| Meredith Ludwig Curtis |
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 Celebrations are never complete without stories. And our American Thanksgiving is full of stories. Here are two chapter books that are lovely to read aloud to your children or grandchildren during the week of Thanksgiving. Divide the chapters up so that you can finish the whole book in a week. The children will love these books and they give them a look back in time to the very first Thanksgiving.
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 Celebrations are never complete without stories. And our American Thanksgiving is full of stories. You can Learn from the Pilgrims and Puritans in my blog, but there are many more picture books and chapter books that are lovely to read aloud to your children or grandchildren. Here are some picture books to read aloud. Picture Books to Read Aloud Samuel Eaton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy by Kate Waters with Photographs by Russ Kendall (Scholastic 1989) is a lovely picture book with photographs taken at Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum. Samuel sailed over on the Mayflower with the Pilgrims. At the beginning of the book, you meet Samuel and he shows you his village. Then we go through his entire day with him, from putting on his stockings to doing his chores, from helping with the rye harvest to gathering mussels for the evening meal.
My children loved this book when they were little. Children love to learn about other children! Samuel is obedient and prays before he goes to sleep. The family says a blessing before their meals. It’s refreshing to see prayer included in a Scholastic book. I don’t know if this has been edited out of more recent versions. The photographs are vivid and attractive. There is a also a section in the back where you can learn more about Samuel Morton, Plimoth Plantation, and the rye harvest at the back of the book.  Oops!
I caught myself complaining! I want to be joyful always and give thanks in all circumstances. What can I do? Wake Up with a Thankful Heart Each morning before you climb out of bed, start the day with thanking the Lord for His blessing. I usually wake up and say, "Good morning, Lord, I love you! Thank-You for ..." This starts my day off on the right food. I am now grateful, instead of grumpy. It also reminds me how truly good God is to me. Focus on the Blessings, Not the Needs  Plimoth Plantation by William Bradford is a history of the local church in Scrooby that fled to Holland and later crossed the Atlantic Ocean to settle at Plymouth Plantation. William Bradford served for many years as governor of the first settlement in New England. Plimoth Plantation is a detailed history of Plymouth Colony from 1621 to 1646. You will learn about key people in the colony too. William is considered the Father of American History. Similar to other books you will read from the colonial period, William compares the events that occurred in Plymouth with events from the Bible. You will learn about the Mayflower Compact, early colony laws, and treaties with the Indians. I find it interesting that Mr. Bradford very carefully shows you details of the Lord’s blessing and judgment. I learned things in this book that I had never heard before in history class.  With the economy in shambles and our government running up the national debt, we need some financial peace and hope this Christmas. If you are like our family, you are cutting corners where you can, making gifts instead of buying them, and doing your best to simplify Christmas. Some of you are thanking God for your family's employment and others are praying hard for a job.
Melanie is in my spinning class at the Y. We have been praying for her husband's employment for almost a year. During this year, she and her husband, Stormy have learned so much from God about His plan and purpose in their lives. Melanie and Stormy have become more patient and prayerful as the Lord has helped them to grow so much in Him in 2010. Meredith: Melanie, you encouraged me so much last week in spinning class with your testimony of God's faithfulness to your family. Thank you for sharing the story, not only with our spinning class, but with my readers. Can you share a summary of the last couple of years to bring us up-to-date? Melanie: I would be happy to! 2 1/2 years ago, my husband's job ended and he was offered 2 jobs to choose from. Stormy and I planned and chose the one with the most investment money behind the company and the longer projected outlook. We planned to take the job that was the most secure, or so we thought. Stormy took a job with a hotel development company in Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia. This new company had a 25 year lease with the state of Georgia to revitalize Jekyll Island with a new convention center, retail stores, and condominiums. Also, Reynold's Plantation has a Ritz Carlton and The Ritz decided to build a new ballroom and add an additional wing of rooms. There was plenty to keep Stormy busy for the next 5-7 years. We had our plans. Meredith: Tell me more about these plans. Melanie: We decided to buy a home at Reynolds to enjoy while we lived there, while still keeping our Lake Mary home because our children all live in Lake Mary. We made lists of things we would do. Stormy and I bought a home on the water that needed lots of work. The house had fallen into disrepair, but it had good bones. We hired an interior architect and a landscape architect. We had renovation plans, dock plans, and landscaping plans. Last year, at Thanksgiving time, we had just gotten approval from the architectural review board of the development to proceed with plans for our new house. The bank had already approved our loan for the renovation project. We had our plans, but God had other plans. Meredith: The Lord often does have other plans while we are busy with our plans. How did you find out that God had other plans? Melanie: The first week in December, Stormy drove to Jekyll Island for the ground-breaking ceremony. All the dignitaries were there and everything was going as planned. He drove on to Reynold's Plantation later that day and was told by a co-worker, "Be sure to look for a press release tomorrow." Stormy assumed the press release was about the ground-breaking, but discovered the next day that the relationship between Reynolds and the state of Georgia had been severed. Stormy called me and I said, "What does this mean? We have plans!" We went through Christmas last year without much worry. We made more plans. We decided to sell the house...put "blush and lipstick" on the house to make it look good so it would sell.  "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Thanksgiving is here and it just seems like the perfect time for children to thank Mom and Dad for investing in their lives by homeschooling them. "I am thankful that my mom and dad homeschool me because... "... I learn more about God, I have less temptation form the world. At school they called me names and now I have new friends that love me, I get up later, and my dad is reading to us." (Christina, 13, Oviedo, FL) "...I am able to cultivate relationships with Christ, my family, and my church, in a way I couldn't do otherwise! It's given me a firm foundation on biblical truth that I will carry into the rest of my life." (Jennifer, 17, Lake Mary, FL) "... I don't have to get up at 6:00 a.m., I can stay home and do my work, and I don't have to go to school all day and come home to do MORE work!" (Nicholas, 15, Oviedo, FL) "...it provides a positive and biblical atmosphere. It also provides a flexible schedule that allows for sleeping in and spontaneous field trips." (Cody, 17, Sanford, FL)  Thanksgiving is the perfect time to sing! What better way to thank God than to sing Him a song.
There are so many ways to praise God. We can dance, shout, speak, declare, lift our hands, and rejoice. But, almost all of those worship commands are coupled with God's call for us to sing Him a song. So, what are some great worship songs and hymns to sing at Thanksgiving? Here are some worship songs we love to sing at our church at Thanksgiving. I love to sing these in my Quiet Times. Here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving worship songs. Give Thanks (Henry Smith ©1970) Blessed be Your Name (Matt Redman ©2003) Let Everything that Has Breath (Matt Redman ©1999) Desert Song (Brooke Fraiser/Hillsong ©2008 Would you like to listen to them? And then it's on to hymns.  It is almost time to gather together and ask the Lord's blessing and praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go, or maybe grandmother is coming to your house! Thanksgiving is almost here--that wonderful day when we stuff ourselves with delicious food and gab with aunts in the kitchen washing dishes while the men watch football. We try to add a little bit of meaning to the holiday each year by taking turns, before the blessing, to share what we are thankful for. There are often tears and hugs as we take turns. Ours is a big family gathering, so it takes awhile. It is a great way to remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a good time to stop and count our blessings. Can We Give Thanks for our Financial Situation?  It is the time of year we think of pumpkin, pilgrims and turkeys. In our minds, the pilgrims are just another holiday decoration. What fun to make a pilgrim hat! Who doesn't want to color in the Mayflower? My challenge to you this year to learn the WHOLE story, if you don't already know it, of this little Separatist congregation that sailed from England on the Mayflower. Back in those days (early 1600's), if you were English, you belonged to the Church of England. There were still Roman Catholics in England, who refused to let go of their religion when Henry VIII rejected the pope and the Church of England was born, but, everyone else was part of the Anglican Church. For those inspired and transformed by the Reformation, the Church of England did not go far enough in breaking with Rome. Puritans wanted to see the Church of England purified, moving closer to based their practices on the Bible alone, rather than tradition.  Separatists, on the other hand, did not hold out hope for the Church of England. They simply wanted to be free to worship God according to the pattern they saw in Scripture. There was persecution for all those who rejected the Church of England.
"You are the salt of the earth! But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven," (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV). One Local Church  Jim and Jordan both work at the same company. They make the same salary, hold the same position, are both married, and own their own homes in the same neighborhood. They both go to church and try to tithe faithfully. Jim is married to Sally and Jordan is married to Susie. That is where the differences begin. Sally reminds Jim daily that he does not make enough money to save for college, decorate the home, or take a family vacation. She tells her daughter, "Make sure that you marry someone with money." When there are things that Sally absolutely has to have (about once a week), she uses the credit card to purchase them. She still is not content. In fact, anything she buys seems to lose its delight quickly and there are always new things to purchase. Sally complains to anyone that will listen about their financial woes. And it's not just money. Sally wishes her children would do their chores without being asked, clean their rooms, and make better grades. Her in-laws make her life miserable and her friends are always asking for favors of some kind. Susie has an additional burden on her shoulders. She takes care of her elderly grandmother because her parents passed away when she was in college. She is the only family Granny has, and, though she lives in her own assisted living apartment, Susie has to check in on her every day. This costs gas money and time. She would like to get a second job to help ends meet, but with taking care of the kids and Granny, there is no time left for more than her 15 hour a week part-time job. But, no one has every heard a complaint out of Susie's mouth about money, or anything else for that matter. It's not that she holds it in, it's just that she is glad to have Granny around and sees how hard her husband works. When he apologizes for his meager salary, she tells him, "Money isn't everything, Jordan. One day, we'll have plenty of money to do the things we want to do and then we'll remember the good old days when the children were little and Granny was still alive."  The tension in Jim and Sally's home is stifling. You might live under the same tension. Focusing on the negative and complaining are a natural response to difficult circumstances, but they only produce misery. Most of us are experiencing economic setbacks in this economy, but we still belong to a Gracious Heavenly Father who lavishly provides for our needs. He will not leave and forsake us.
If we take our eyes off what we don't have, we can fix our eyes on what we do have. As Christians, even if we are starving and living on the streets, we have an eternal home and a right relationship with God. That is the place to begin thanking God! Find the Evidence!  Here is a lovely tradition based on a marvelous poem written by Hezekiah Butterworth (1839-1905), a devout Christian writer and speaker. This Thanksgiving tradition that will keep you focused on thankfulness in the midst of adversity.
Since our Thanksgiving tradition revolves around the story of the pilgrims first Thanksgiving Feast with the nearby Native Americans, you can remind your children of the story of the pilgrims and read this poem together. Pass out 5 kernels of corn and read this poem aloud as a family. After the reading is finished, everyone shares 5 things they are thankful for. Five Kernels of Corn By Hezekiah Butterworth “Twas the year of the famine in Plymouth of old, The ice and the snow from the thatched roofs had rolled; Through the warm purple skies steer the geese o’er the seas And the woodpeckers tapped in the docks of the trees; And the boughs on the slopes to the south winds lay bare, And dreaming of summer, the buds swelled in the air. The pale Pilgrims welcomed each reddening morn; There were left but for rations, Five Kernels of Corn. Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn! But to Bradford a feast were Five Kernels of Corn!  Here is a delicious warm drink. Enjoy it on a chilly autumn evening. Enjoy it after a yummy Thanksgiving meal with dessert. Or drink it with breakfast. Or drink it around a campfire. Apple cider just says fall. Here is the recipe... Spiced Apple Cider 1 Gallon Apple Cider 1 Sweet Apple, Sliced 2 Lemons, Sliced 4 tsp. Grated Orange Zest 1 Tbsp. Whole Cloves 1 Tbsp. Whole Allspice 3 Whole Cinnamon Sticks  Place in a cheesecloth and tie closed cloves, allspice, & cinnamon sticks.
Put cheesecloth filled with spices and all other ingredients in a crock pot and simmer on low for 4-6 hours with lid on. Remove bag of spices, and apple and lemon slices, before serving. Enjoy! Meredith Curtis  I found a recipe for pumpkin muffins as a young bride preparing for her first Thanksgiving meal far away from home.
I adapted the recipe to make it moister. These taste like mini pumpkin pies! Yummy. These muffins have become part of our traditional Thanksgiving meal. Here is my recipe. Enjoy! Pumpkin Muffins 2 Large Eggs 1 (16 oz.) Can Pumpkin ½ Cup Milk ⅓ Cup Butter, Melted ¼ Cup Granular Sugar ½ Cup Brown Sugar 1½ Cup Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice ½ tsp Salt ½ Cup Nuts ½ Cup Raisins Preheat oven 400°F. Beat together eggs, pumpkin, milk & melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Combine sugars, flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a separate bowl. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients all at once. Stir in raisins and nuts. Bake 25 minutes. Happy Thanksgiving! Meredith Curtis  It's time for Thanksgiving again and one of my favorite things to eat: turkey. I don't know which is better: the Thanksgiving feast or the leftover turkey sandwiches with a glass of milk.
So many happy memories of Thanksgiving with my Dad's side of the family growing up and then, for years, we would travel home to my parents to share Thanksgiving with them. I will miss them this year and think about them as we enjoy the traditional roasted turkey. Holiday Turkey
If frozen, thaw turkey in the refrigerator. Allow 1 day for every 4-5 pounds. That means it would take 3 days to thaw a 15 pound turkey. Remove the neck and giblets. Rinse the cavity well. Place in large roasting pan. If stuffing the turkey, lightly spoon stuffing into the bird’s cavity. Pack stuffing loosely. If not, place a large onion and 5 cloves of garlic inside the cavity to add flavor to the bird. Sprinkle skin with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover bird with foil My friend, Candie Donner, has created 2 Thanksgiving lapbooks for you to use with your children. Use one for your younger children (K-3rd grades) and one for the older ones (4th-7th grade). They are perfect for use with the whole family because they cover the same information, with the older lapbook digging a little deeper.  I was amazed at how beautifully the lapbooks were laid out. The final product, a lap book to enjoy, will be lovely. With so much information, I can't think of anything about Thanksgiving that was not included.
What on earth is a laptop you might be asking? It is a project that children create using file folders. They cut out and make all kinds of quick and easy projects, gluing them to the file folders in an attractive way. The lapbook becomes a keepsake, a permanent record of what you've learned together. Topics Covered The lapbook covers information, definitions, and celebrations. Here are some of the topics included in the lapbook.
 Remember that God loves holidays! He established several in the Old Testament for the nation of Israel to celebrate. Let's keep the focus on Him, not the things money can buy. You have already read 'Tis the Season to be Frugal II, so now let's dig into practical tips. Let's honor Him in the way we spend our money this season and see Him reward our obedience. God is like that--a “Rewarder” of those who seek Him and walk in His ways! Let's talk about some practical ways to rein in spending this holiday season. Commit the Holidays to the Lord  Pray and ask God to help you create a frugal and joy-filled celebration!
 The holiday season is upon us. Christmas decorations are up in the store. With holiday sales for pre-season shoppers and turkeys are in the supermarket, it is only a matter of time before I see eggnog and those yummy Christmas flavored coffee creamers. Money & the Holidays Thanksgiving and Christmas are delightful! I spend the entire Thanksgiving week decorating the entire house for Christmas, taking everything off the walls and tabletops and replacing it with Christmas decorations. Holidays recipes are already sitting on my kitchen counters waiting to be chosen for the season's baking fests.  "Butterball turkeys are on sale," a voice said from behind the newspaper.
"Already?" I asked, surprised. "Mom, it's already November," my financially astute daughter with a degree in accounting, responded. Oh, dear friends, here it is already November. It is time to buy, buy, buy, shop, shop, shop. Or is it? If you are like me, this holiday season finds my wallet with a lot less money inside it this year. I am having to modify my spending, which means that I will have to modify my celebrating. Am I worried? Panicked? Sad? No, I am not. I am totally trusting God to make this the best celebration ever--just less expensive. Stock Up Now! |
AuthorMeredith Curtis, homeschooling mom & worship leader, is married to her college sweetheart. She is blessed with 5 amazing children, 3 adorable grandchildren, and an awesome church family! 
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