#ThankfulThursday: Helpers

Last week, we were grateful for the helpers in our lives by baking some muffins or cookies or cakes or pies and delivering them to our neighborhood servants.

The Daughters and I made some yummy pumpkin muffins by plopping a can of pumpkin into a spice cake mix and baking them. The Daughters decided they didn't like pumpkin nor did they like spice cake mix, and they were very grateful to take the muffins to our fire department and not have to eat them themselves.

We talked about how, at any given time of day, for any need that we have our community has people who are willing to stop what they are doing, risk their lives for us and serve our community in any way ... such as eating pumpkin spice muffins that your mother made you make.

Daughter 2 was the spokes person of our group when we delivered. "We're counting down to Thanksgiving, and we wanted to say thank you and give you these muffins."

When the fireman replied that he loved pumpkin, The Daughters did not make any gagging noises or any pukey faces. That's progress, my friends.

Probably the most important part of this week's activity came when we got back into the car to drive home.

"What are we doing next and for whom?" (Really, she said 'for whom'--her momma is an English teacher, yo.)

"I like the way you think, honey," I smiled. 

So ... this week's #ThankfulThursday does not involve baking or cooking anything good or nasty.  

We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.-Gloria Steinem

This week, we're going to be thankful for the generations who have gone before us by visiting a nursing home and taking some fall decorations. 

If you wish, you can create several--as many as you can--crafts of your choice. We plan on painting several mini pumpkins and making a few pumpkin posters as well. We'll deliver those to the residents of a local nursing home. (Please be aware of small breakable pieces and dietary restrictions when you visit your local home.)

Check back next week and share about your #ThankfulThursday experience.

Thankful Thursdays: Week One

Last week, Daughter 2 and I had an experience with a street person. It struck a chord deep in my heart that made me want to be more intentional with our family's thankfulness this fall. Each week, we'll be celebrating Thankful Thursdays by honoring someone or something in anticipation of Thanksgiving. I hope you'll come along with us and report back how you and your family celebrate each week as well.

This week, we're thankful for helpers.

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." ~Fred Rogers, Mr. Rogers

With your family bake some muffins and deliver them to the helpers in your community. Maybe you could take the muffins to the Fire Department or the Police Department or the Emergency Room or the Ambulance service. There are helpers all over our communities. Find them and celebrate them with a batch of muffins.

My family and I are making pumpkin muffins from this recipe, but feel free to make any kind of muffins you'd like. On Sunday, I'll share our experiences with this.

Report back either on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest (send me an email for your invitation to the group board). Use the hashtag #ThankfulThursday

Next week, we'll be thankful for elderly.

Let's count down to Thanksgiving with a celebration a week!