Tuesday 4: November is Here

November is Here


Welcome to Tuesday 4 begun by our friend Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory.
This week let's talk about November!

1. Besides Thanksgiving is there anything about November you like/dislike?

Besides Thanksgiving, well, I like that this is the season of "thankfulness"...remembering to count our blessings as we anticipate what Thanksgiving is really all about.  November is kind of the prelude to the Advent season...while planning our guest list and menu for Thanksgiving, I am also thinking ahead to preparing my heart for the Christmas season...it's kind of the "calm before the storm" of the busiest season of the year. If there is anything I dislike about November, it would be that Thanksgiving day is over all too quickly. We no sooner finish eating our desserts and people are ready to start going home and I am just getting ready to sit down and visit and relax. I wish people could just stay longer and linger over that last piece of pie with a cup of tea and not be in any rush to go home...

2. How is November weather where you live? Does it suit you?

November is usually cooler and drier, not so humid.  Hurricane season is finally over so we don't have to worry about that until next June. For us here in Florida, November is really the beginning of autumn weather.  Yes, that suits me just fine! We can finally bring out our long sleeved shirts and sweaters and jeans again and put away the summer clothes until next spring...We might even have a bonfire in the firepit and sit outside in the evenings and roast marshmallows and make s'mores.  Usually the mosquitoes are gone by then...That's always a happy time!

This was last year...looking forward to doing this again soon!!

3. When do you plan for Thanksgiving? Eat home or out? Menu?

I am planning right now...I am actually a bit behind this year since I just had surgery two weeks ago. I wasn't sure if we would try to have a big Thanksgiving dinner here at our house or not.  It's still a bit up in the air.  It may end up just being our immediate family for dinner, which would be really different for us. Our home is usually the gathering place for the extended family since all our parents have gone on to heaven. But as others' families also grow and expand, they realize that it is time to have their own family gatherings in their homes and it becomes more and more difficult to get us all together in one place at the same time. So we may be making some adjustments this year and in the years to come.

Menu? Well, the norm is of course turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, and from there it may vary...depending on who is coming and who is bringing what. Usually there is some kind of vegetable casserole (but not the green bean casserole!! No Thank You!) And of course cranberry sauce, a congealed salad of some kind, like a cranberry/nut/pineapple/apple jello mixture, relish tray, rolls, butter, and then of course the desserts: Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, and Pecan Pie

 are the norms, but anything anyone wants to bring is just fine.  I welcome other people bringing their specialties. I don't like to do ALL the cooking by any means, so that is one good reason for inviting guests so we get a variety of good food! LOL.  One thing is for certain, we never go hungry!

4. When do you begin your decor and plans for Christmas. 

I do not begin Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving is over. I cannot handle more than one holiday at a time.  I like to linger over the last piece of pumpkin pie the day after, and then little by little the pilgrims and turkeys and fall decor disappears and the red and green replaces the browns and golds and orange colors. We usually try to put the Christmas tree up by the first weekend in December, and it keeps growing from there.

The most important part of this season is to be thankful...we are the most blessed people on earth, in spite of our current political or national situation...Regardless of whether or not we agree or disagree with the things that are going on, we are still more blessed than any other nation in the world.

I certainly don't want that to change, and so my thoughts would be that as we enter this season of thankfulness and preparing our hearts for advent and Christmas, that we remember to

PRAY for our nation, our leaders, our families and friends.

Don't take anything for granted...our health, our jobs, our homes, our families, our freedom...

Give thanks to God for all He has done for us, and stand strong in your faith in Him to see you through no matter what battle you may be facing.

And remember, I know I've quoted this verse often, but it bears repeating now again:

Isaiah 41:10

"Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Have a Happy November!