Thankful Despite Challenges

It's only a little over a week away until Thanksgiving. With underemployment and unemployment problems in our family, things are uncertain of what we can do for Thanksgiving this year. We don't know that we can all be together this year. It can be hard to look forward to a holiday that isn't going to be what you would hope that it could be. Focusing on the things we are grateful for is one way to help keep one's attitude positive. I have been trying to write down every day five things I am grateful for. Some days I have to stop and think because I want to write down new things that I am grateful each day. At one time I was writing down three things I was grateful for each day. It became challenging and I dropped back to writing down at least one thing I was grateful for each day. After hearing this challenge to write down five things each day, I decided to try it. I need all the help I can get to stay focused on the positive right now.

Sometimes I write down what I am grateful for that is not happening in my life. I am thankful I don't personally have to deal with a natural disaster right now. I am grateful I am not living in a war zone. I am grateful I am not suffering from a lot of pain. I am grateful I am not homeless. When I think about some of my ancestors, I can find other things I am grateful for. I am grateful I am not trying to pull a handcart with very few possessions across the plains in a snowstorm as my great, great grandfather and his family did. I am grateful I have not been driven out of my home by mobs as another great great grandfather and his family were. As I learn the stories of my ancestors, I find many things to be grateful for. I am very blessed in my life when I look at what they went through. I am very grateful for the strength they had to do what they felt was right despite severe difficulties. When I consider their problems, I find I have much to be grateful. It does change my perspective on how my life is. Trying to find and keep the stories of my ancestors is a great blessing in my life giving me much more to be thankful for.
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Remember This Year's Halloween

It's only two more days until Halloween. You are probably making last minute preparations. You are getting costumes ready. You are making goodies or treats for a dinner or party. You get your decorations up. You plan to have plenty of treats for Trick or Treating. You carve your pumpkin.
While you are busy getting ready, don't forget to record what you did for Halloween. Take time to take pictures of your decorations, your costume, your jack-o-lantern and the parties you attend. When you are a little less busy like the day after Halloween, take time to write down memorable experiences from this year's celebration. Years from now you or your family will find it interesting to read and see what happened on this particular Halloween.

Spooky Memories

As you prepare for Halloween, take some time to remember the things you did in the past. What you did in the past may inspire you for what to do now. What you did in the past may be interesting and intriguing to your family now. Do you have photos of past Halloween celebrations? Put those on display in a photo album or in a scrapbook. Frame some to help decorate your house for Halloween. Check out the following lenses for some more ideas to make your Halloween memorable.
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Another Testament of Christ Slideshow

Here is another video that I feel expresses my beliefs. It is important to share your beliefs in your story.

Another Testament Trailer

Sharing your personal beliefs can be a very important part of your story. This video shows my beliefs. Add to your story by sharing your beliefs whether through the written word, through songs, through videos, or through pictures.

I have read a couple of articles lately about happiness and one of the things suggested to do to raise your happiness level is to be grateful. It was suggested to think of all the things you are grateful for. Another suggestion was to look at family photos of happy memories which is more effective than many of the other suggestions in raising your happiness level. When I was a girl, I loved to look at the family photos. They were all kept in a box. My mother had started a family history book, but she only had a few photos in it. A year or so before she died she went through the photos and gave me several photos to put in an album for myself. I truly appreciated her doing that as I may have never been able to know for sure if a photo was of me or my sister since we looked so much alike when we were young. I have a lot more photos than what my mother did. I am trying to scan them in on the computer and organize them. Then I can make slide shows or videos with the photos. I work on scrapbooks to keep photos and the stories behind them more accessible. Photo albums can be another good choice for keeping photos easy to see and look through. We are so lucky to have so many photos of our memories today. If we take time to look through them, maybe we'll be some of the happiest people in the world.

Science of happiness: Happy Memories

Here's a video that encourages us to remember the things that make us happy.