Talk Friday//Thanksmas

Well, I was so busy stuffing my face and cheering against the Cowboys that I completely forgot to put up my Talk Thursday!

And as much as I love "giving Thanksgiving a chance" I must admit, I get far more excited for the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

Is it the shopping?, you ask.

HECK no. (That is so vehemently no that were this not a family-friendly blog, there would be expletives there.)

Is it the cold turkey sandwiches and sausage ball leftovers?, you ponder.

Ehh...Slightly.

Is it the fact that I can now listen to as many Christmas jams as I want completely guilt-free?

Absolutely.

As you are all (or should be) well aware, I am so against Christmas music before the day after Thanksgiving. However, today is Friday. Some people call it "Black Friday" - I call it "Steven Curtis Chapman/Amy Grant/NSYNC/Harry Connick Jr On Repeat" Day or SCCAGNSYNCHCJORD if you will. (Tell your friends - it's gonna be a thing). Today through December 27th I will delightfully and deliriously listen to a barrage of Christmas music - old, new, croonie, poppy. My ringtones have been set (The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, "Sleigh Ride" and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies"), decorations will go up tomorrow and Christmas movie watching will commence soon.

So in the general fashion of a holiday mash-up:
What are you thankful for on Black Friday? Do you celebrate Christmas starting in August like the retail stores or do you wait for this day?

Happy Thanksmas! =)

Talk Thursday//An Attitude of Gratitude

All of a sudden it's November. I don't know about ya'll but I did NOT see that one comin'. But here in the Northwest, it's been lovely. Crisp, cool days, a whistle of wind, leaves fluttering down - not quite crunchable, but almost.

However, I know that when the skies turn and the rain comes and stays. And stays....and stays...my attitude will also turn.

Lately I've been noticing that my reaction to my day is more closely linked to my attitude than the circumstances that arise. Some people have just sucktackular days - nothing goes right and calamity after calamity after calamity occur. Others have just crappy attitudes about random stuff - calamities or not.

I definitely fall into the latter category. My attitude drives my day and generally, it's not a good one. Grumbling and complaining about nothing and everything have become almost as much a part of my speech as conversations about Dr. Pepper, missing my sister and loving Veritas have been.

So, in honor of Thanksgiving, Talk Thursday and this crisp fall day: Do you possess an "attitude of gratitude" in the midst of even sucky circumstances? Or do you allow your attitude, in either good or bad situations to drive your day? If the latter, do you have any inclination to change this habit or are you ok with it?

Happy Thursday, kids!

Talk Thursday // Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am thankful for...

...my family who loves me even when I suck

...my friends who put up with all my junk, over and over and over

...my church that encourages me in all my wild ambitions

...my job that has supported me through this crazy semester

...an apartment that I can call my own, even when I'm not there a whole lot

...a school that is helping train me for ministry

..a Savior who gave His life for me

What are you thankful for today?

NCCUtDAT

There are many principles that I live by. Some make sense, like looking both ways before crossing the street or that personal hygiene is important. Others don't make as much sense - i.e. refusing to sing "Happy Birthday" or kissing the steering wheel when going through a yellow light ( ;) ).

Not Celebrating Christmas Until the Day After Thanksgiving (or NCCUtDAT, if you will) is one I follow to the inth degree. Christmas lights, holiday songs, fake Christmas smiles from the Wal-Mart employees, eating gingerbread men... if I am within the vacinity of these things before the day after Thanksgiving, I am not a pleasant person.

With that being said, it is now the day after Thanksgiving.

This means I will listen to Steven Curtis Chapman's "The Music of Christmas", Avalon's "Joy" and Harry Connick Jr's "When My Heart Finds Christmas" albums for the next 5 weeks. I have downloaded my annual Christmas ringtone ("ChristmasEve Sarajevo 224/Carol of the Bells" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, for those of you that care). I will string up Christmas lights around my bedroom window and I can begin buying Christmas gifts online while effectively avoiding all contact with shopping malls.

Maybe I'm a dork. And maybe I should really love doing Christmas-y things all year long because Jesus is cool.

But it really just comes down to principles.

Do you have Christmas principles?




And Jonah 3 wrap-up on SereYodh =)

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Talk Thursday // Happy Thanksgiving!

I know that the first thing everyone does on any major holiday is check my blog. And rest assured, I'm flattered. =)

Since Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, let's use it as the springboard for Talk Thursday:

What is something you are thankful for?

What is something you are NOT thankful for?

Remember: it's all about an attitude of gratitude. Gotta love cliches. 

Eat copious amounts of turkey. Have a happy Thanksgiving.