Yesterday was an Official day to give THANKS to GOD for ALL things and to Celebrate Family! I am sure that we all agree that we MUST give thanks to God EVERY day…. We celebrated with our immediate family (minus son) and a friend this year. There was an atmosphere of Love and laughter, Peacefulness and calm. However, I do remember in years past, when we would Thank God, just to get through the day without something or someone igniting the pressure that was already in the room. (Of course, I am the only one that have had holidays like that. NOT! :-))
As we leave Thanksgiving Day and enter Black Friday, we are reminded….
So What are You doing Today? For some, today is called BLACK FRIDAY! (ominous sounding, don’t you think?) … for some, it even started yesterday, after dinner! REALLY? REALLY!! … A Mad Dash to the Mall for shopping and savings (?). In the past few years, it has actually become dangerous to be amongst the masses and masses of people trying to occupy the same space, at the same time, to buy the exact same items. Are you out there right now? Don’t get me wrong, I have always tried to avoid Black Friday like the plague, but I have spent many a day in Toys R’ Us, as well as other stores of all kinds … and WAAYYY after my kids discovered that there was no S______ C______, we had to have a REAL tree and make sure that it was filled to the brim! But about 4-5 years ago, we had a revelation….
Today, we are home enjoying our day off (unfortunately my hubby had to work), but we will not be in the hustle and bustle at all this year. We realized that we were constantly STRESSED about getting the right gift, about getting enough gifts (the girls HAD to have the same number of boxes to open and either way, we were gonna spend more money than we had!!!!! I know that it may be tough to break the tradition of the holidays, especially if you have small children. But we no longer have the BIG, REAL tree, now we have a small artificial tree that we put up in the dining room. For the two years prior, we didn’t exchange gifts, but last year we decided to get each other one gift. We plan a big family dinner with all the trimmings. We play games and watch movies.
At home, at work or shopping on Black Friday? Please don’t lose sight of the true purpose of the holidays. Are you stressed, tired, irritable, tired, stressed, frustrated, irritable, etc. etc. Remember, this is the time of year that you should reflect on how far you have come over the years. Be grateful for the LIFE that you have been given, although there have been a LOT of ups and downs … and appreciate family. Someone told me one day, that you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. (My son text’d me, “Happy Thanksgiving, I Love You!” …. hmmmmmm????) God, is that you?
So What are You doing Today?
Related articles
- Black Friday remains biggest shopping day (azstarnet.com)
- Black Friday Shopping Frenzy Gets Underway…On Thursday (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- May the preparations begin. (amylwestdavidson.wordpress.com)
- My Black Friday Prayer (wejustlookup.wordpress.com)
- For many, Thanksgiving was a day for sho (dcbsnews.wordpress.com)
- Today I had a choice. (justalumpofclay.wordpress.com)
I didn’t go out shopping-I’m saddened that it actually starts on Thursday evening now…mainly because consumers are ok with being in the stores rather than at home with their loved ones on Thanksgiving day.
I have gone out for Black Friday once. The entire family went and it was fun. No drama, a family lunch at mid-day, and we ended the evening watching Christmas lights. I think if you are going to do Black Friday-it should be done that way. But no way am I running out into that madness alone/with a few people, just to save a buck.
AMEN!!!!!!