Thanksgiving 'Thanks'...

is a state of mind and heart; a consciousness...a Beautiful, Exquisite Awareness within our soul, on one day of the year~ SO strong ~ that it leads us and connects us in Spirit to the ones we love, whether physically present on the day or not, in a way like none other throughout the year. i used to say Thanksgiving was my 'second' favorite holiday to Christmas, but  i changed my mind about that this year...they're officially tied for 1st! 

while Christmas is a holiday meant to remind us of the Gift of Christ to this world, to each of us, a gift so great that we have yet to discover the divine magnitude of it, ThanksGiving is a holiday to remind us of the gifts we were given in each other and the blessings that God has given us to 'give' thanks over.  ultimately, both holidays remind us of the gift of LoVe and because of this great LoVe, we give thanks.

the table was 'set' and ready for all that the day was awaiting...and it started off with quite the 'bang’

i woke up early at 7am [unable to go back to sleep] and felt that still small voice of God beckoning me

sweetly to"Get Up!"  i knew He was pressing on my heart to 'give' the thanks that i felt in my heart, in a physical way. i knew and felt it the entire day before as i spent prepping our bird and side dishes. so i got up, rummaged through the pantry, pulled out all the canned foods that had been sitting there for over a month, and then tore apart my closet for all the things i no longer wear. even when i found myself tottering over a couple things thinking 'well maybe'...i'd start laughing as i heard the voice "Put it in the Bag"

i bagged everything up, put it by the door and looked around. there were two apple pies [one extra] on the counter that the hubby brought home. i knew we wouldn't need both as my dad was bringing pumpkin pie too, so i grabbed it and out the door i went on a 'mission' to the San Diego rescue mission downtown. sure enough as i just barely left the house i was driving around the corner to the store across the street when i noticed a homeless man crossing the street with his cart full of cans.

"random" i thought to myself, as i have never seen a homeless person in the area where we live. so i rolled my window down and yelled out the window "SIR!! i have something for you!" let's just say...the last thing i thought i'd be doing on Thanksgiving morning was chasing down a homeless man to give him an apple pie. i saw him look back at me in confusion, so i yelled "I'm coming to you, hold on!" i can only imagine what he was thinking in that moment. so i drove around the corner to find a parking spot at the gas station, grabbed the apple pie [with a plastic plate and fork i brought] and darted back in his direction. 

i caught up to him as he clearly seemed on a 'mission' himself and i told him "Happy Thanksgiving" as i handed him the pie. he looked at me, again confused, as he took the pie and said "thanks". he started walking again, so i kept up and asked a few questions."what's your name?"  i got all one-word responses. "Robert" he says. "where'r ya from Robert?""Pennsylvania" - i said "wow, you walked

all the way to California? "Half-way" he said; "Hitchhiked the rest"...he started walking faster and so i took the hint, patted him on the back, told him it was great to meet him and that i hoped he'd enjoy the pie. 

i took off back across the street to get in my car and when i looked back, i saw him stop and open the pie and pummel into it with his hands. i smiled and thought"ThankYou God for Robert"...such a small gesture of giving on my part and God would be so gracious to overflow my heart with even more Joy, Love, and Gratitude. the spirit of giving, as it turns out :) is really for our own benefit, our own reward. i'm realizing that the more connected i feel to Him, the more connected i feel to everyone and everything in the Universe around me and the more Joy and peace i experience in the process. that is a Gift from God that nothing will ever compare to...it is the greatest Gift of His Love, the greatest of spiritual gifts.

this year was very special to me for multiple reasons. about a month and half ago, as a result of prayer and a lot of change in my own heart, i decided it was the year for change...the year for 'True' Ammends. this would be the year of 'The Peacemaker'. not unsettled peace, but true Peace..for true Love & grace to conquer, for wisdom, knowledge, fresh understanding, forgiveness, Joy, laughter, and Truth. and with a little devised 'plan' up my sleeve, i decided 'the Goodales will host Thanksgiving this year'.  i have to admit, i'd be lying if i said my guest list wasn't premeditated with a lot of thought and prayer.

those who know me the best know that my family has been through a lot....how many can relate to that!? just like so many others, i come from a broken home and for years our family has gone through a lot of ups, downs, and strain in our relationships with each other as a result. the 'details' of my experiences are irrelevant, but what i've truly begun to see this year is that after all the years, 17 years that is, since my parents divorced and a whole lot of hurts along the way, experienced by each of us respectively, i am finally in a state of true peace and gratitude over all the hardships. to be sitting at the table with both my mom & dad, and grandparents, mom's side, after 17 years...was a picture i never thought i'd see again, but as we took turns going around the table and each of us raising a Thanksgiving toast, i realized... the change hadn't taken place in one of us; it had taken place in all of us.

to see my dad and grandparents talking and laughing again after all the broken years, to see my mom hand my dad a card and loaf of homemade bread for he and April, my stepmom {who unfortunately couldn't make it} to enjoy later, to see my sister Olivia making faces across the table:)  the gift of a daughter God gave to my mom, after our family had fallen apart. to see Josiah, my younger brother, who i've always mothered in a way wanting nothing but the best for him...and to feel the pride i do in seeing how far he's come in his life and career in home health care for the elderly and immobile [i.e. changing diapers], he's one of the most compassionate people i know and i couldn't be more proud of him...

then looking to my right to see my husband, my Soulmate, my better-half and the reason i sing every day:) and then to my left to see my mother...the one i never thought i'd feel SO connected to in ways i was only able to once i gave her a standing chance...really, once i gave myself a chance. i got to spend last weekend [while David was away] with her and Olivia at their home in Lake Elsinore. mom and i talked for hours upon hours for two straight days and the heavens had opened up on us...i realized how much of her has always been in me...even when i refused to acknowledge it... yep, this Beautiful Picture below was the picture of 'Thanks' in my heart on Thanksgiving Day. when my turn had come to raise a toast i broke out in tears that i couldn't contain. toasting to the "Love in God" that carried us through every hurt throughout the years, and the "Forgiveness" that brought each of us to that table in that moment had overflown my heart with gratitude. 

This is what the holidays are ALL about...Family, no matter what that 'picture' looks like:) 

it's about 'letting go' and 'letting God' ...

an ever-present Awareness that God's Love has always been there...

Roots of the Family Tree...

The Eternal Love of Family...

We waved off grandma and grandpa and finished off the night with a 'Family' movie :) 'De Javu' with Denzel Washington... with the exception of a few family members i only wish could've been part of this 'picture',it was hands down one of the best Thanksgivings to date for all of us!

The hubby and i got to sleep-in on Friday and enjoy the whole day together...after some Black Friday shopping, new tires, car wash, oil change, and movie date, Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1~loved it...we got home to enjoy turkey dinner leftovers... the perfect union of Thanksgiving and Christmas Spirit as we listened to some holiday Frank Sinatra while putting up the tree, loving every moment of this beautiful life God has blessed us with!            

Holidays, Holidays, Oh how i LoVe Thee!!!

Merry Christmas to ALL of you and a Happy, Happy, HaPPy NEW Year full of Love, Forgiveness, Thanks, Peace, and Joy!!! 

Be Blessed! 

oNe Love,

Naomi