Let's mind our manners and help God this season, throughout the year, and beyond.

Dear Family of Love !

Happy Take Care Tuesday! Wow it is November 10 and I can't believe that in just 16 days we will have one special Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday on Thanksgiving! The end of Fall is approaching and the various days for family time will be shortly upon us. In my family it will be on Saturday so that my niece's friend can have her family on Thanksgiving! Odd but it just might work. 

Once again this is the perfect time to remind everyone that emotions do run high or extremely low this time of year. There is no getting around it that all of our emotions have been triggered by the the red cup situation a tad bit early. We need to greet our family members with loving words and for the next 16 days just say "Hi" and smile! It is too early to wish someone Happy Thanksgiving. As an Episcopalian/Christian I observe Advent and do not decorate too early. I'm comfortable wishing my family members this way Have a Blessed Advent. I'm also mindful of those who do not share my beliefs and am sensitive to what is appropriate for them. It is ok to ask our family members how they wish to be greeted. Tonight let us talk about seasonal etiquette. This will help us navigate our way through the weeks to come. Here are my pointers that will help us smooth the way for us all.


Be kind

Serve God through our actions to others.

Be holiday sensitive

Go the extra mile for our family members

Speak kindly and gently.

Think before you speak.

Look around for ways to help our family members.

Be trigger aware. Does your family member go through heavy grieving this time of year? This can be 3 months prior to and after. Just watch for behavior patterns. They may repeat year after year.

Help our loved ones with smoke alarms and getting on ladders.

Choose and pick your battles wisely. 

Ask yourself it any of your actions are peacemaking .

Say please and thank you. Try to remember those thank you notes.

Open doors for those who need help.

Drive slowly and safely around pedestrian areas.

Help get things off of tall shelves.

Be patient with wait staff, sales clerks, and office personnel.

Get to know your family members better.

Try to have your car clean inside so that you can give a ride to some one who needs it.

Don't be in such a rush that you forget your manners.

Don't forget those gratuities. 

Smile and be loving!

What can you add to the above list!

Let us be at prayer!

Dear God,

Help us to not become stressed out this holy season where we will come to know you more fully.

Give us courage to lay down our burdens and all the stresses that cause us distress. 

Give us tender hearts to love and serve the least of these and see you in their faces.

Give us strength to care for one another without fear and in the spirit of unity.

Give us the patience to take each day as it comes and not get ahead of ourselves and become rested, relaxed, refreshed, and renewed.

Give us hearts filled with love to the brim and overflowing with love for you and all of our family members who are in need and feeling invisible.

Give us the means to spread hope, love, joy, peace, and shine God's Light to the world in the days ahead.

Use our hands to become your servants to this fragile and broken world.

Use our feet to bring your message of love, peace, redemption, and hope to your world.

Use our voices so that we may speak on behalf of the voiceless.

Use our arms to embrace lovingly those who do not have anyone to love them.

Make our feet sure footed that we may walk the paths that you have set before us without fear.

Make our minds clear that we may see and feel your brightness O God.

Make our spirits light that we may lift others up to see and know you as the loving and merciful God.

Make our bodies strong that we can help others.

Make our lives ready to answer your call and follow where you lead us.

Merciful God Heal all those who are unwell.

Merciful God heal our hearts when we are alone and not feeling like ourselves.

Merciful God we pray for all who are dying and those who have entered into the Thin Places.

Merciful God we pray for all who mourn that we may join you in caring for and giving them comfort, love, compassion, and hope.

We offer our prayers, thanksgivings, remembrances, and celebrations to you and on behalf of others especially______________________

We lift these our prayers to you in the name of your only son Jesus the Christ, our redeemer, brother, and friend. Amen.

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The source for tonight's prayers come from:
  Time to begin to pace ourselves........


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Good Night Lovely Family ! I love you and give God thanks for you this day and always! Take care of yourselves. Let's mind our manners and help God this season, throughout the year, and beyond. Let's be holy people who speak with holy lips, comfort with holy hands,  and live holy lives.   

With love and peace,

Sara


Tonight's musical selection:

Taize - Songs