Interfaith Spirit Quest

The Miracles of Christmas

The Miracles of Christmas is a plan to create a more meaningful Christmas and eliminate the over-commercialization of the holidays. This plan can also be used at other holidays and special celebrations.

Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2009, our family came up with a new and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas.  After bringing it up and discussing it with my spouse over Thanksgiving breakfast, we decided we should discuss the idea with the rest of the family - they loved the idea!  The fact we all agreed that it was at least a good idea in theory, is a miracle in and of itself.   The idea is about making dreams and wishes come true, it’s about The Miracles of Christmas, and it might even make a Scrooge look forward to Christmas again.  Perhaps this will be your Christmas of the future.  Of course this theme may be used at other holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, birthdays, you name it. 

The Miracles of Christmas is a new way to celebrate a more meaningful Christmas or other Holiday.  The idea is to allow one Christmas/Holiday wish per person and then to give that person the undivided attention and participation of the whole family or group for an allotted time period, agreed upon by all.  If you have a large family, you may wish or need to spread this out over a couple days, and if you have a small family; you may choose to allow more time for each person.  Alternatively, you may wish to choose 2 or 3 main activities that everyone agrees on.  Simplify the process a little bit if a lot of people are involved.  Every year will be different and memorable in its own way.  You can make this as easy or as elaborate as you wish. You create the guidelines.

Last year, I wrote three posts pertaining to the Miracles of Christmas.  These three posts explain the plan, offer up ideas, and tell the story of how it went for my family.  You can read all three posts here: 

See Part 1:  The Miracles of Christmas - The Plan

See Part 2:  58 Miracles of Christmas - Ideas to get you started

See Part 3:  After the Miracles of Christmas - Our personal story - how it went (published after Christmas)

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and may the spirit of the Miracles of Christmas be part of your holiday season now and forevermore. 

Interfaith Spirit Quest

Online activity and mental health of teenagers

The headline in an online newspaper reads: 

Online night-owls risk mental illness:  Sleepless nights blamed for rise in teen depression - read more here.

The mental health risk applies to people of all ages, but particularly to still growing young brains.  Whether it's being on the computer, watching TV, playing video games, or texting on a cell phone; all these electronic activities have been shown to over-stimulate the brain.   This over-stimulation keeps us awake at night when we should be sleeping.  Sleep is necessary, in case you didn't know, because the body needs rest, it needs to process the days activities and heal itself.  Lack of sleep presents a concern not only about the onset of mental illness, but also about our general overall health.  Some of these activities have been compared to taking drugs.  This article on video gaming compares 2 hours of video gaming to taking a line of cocaine.  Wow.

So what's a parent to do?  Slowly, but surely now, step away from the (computer, TV, cell phone...) screen.  In my personal observations, I have noted a difference in teens, and grown-ups too, that when they are away from their electronics, they are different people.  Connected to nature, the differences are even more noticeable.  Perhaps a non-scientific experiment is in order.  :)  Take a day trip or weekend trip without the computer laptop, without the cell phone, without the video game system; without any distracting, time occupying electronics of any kind.  If you can't go cold turkey, then settle for a TV set or radio.  Visit a natural area, go camping or stay in a cabin.  Have planned nature activities from the early morning until supper time in the evening.  Teaching and learning together is also an important part of the process.  Of course I believe a little spirituality is good for the soul, perhaps the beautiful creation will inspire you to comment on the Creator here and there.  If the activities are productive, that might even be better; ie chop wood, carry water.  But if home life is all work and no play, then I would definitely opt for a little play time. 

See if you don't notice a difference in their attitude, even a slight one.  The first day might be all about missing their electronics and complaining about everything, or they may surprise you right off the bat.  Hopefully, you will begin to see the real child poking through before the trip is over.  Your personal experience is the only evidence you will need to understand the effect all these electronics are having on us and our children.  

The best way to make any sort of change in your everyday personal habits is to incorporate one thing at a time.  For example, turn off all electronics one hour before bedtime.  Just relax in the living room with your children, talk about the day, read books, get ready for tomorrow, showers, clothes, etc.  It is as much for your benefit as it is theirs.  Drink a glass of water before bedtime to help your body perform its healing magic during your sleep time.  Hug and kiss your kids goodnight and tell them you love them.  This is the beginning of something wonderful.  Amen.

See the following related article on Interfaith Spirit Quest:

Positive results with this daily routine

Ask the Planet, fun nature music for kids

Fun nature music for kids - this Ask the Planet CD features the Missoula Coyote Choir and friends with songs written by Amy Martin.  What a fun way to teach kids about nature, naturally through song.  The CD features 16 original songs including:

• Ask the Planet
• The Great TV Rebellion (see video below)
• School of the Wild
• What Kind of Animal are You
• Outside Get Out

Age group:  Toddlers to Tweens

From Amazon:  Ask the Planet is a musical celebration of nature's genius. A joyously written and produced recording of 18 songs where the music and lyrics are designed to connect children to nature, create a sense of awe for the environment and teach them about the concept of biomimicry. Biomimicry is a practice that studies nature s best ideas then imitates them to solve human problems. What better way to introduce children and their parents to the concept than to set it all to music. 

 

Watch the Great TV Rebellion music video from the CD Ask the Planet

Purchase the CD here on Amazon:

Positive results with this daily routine

Do you stress out easily, are you gloomy, distressed, jittery, highly frazzled and disorganized?  Does your life feel out of control? Are you constantly worrying or anxious? Well then, maybe this guide can help.

Experience positive results with this daily routine, an Interfaith Spirit Quest - natural guide for your day.  Keyword is 'experience', the idea being to put these ideas into practice and not just think about them.  You will know if it works when you see the results of your efforts after putting this guide into practice.

Keep this in mind: Incorporating spirituality and nature into your day will boost your mood and increase your productivity, naturally. 

• Wake up one hour earlier than is typical for you, for a great start to a great new day.  Relax these rules a little on your 'days off'. Be thankful for this brand new day, share your waking thoughts with God.  God is with you today and everyday.
• Drink a large glass of water.
• Exercise before the shower, before breakfast, get the muscles working earlier in the day to sustain all through the day. This is the time for stimulation, choose your favorite physical activity and make it your morning workout.  Like to exercise in your living room or at the gym?  Fine.  Prefer nature?  Fantastic!  Enjoy audio books on your mp3 player or visualize your day as you work out.
• Shower - personal hygiene - important to your sense of wellness, helps you feel alive, refreshed and presentable.
• Eat breakfast.  Eat healthy meals throughout the day.
• Begin your workday by reviewing your list (the list you created the day before).  Tackle the most important, most difficult jobs first.  Your brain energy is at its best earlier in the day.  Working in this way allows you to enjoy the latter part of your workday more, because the easier tasks are saved for the time of day when your brain and body are seeking a little rest. 
• Eat lunch.  Eat healthy meals throughout the day.
• Tackle your easier activities during this time period - typically the afternoon for those working daytime hours.  Check your emails, handle business calls at this time.  Adjust accordingly to your own schedules.
• Incorporate a short walk, or perhaps a simple exercise, between lunch and dinner, or shortly before dinner, for the purpose of refreshing the senses through nature.  Feel the breeze, the sun, enjoy the natural environment or surroundings, appreciate the blessings of nature, even if the only natural thing you experience is outdoor air.  This is a time of personal meditation, reflection and contemplation. 
• It is helpful to write a to-do list at the end of your day for the next day.  Documenting your future tasks allows you to fully enjoy your time away from work instead of spending your free time thinking about what you need to do tomorrow.  You will sleep better as well.
• Be present with your family, talk about your day with your family, a friend, or friends online on the various social networking sites.  Connect with people in some way at this time of day. 
• Tend to details at home, mail, phone calls, change your clothes to be more comfortable, take another shower if necessary.
• Eat dinner.  Eat healthy meals throughout the day.
• Spend the rest of your evening, or free time, , doing things you enjoy.  This is your time to refresh, renew and rejuvenate. 
• Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. Computers, TVs, cell phones, etc. over-stimulate the brain, making it too much for your system to deal with right before bedtime.  Read a book, listen to relaxing music, be present with your family, make love to your significant other, enjoy the peace and calm that these moments provide.  Yes it's difficult, but real positive results will come to you if you can make this change to your daily routine.
• Drink a glass of water before bedtime to help your system perform its healing magic during your sleep time.  
• Be thankful for this day and share your end of day thoughts with God.  Sleep well.  Tomorrow is another day. 

Of course everyone's schedule is different and crazy, you should make the necessary adjustments in this guide to suit your personal schedule.  Of course these are only suggestions, and you free to change things up, we welcome your ideas to help us improve this guide, feel free to leave your comments below. 

Think about your daily life, your present routine.  How much of your day is spent doing the exact opposite of these healthy life suggestions?  Now you know how to right the ship, make those changes beginning tomorrow morning.  Deal? 

You can do it!

LLL: Love - Light & Laughter

You probably all know what LOL means (laugh out loud), but do you know what LLL stands for?

LLL: Love, Light and Laughter!! Spread some. :)

I Can Do Bad All By Myself - Tyler Perry Movie

Spiritual Movie Recommendation:   You'll sympathize, you'll empathize, you'll laugh and cry, and you will be moved.

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

When Madea (Tyler Perry) catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. A heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off of Raymond, her married boyfriend, April wants nothing to do with the kids. But her attitude begins to change when Sandino, a handsome Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into April's basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart. And April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith ... and even true love.

New DVD release:

Buy it now:

Part 3: The Miracles of Christmas - How it went

- Meaningful ways to celebrate Christmas and other Holidays

Part 3 - Miracles of Christmas - How it went

This is a 3 part post - Parts 1 and 2 were written prior to the 2009 Christmas holiday.  This is Part 3, the story of how the Miracles of Christmas went for our family!

The Miracles of Christmas is a new way to celebrate a more meaningful Christmas or other Holiday.  The idea is to allow one Christmas/Holiday wish per person and then to give that person the undivided attention and participation of the whole family or group for an allotted time period, agreed upon by all.  If you have a large family, you may wish or need to spread this out over a couple days, and if you have a small family; you may choose to allow more time for each person.  You create the guidelines.

Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2009, our family came up with a new and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas.  After bringing it up and discussing it with my spouse over Thanksgiving breakfast, we decided we should discuss the idea with the rest of the family - they loved the idea!  The fact we all agreed that it was at least a good idea in theory, is a miracle in and of itself.   The idea is about making dreams and wishes come true, it’s about The Miracles of Christmas, and it might even make a Scrooge look forward to Christmas again.  Perhaps this will be the Christmas or Holiday celebration of your future.  Of course this theme may be used at other holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, birthdays, you name it. 

How it Went:  There were 8 of 10 family members participating in our Miracles of Christmas event for our first try.  One person chose to stay home with the baby.  The participants each chose an event for the whole family to participate in, other members were required to participate with their full and undivided attention.  The family members included 3 adults and five kids from 3-16 years old and one 4 year old Golden Retriever.  Here's the activity list and order of the day:

• Build two snow forts (We had lots of snow!)
• Have a snowball fight between the two forts
• Go to Angels Restaurant for hot chocolate and hot lunch
• Go sledding on the big hill at Memorial Park
• Make Christmas cookies and eat almost all of them (saved some for neighbor)
• Eat dinner - hot soup from the crock pot
• Go Christmas caroling with cookies at the neighbors
• Story time with Grandma (The Kingdom of LunHanHouHow)

We all helped build the snow forts and all participated in throwing and receiving snowballs!  Some people cried because they were getting hit too much, but they were resourceful and went and got a bicycle helmet to wear. 

The kids love this particular restaurant and with our appetite worked up, everyone ate everything and even asked for more! 

The sledding was a big hit for everyone, but Grandma thinks the hills have gotten bumpier since her kids were little. 

Believe it or not, the 16 year old boy wanted to make the cookies, I suppose just so he could eat them and maybe so he didn't have to do something outside in the cold December winter.  In any case, the cookies were a big hit.

It was Grandpa's idea to go Christmas caroling.  We had warned told the neighbor we were coming ahead of time and when we arrived, the littlest one was mesmerized y the beautiful Christmas tree and other decorations around the house, and the neighbor looks like Mrs Claus, so he took off his shoes and decided to stay a while.  We sang and exchanged Christmas cookies (we weren't expecting to get cookies, but oh well, the more the merrier!), and had a jolly old time. 

Then it was back to Grandma and Grandpa's house for storytime.  I told the story of The Kingdom of LunHanHouHow, which was the story of how my parents came to America from Norway.  I pretended my parents were King and Queen, and I used YouTube videos to show them how the ship sailed on the stormy seas from Norway to America, and we learned some Norwegian Christmas songs.  We tried to dress the part, Grandpa even wearing knickers for authenticity.  :) At the end of the story, I dubbed all the children and grandchildren either Angels (remember the Angels restaurant?) or Princes.  (My kids were Princes (dubbed the Prince of Strength and Knowledge) and my grandkids were Angels - Angels of Serentiy, Happiness, Adventure, etc.).  Each one received a small gift (because we're Grandma and Grandpa and we couldn't help ourselves) as they were dubbed with a Star Wars light saber (from my oldest son's favorite movie).

The planning and scheduling took some effort, we started after church on a Sunday, around Noon, and finished around 9PM.  I'm sure sleep came easy and not a creature was stirring that night. 

This event has brought about a new tradition in our family, one of sharing some quality family time together, enjoying each other's company more fully, and has eliminated entirely the commercialization of Christmas. 

Alternatively, you may wish to choose 2 or 3 main activities that everyone agrees on.  Simplify the process a little bit if a lot of people are involved.  Every year will be different and memorable in its own way.  You can make this as easy or as elaborate as you wish. 

For me, this was truly a Miracle of Christmas.  It has been the best Christmas I've ever had and I will treasure the memory of it forever, in this life and the life in the hereafter, I'm sure.

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and may the spirit of the Miracles of Christmas be part of your holiday season now and forevermore. 

See Part 1:  The Miracles of Christmas - The Plan

See Part 2:  58 Miracles of Christmas - Ideas to get you started

This is Part 3:  After the Miracles of Christmas - Our personal story - how did it go (published after Christmas 2009)

Part 2 - The Miracles of Christmas - 58 Ideas

 

- Meaningful ways to celebrate Christmas and other Holidays

Part 2 - 58 Miracles of Christmas ideas to get you started  

You are reading Part 2 of a 3 part post - with Part 3 coming after the 2009 Christmas holiday.  Please check back to hear our personal story after the holidays.

The Miracles of Christmas is a new way to celebrate a more meaningful Christmas or other Holiday.  The idea is to allow one Christmas/Holiday wish per person and then to give that person the undivided attention and participation of the whole family or group for an allotted time period, agreed upon by all.  If you have a large family, you may wish or need to spread this out over a couple days, and if you have a small family; you may choose to allow more time for each person.  You create the guidelines.

Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2009, our family came up with a new and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas.  After bringing it up and discussing it with my spouse over Thanksgiving breakfast, we decided we should discuss the idea with the rest of the family - they loved the idea!  The fact we all agreed that it was at least a good idea in theory, is a miracle in and of itself.   The idea is about making dreams and wishes come true, it’s about The Miracles of Christmas, and it might even make a Scrooge look forward to Christmas again.  Perhaps this will be the Christmas or Holiday celebration of your future.  Of course this theme may be used at other holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, birthdays, you name it. 

58 Miracles of Christmas ideas:

1.    Visit an ice skating rink, sledding or ski hill
2.    Have a snowball fight
3.    Build a snowman or snow fort
4.    Make snow angels
5.    Make a live nativity scene using members of the family
6.    Go around the neighborhood singing Christmas Carols
7.    Visit someone in the hospital or a nursing home
8.    Do something for a neighbor or friend in need with the help of your family
9.    Make Christmas special for someone else or a family in need
10.    Take a walk in a nature preserve or state park
11.    Feed the birds
12.    Go for a bike ride
13.    Go horseback riding
14.    Go for a sleigh ride
15.    Make the holiday lunch
16.    Go out for the holiday lunch
17.    Take a Nap (smart adults will pick this one)
18.    Collect pine cones for your tree or decoration
19.    Decorate the Christmas Tree
20.    Hang Christmas lights
21.    Play board or card games
22.    Play Dress-Up
23.    Dance
24.    Sing
25.    Write new songs
26.    Re-write the lyrics to some old songs
27.    Tell Jokes
28.    Take pictures
29.    Create scrapbook photo albums
30.    Look at old photos or videos
31.    Tell old stories
32.    Cut out paper snowflakes
33.    Have family members write down what they're thankful for - save from year to year
34.    Keep a journal and write down thoughts at the end of the day
35.    Watch your favorite movie with your whole family
36.    Watch a Christmas cartoon while stringing popcorn and cranberries for the tree
37.    Create a movie with your video camera
38.    Make something
39.    Create Prayer Jars (prayers go in jars - fun to read later in life and see how they were answered)
40.    Do something from another culture
41.    Spend your hour coloring pictures with your family
42.    Perform a magic show or play or puppet show for your family
43.    Show off your Pets
44.    Hang Mistletoe and kiss everybody
45.    Propose to your Sweetie
46.    Recreate a holiday tradition from your native land or your youth
47.    Make the holiday evening meal
48.    Go out for the holiday evening meal
49.    Make the holiday evening meal with full family participation
50.    Dress up as St. Nicholas (Santa Claus)
51.    Read the Christmas Story or talk about the true meaning of Jesus' birth
52.    Teach everyone a special craft, such as how to make a special dish like Pie Crust or Lefse or…
53.    Decorate the Christmas Cookies
54.    Build a Gingerbread House
55.    Take your family to a free (doesn't have to be free if you can afford it) concert or holiday event
56.    Light a whole bunch of candles or sit by the fireplace and enjoy the peacefulness of it
57.    Have some Hot Chocolate and take a driving tour to view the Christmas lights
58.    Enjoy the miracles and the blessings of the day.

Please feel free to share your ideas by leaving a comment below - I would love to hear from you.

This is Part 2:  58 Miracles of Christmas - Ideas to get you started

See Part 1:  The Miracles of Christmas - The Plan

See Part 3:  After the Miracles of Christmas - Our personal story - how did it go (published after Christmas 2009)

Part 1: The Miracles of Christmas - The Plan

- Meaningful ways to celebrate Christmas and other Holidays

Part 1:  The Miracles of Christmas plan

Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2009, our family came up with a new and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas.  After bringing it up and discussing it with my spouse over Thanksgiving breakfast, we decided we should discuss the idea with the rest of the family - they loved the idea!  The fact we all agreed that it was at least a good idea in theory, is a miracle in and of itself.   The idea is about making dreams and wishes come true, it’s about The Miracles of Christmas, and it might even make a Scrooge look forward to Christmas again.  Perhaps this will be your Christmas of the future.  Of course this theme may be used at other holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, birthdays, you name it. 

The Miracles of Christmas is a new way to celebrate a more meaningful Christmas or other Holiday.  The idea is to allow one Christmas/Holiday wish per person and then to give that person the undivided attention and participation of the whole family or group for an allotted time period, agreed upon by all.  If you have a large family, you may wish or need to spread this out over a couple days, and if you have a small family; you may choose to allow more time for each person.  You create the guidelines.

This is a 3 part post - with Part 3 coming after the 2009 Christmas holiday.  Please check back to hear our personal story after the holidays.

The Miracles of Christmas Plan:

•    This may be done as a family, as a group of friends, or as a ministry toward a select group of individuals.
•    Have family members, or your group of friends, think of something meaningful to them that they would like to do at Christmas.  Family/group members could take the attitude that they will move heaven and earth to make it happen – within reason of course.
•    Make a list and check it twice.
•    Pay no attention to who’s naughty or nice – it’s not about that – it’s about miracles.
•    Each person gets one hour, or an agreed upon period of time, to enjoy their Christmas Miracle with the assistance and undivided attention of all the others.
•    The time allotment will depend on how large the group is.
•    It's important that ideas are not rejected out of hand, or because they're impractical or too expensive.
•    At first everyone should brainstorm and then gradually narrow their ideas down to the ones that are reasonable and feasible. 
•    All should be reasonable in their requests and not be disappointed if an idea must be filed away for another time. 
•    No one gets to lord it over anyone else or ask someone to be their slave for an hour. 
•    People should be considerate and invite participation or simply allow family/group members to be spectators. 
•    It could happen that 2 or 3 decide to combine their Christmas wish and then 2-3 hours would be spent on that activity.
•    It does not need to involve much money.
•    It may be that someone finds buying a new toy is meaningful, so be it. 
•    Keep the miracle list for future reference – it may be used at birthdays or other special occasions.
•    Start this process on Thanksgiving Day or a couple weeks before the holiday to get it all decided and worked out before Christmas.  Or I suppose one could be thinking about it all year. 
•    You may wish to establish a rule that small children have to wait til they're 5 or 6 years old before they can choose their own event, parents or other family members would choose something for them, or they would just be a participant in everyone else's hour. 
•    Do whatever works, make adjustments to the plan as you see fit
•    Prior to the big day, plan out the Christmas Miracles in a coordinated way, wasting no time, planning for meals, naps, potty breaks, travel, forgetfulness, and other little issues that may pop up during the day. 

This is Part 1:  The Miracles of Christmas - The Plan

See Part 2:  58 Miracles of Christmas - Ideas to get you started

See Part 3:  After the Miracles of Christmas - Our personal story - how did it go (published after Christmas 2009)

 

How to have a Happy Thanksgiving anyway

Thanksgiving is really the most wonderful holiday of the year, we just need to arrive hungry and thankful and we get to leave with a full belly; but for some of us it is more like the beginning of a month long season of holiday purgatory that thankfully ends around January 2nd of the new year! 

Thanksgiving, mmmmmmm, here in the Midwest it might be turkey and stuffing (you say dressing - we say stuffing), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Lefse if your Norwegian - buns if you're not, pumpkin pie, relatives and all that.  Thanksgiving is about food, family and friends, love and being thankful to God for what we have. 

The first thing many people think about when they think of Thanksgiving is food, since we all love food, this turns out to be the primary motivational factor for our making an appearance at the annual event.  The second thing people often think about is family; the response to this thought is either one of joy and thankfulness, or one of dread. 

So, since this an article about 'How to have a Happy Thanksgiving anyway', here are a few tips for doing just that.

• Respect:  Allow people to be who they are; even when they don't do life right, or they don't extend the same courtesy back.
• The Golden Rule:  Treat others as we would like to be treated.  Be kind, even if they're not.  Harmony and peace begins in our own minds.  Be amicable, warm-hearted and friendly towards others, ask what they've been up to lately, people love to talk about themselves.  Resist the temptation to offer advice unless it's asked for.
• Thankfulness:  Implement the practice of going around the table asking each person to name something they are thankful for.  Each person starts by saying 'I am thankful for....'.  Let the kids chime in too, even if they're only thankful for staying up late, for pie, or for a new toy.  This practice helps us all remember why we're celebrating and in a way it's a prayer of thanksgiving to God.  It's also a good substitute if family members are uncomfortable with formal prayers.  End with a formal prayer of your choosing or just say something like "I'm thankful for all of you too, and now let the feast begin!"
• Releasing Anger and Resentment:  It's important to let go of any anger or resentment you may be harboring toward someone; do not allow anyone to have this much power over you.  Your thoughts really do create your world - as we think in our hearts, so we are.  If we think negative thoughts, we will probably have a negative experience.  If we know we're in the wrong on something, we will need to make some corrections.  Sometimes we don't self-correct because we're consciously or sub-consciously seeking revenge toward someone who has wronged us in the past.  We need to ask ourselves - who is really suffering here?  Let it go.
• Fun & Participation:  Participate in the activities of the day:  Food preparation, table setting, playing with the kids, walking the dog, get into the game, do the dishes, help clean up.  Food preparation is an important part of the family bonding process and when we see how much planning and effort goes into a holiday meal, we naturally become more grateful toward others.
• Thankful Habits:  Enter into every thought, word and action with a spirit of thankfulness.

 

All you need is love - all they need is love. Peace and goodwill toward you and toward all.

For more tips on life, religion and spirituality - join me on Twitter

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family

and here's to the beginning of a more meaningful and joyful holiday season!