Success only flourishes in perseverance -- ceaseless, restless perseverance.
--Baron Manfred Von Richtofen

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

A little thanks and giving

You would be hard pressed to find anyone more excited about Christmas than me. I'm kind of like the Whos down in Whoville. Can't wait for trees and lights and carols and shopping and Christmas stories!

But I also love Thanksgiving. I love the food and being with family. But most of all I love the thankfulness. The opportunity to humbly thank our Creator for the bounty all around us. A season of gratitude is just the thing we need to curb the greed that can creep into the Christmas season.

So I thought, why not put some thanks and giving into our Thanksgiving?


Now being grateful and giving to help those in need is it's own reward, but I thought I'd offer a little incentive. Everyone who participates in this little Thankfulness blogfest will be entered to win (what else?) Christmas story collections!
A signed copy of Checkin' It Twice, which contains my story "Broken Things."
A signed copy of Stolen Christmas, which contains my story "Shepherds and Kings."
An e-copy of Sing We Know of Christmas. (I'm not in this one, but all proceeds go to benefit kids with Down's Syndrome.)




Here's what you need to do.

Comment on this post with five unique things you are grateful for. Try to think outside the box. (1 entry)
Donate something to a charity (money, food, clothing--anything). It doesn't have to be a big donation. (1 entry)
Do something kind for someone else. Again, it doesn't have to be big. Just do something to make someone else's day a little brighter. (1 entry)

Fill out this form letting me know you did these, and you'll be entered. In fact, as many times as you do these things, you'll get another entry!

So let's get out there and put some thanks and giving into Thanksgiving! I promise you'll be glad you did.

Giveaway runs through Thanksgiving Day (November 22). Winners will be announced Saturday, November 24!

25 comments:

Ali Cross said...

NICE! Wonderful project, Angie! I'm gonna FB and tweet it!

Aubrie said...

What a great idea! I LOVE the holiday season myself. It really makes me focus on family and what is important.

Angie said...

Thanks, Aubrie. That's why I love it too!

Golden Eagle said...

It's always good to be thankful. Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Wonderful idea, Angie. The books look fun.

RaShelle Workman said...

What a great project, Angie. I'm excited to participate.

Let's see... outside the box...
1) I'm grateful that Utah doesn't have fleas.
2) I'm thankful that my husband cleaned out the freezer.
3) I'm ever so grateful to the neighbor who brought us peanut butter chocolate chip cookies as a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift.
4) I'm thankful for leaf blowers
5) And last, but not least, I'm so grateful for my family.

The kids and I donated canned food to the food bank.

And the nice thing I did today????? Um, I kissed my husband?? No, I do that every day. I... cleaned my children's bathroom.

Rocky Rudd said...

I always love the grateful season of Thanksgiving too; I don't think Christmas detracts from it at all. :)

1. I am grateful for the stars. They lift me up and help me learn my place in this awesome universe.
2. I am grateful that I am a creature of habit. Whenever I put a book down and forget where I left it, I can always count on it being in one of three or four specific places, and I don't have to tear the house apart in order to finish the story.
3. I am grateful for lined paper. My school notes would be far less accessible if I didn't have those lines to keep me organized and nicely spaced.
4. I am grateful that all my roommates are crazy. I don't have to worry about them judging my weirdness because we're all a little off. :)
5. I am grateful for butterflies. They're so pretty and colorful, and they're fun to doodle.

Joan Sowards said...

Fun idea, Angie.
I'm thankful for:
1. a driver's license,
2. no snow in Mesa, AZ,
3. nuts other than walnuts, :-)
4, touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight,
5. friends who write and understand my passion.




Unknown said...

Great idea. I'm thankful for:
1. Salt, pepper and other spices.
2. Writer conferences.
3. Freedom to choose many things. Patience to live within limitations.
4. Music of all kinds.
5. Support groups.

Angie said...

Thanks, Joan! Great list.

Heidi L. Murphy said...

@I'm thankful for Christ, who died for us and came to show us the way back Home.
@I'm thankful for the people who have given their lives in service to our country.
@I'm thankful for fuzzy slippers.
@I'm so glad I don't have to use the old typewriter I have stored away. Yeah computers!!!
@I'm thankful to have at least one child who is humble enough to listen to me and consider the many things I have to teach him.
@I'm thankful for a husband who works hard and puts up with an awful lot from me.
@I'm thankful for a voice and a brain and a relatively healthy body.

Heidi L. Murphy said...

Oh I forgot to say what I did.
Today I looked for someone in the parking lot at the store who needed my help and I went and took his cart back for him. He happened to be a vet and I was doubly glad I did something, even if it was incredibly small.
I donate time at the food bank bagging pinto beans.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Love this! I'll put it up on my next post so more can join in on the Thanks and the Giving!
I'm thankful for (being creative here): erasers and backspace, the sight of light breaking through dark clouds, rain on a flat roof, the tilt of my cat's ears, wintergreen altoids, and Christmas crafts.
On a more serious note: I'm thankful for Jesus, for my family, my friends, for love, and for joy.

Shallee said...

This is awesome, Angie! I'll come back and enter in a bit when I don't have a 3 year old needing attention. :)

Angie said...

Awesome list, Heidi! And some wonderful service too. =)

Anonymous said...

You're such a good person, Angie. In fact, Alaina Evans and I were talking about you last night and the first time we both met you (at Suzette Saxton's house that one night) and how we saw your hat and loved it. And then we just started talking about how nice you are and how kind you are and how being around you is always a "safe" place. It doesn't surprise me that you'd be doing a Thankfulness project because you're the soul of gratitude and kindness.

Karlene said...

I already have all three books so I'm not entering to win. But this is a great idea!

1. Disaster Recovery services that come clean up your house after a flood.

2. Flush toilets (even though they sometimes cause floods) because I can remember when my grandparents only had an outhouse and in the winter, well...

3. Skype so I can SEE my daughter in Taiwan.

4. Mobile phone with GPS because before that I was always getting lost.

5. Friends who inspire me to be grateful. Thanks, Angie.

Also, I currently have 6 big boxes by my front door that are going to D.I. tomorrow.

Kind? Hmmmm. I. Ummm. I'll have to do something kind today. :)

tiffany said...

good idea love this

#1 im thankful tomorrow is my last day to take medicine it will be 13 days of takeing meds

#2 im thankful for my toes so i can balance when im standing

#3 im thankful for nail polish helps my self esteem i always feel pretty with it on my fingers i even feel pretty when they are just on my toes and not on my fingers

#4 im thankful for my memories so i can smile at the fun good things that have happend in life

#5 im thankful for trees for giving oxygen paper and fire wood

tiffany said...

im planning on buying a co-worker something and giving it to her on thanksgiving thats when i see her next and i also sent ryan a package does that count? and as far as charity i have given tons of stuff away this year

Angie said...

Awesome, Tiff!

tiffany said...

I just reminders I donated some money to the Ronald McDonald house yesterday morning as I was getting breck fast on my way to work

Lisa Swinton said...

I'm grateful for
medicine that fights foot fungus
turkey placemat made by a preschooler
fleece pajama pants
baking soda to remove stains
jane austen

Donated cans to the boy scouts

Removed a stick from under a strangers car so they could leave the parking lot

Angie said...

Love those, Lisa! Thanks for entering and Happy Thanksgiving!

Nighfala said...

Five things i'm grateful for:
1. Hot water
2. A good job
3. A healthy, annoying ten-year old
4. Wine
5. My own room with girly stuff

Nighfala said...

Oh, and for doing something nice I volunteered to help serve free Thanksgiving meals today. I came at the appointed time and they were already done but at least I tried!