Twelve Ways to Make Thanksgiving More Meaningful

Our family is not one that thinks you have to always do things the same way. In Thanksgivings past we have had turkey and dressing and all the traditional fixings. We have also had Tamales at Thanksgiving. We have even had a big pot of Pinto Beans and Cornbread. One year, it was my granddaughter's birthday and we had her favorite foods and then we all sat around the table and used multicolored feathers and jewels and glue and other "pretties" to make little Happy Birthday turkeys for her. This year we are going to have steak and potatoes because an illness in the family has caused severe food allergies to almost all of the food groups. On this holiday, being able to enjoy the same foods is more important than what we eat. (I can't say it is really going to be a big sacrifice to eat steak instead of turkey.) We are all guilty of skipping over the reason for the holiday and just concentrating on the food and the football. You may want to use a few of these suggestions to make Thanksgiving more meaningful for you this year.

Tell someone thank you for the contribution they make to your life.
Help someone who cannot "pay you back".
Alter your plans-cheerfully-and do something some one else wants to do.
Notice something good about someone and compliment that person.
Keep your words positive for one day-do not speak ill of anyone.
Share something you have with someone else.
Give a gift that is a sacrifice-one not given out of your abundance.
Initiate conversation with someone about something important to them.
Volunteer to spend quality time with someone who needs your time.
Ignore a wrong done to you.
Number your blessings. (As in the old hymn-"Name them one by one.")
Generously give verbal thanks to God from Whom all your blessings flow.

According to Wikipedia, President George Washington issued a National Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789.
This is the Proclamation:

"Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks-for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country...for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed...and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually...To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us-and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best."

If there is a 2008 presidential candidate who is as wise as this proclamation shows our first president to be, and if we as a nation have the wisdom to elect that person, we will all have another blessing to add to our lists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Cite?page=Thanksgiving