atmospheric changes?

As I was preparing to take down this year's Thanksgiving "door" I was struck by the thought that although we can create and "atomosphere of gratefulness, it does not make us personally grateful or more happy. Just being around grateful people may feel good but we only change as WE determine to become grateful and express it in someway. I enjoy the atmoshere of "collective " gratefulness I feel when I read this year's door....maybe I will leave it up a few more days?

What stands out when you think back on your holiday? Will you change anything next year? I am going to make less pumpkin pie and potatos...but look forward to the table games, light shopping, and maybe a good video or movie.

How is your Christmas going to be different this year? We are experimenting with just one gift this year and more of an emphasis on giving vs receiving...maybe a little group exercise around that concept on Christmas eve. Have you tried to limit gifts? Do people just spend the money on themselves instead of others? Seems like that is the trend. Have you heard of the "Advent conspiracy"? http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
What is your favorite tradition....one of ours is making and decorating cookies. (eating them is not bad either...hmm).
It would be great to hear from some of my bloggin friends out there if you decide to "uplug the Christmas machine"as one author describes in her book of the same name. Maybe you are having trouble finding the plug or getting the courage to pull it? ...or do you have it all under control and love every minute of it?

Thanks for what?

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more. - Brother David Steindl-Rast

This week is always a mix of the pressure of shopping for food, finishing up loose ends at work, while savoring the thought of a short work week and time with family....and every year the effort to remember WHY we have set this time aside, to focus on all the good that God has done not just this last year but also years past.

You might remember last year I posted butcher paper on the wall for free form messages of thanks to be expressed. see Dec 2007 blog:

http://thatswhatadultsdo.blogspot.com/2007/12/butcher-paper-thanks.html

This really worked well and guided us all to keeping the focus on why we take these four days off every year and make such valient efforts to come together as family and friends. It helps that some family members can actually draw or illustrate (son in law Dan for example)

I hope you will borrow this idea for the next couple of days. All you need is some paper, some accessable crayons, and maybe some a few lines to get people started thinking about all that we have to be thankful for....yep even in a recession.

You don't need a lot of people around the next few days to set a tone of gratefulness in your "space", do this for yourself, just make it visable and fun, even if you are the only one writing it will affect others and direct their thoughts towards all we have been blessed with. If you are artsy...you can also show off your God given talents and give honor back to Him at the same time!

Bless your own Thanksgiving this year by remembering and honoring God in your life and home.

Do you vote we fast?

I heard that there has been some organized fasting and prayer for the election.
I have been praying but not fasting.
Do you think christians should be fasting?
Why do you think Christians are fasting for this election? If the more conservative candidate were ahead would we fast?
Would we need to fast if most christians voted in the first place? Maybe we should be registering people to vote and reminding them?
Are we putting too much of our trust in those elected vs God?
When the elected president puts his hand on the Bible does he become an instrument of God even against his/her will? (I hope so)
I respect those giving themselves to fasting but had some thots. Please comment

"Audio Hogs"

I found myself sitting in the lobby of the Governor hotel this morning down town Portland. I found a plush chair next to a window and was catching up a little with the newspaper while waiting for a meeting when two business men came in the room, their loud, booming voices preceding their entrance.
They sat far apart at a large round table across the once quiet room and continued an intercourse that could have addressed a crowded room.
Any hope of maintaining my reading focus was lost once these two arrived. I had to read out loud, quietly, under my breath to keep my focus from then on.
Any idea why guys do this, seems to be worse with business men? Some women do the same thing with their loud laughter and boisterous talk.
I wish I could think of an acceptable way to confront these "audio hogs", the thought of tossing my cold coffee on them probably wasn't the best idea.

Speak or Lead?

I fell asleep last night listening to a replay of the Pres. debate. I heard enough however to know that it is coming down to whether we want someone with experience or someone who speaks well.
Sen. McCain did not debate well. He was touchy and offensive...which may be coming from someone who has a heart vs a smile but he came across poorly.
I remember Geroge Bush and Al Gore debating and I thot Bush had lost the election he was so bad but then he won.
Sen. Obama spoke with a silver tongue, promising americans that he will give us everything we want to hear....not the first or last candidate to do that.
I remember a highschool election where the candidate for class president promised to fill all the drinking fountains with Pepsi vs water if he were elected.
Of course we laughed but we're now all 50+ and seems some of us really believe it now?
I fell asleep before they got to health care.....did they get to it? What did you think of the debate?

Two videos I haven't seen

Have any of you seen the movie "Lake of Fire" or "Blood Diamonds"?
I have heard that both are very compelling and a must to be seen.

If anyone out there has seen them I would like to know what you think.
(Both of them may be graphic in some content from what I have heard)

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809761901/video "Lake of Fire"

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Video_Clips&content_type_id=52821&display_order=3&mini_id=52826&utm_source=google_content&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=content_blood+diamonds&utm_campaign=blood+diamonds&keywords=content_blood+diamonds&paidlink=1&ref_str=http%3A//www.imdb.com/title/tt0450259/ Blood Diamonds clip

Are there any heros today?

I have been thinking a lot lately about the times we live in and the people being "raised up" before us. I worry about putting people on "pedestals" because I hate it when they fall but someone needs to speak the truth in these days and maybe we ought to lift them up so they can be heard? See the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qforjC64Hfs