feel free to go to

 http://www.seizingtimetoday.blogspot.com/

to leave your comments ~

I Heart Photo Challenge/Happiness

This month's Photo Challenge is about Happiness.

Happiness is Traveling with my Best Friend.

Can you tell I was Happy in China?

Head over to to I Heart Faces for more photos or enter your own.

Click on this link:

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Happy Birthday Meister

Today is a special day for me.
It is my sister's birthday.

When I got married, she was only 4 years old and at that time,
I only knew this bratty squirt as a royal pain.

I was her third parent and hated the responsibility.

We seldom talked, with little or no interests connecting us.

Fast forward 17 years.

Probably out of obligation, she asked me to be in her wedding.

At that moment in time, we realized.....
"You do that too?"
...we had more in common than we knew.

Thus a bond was formed.

Together, since then, we often
Giggle

(twice we've whispered long into the night in a double bed
with 3 sleeping children in the room),

Solve world/family issues

(if only everyone were like us...it would be Utopia) 

Cry

(the pain seems less when we share the burden)

  Scream

(once, yes recently, during a nightmare,
she pulled me out of bed, onto the floor, and landed me on top of her)
 Lose our way
(we've spent more time than I'd like to admit trying to find
Unnamed Road
...and we're still looking for it)
and Laugh and Laugh and Laugh
(it's of highest security what we laugh about).

I suppose all sisters experience this sister bond,
but I can't help feeling my sister is the best.
She is everything I'm not.
And that is probably why I love her so.

I know no one as compassionate

 (no wonder she's a nurse...her concern envelops you).

I know no one as passionate

(don't get in her way if you say something offensive about her children or sister).

I know no one as good a listener

(always willing to share her shoulder).

I know no one as selfless 

(unconditionally, she puts others first).
She is a fabulous
Mother, Wife, Aunt, Daughter, Sister, Nurse, Student and  Friend.

I could go on and on about this sister of mine.
I feel blessed that we are making up for lost time;

and cannot imagine not having her input in so much of my life.

Happy Birthday to the "Best-est" Sister :)

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 http://www.seizingtimetoday.blogspot.com/

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Happy Birthday Albert

Pssst... I know you're not going to believe this,
but I have a 50 year old brother who is younger than me.
I know, I know...but it's true.

My first recollection of this interference with my solitude at the Huizing House
was soon after he was born and placed in the baby buggy.
My Mother had this little seat that was clamped across the top
and away we'd go.
Miles and miles of walking.
Up hills, down hills, 'round hills.
I don't know if we had to walk so much because he was such a "crier" or if my Mother needed some fresh air.

It was clear, right from the beginning, that this bundle of joy was set on scrutinizing EVERYTHING.
Oh, I could tell you stories; like when he hid in a metal garbage can on a summer day (with the lid on) for hours;
or when he sat behind my Mother at the dentist, slowly, silently, deliberately unscrewing the head piece off until her head snapped back with a sudden jolt.
(Fortunately she didn't lose any teeth)
He has always been a mischievous one and I'm sure that hasn't changed.

For most of our younger/adolescent years, we were a musical duet.
He the trumpet, me the piano.
Church, school, family...you name it. You asked. We played.
And played. And played. And played.
It's no wonder none of our children have any serious musical interest.
We had enough for all 8 of them.

His talents, of course, go beyond music.
He's fun to be around and full of energy.
(How else would he be able to spend all that time with
Youth Groups?)
His laugh is contagious and seldom do you see him without a smile.
He's a good listener and knows how to sympathize/empathize.

Married on Christmas Eve,
(really?...I think I slept through Christmas 1988)
he is now a wonderful Father to 4 beautiful children
and a devoted husband to a wife who literally goes to
the ends of the earth for him.

Unfortunately, he lives in Canada now, on Prince Edward Island,
so I don't get to see him much,
but I hope to visit with him some time.

Boy, we've come a long way.
Happy Birthday.
And welcome to the Nifty Fifty Group.

I Heart Photo Challenge/The Letter "A"

No, I'm not in Maui..... but I keep wishin' I was back there ;)

Head over to to I Heart Faces for more photos or enter your own.

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i Heart Photo Challenge/Hugs&Kisses

This weeks photo challenge is Hugs & Kisses.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Sister Love.

(Hey...there's Daddy in the background)

I LOVE those Girls

Head over to to I Heart Faces for more photos or enter your own.

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