Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Attitude of Gratitude {4} and Thanksgiving Give-Away

Like many other bloggers, I am making a gratitude journal this November. I am following along with and being inspired by Bernice's Attitude of Gratitude Challenge blog.  To read more about my journal and to see previously posted pages, click on the "gratitude" label at the bottom of this post. Today's page is based on Bernice's Day 15 prompt about music. I used her quote, "Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness," which I adore! I also used her technique challenge (use music paper). My added journaling reads "I am grateful for the home-cooked meals provided by friends - which always seem to arrive at the perfect time." 
Today is Thanksgiving the in United States - a time when friends and family gather around food.  In recognition of the holiday and the good friends who are supporting us this fall, I am giving away a wonderful cook book, written by the sister of one of my good friends. It's called "The Good Neighbor Cook Book," and I have eaten many wonderful dishes from it already:
If you would like to win this book, simply leave a comment mentioning a friend or neighbor who has helped you out when you needed it. On Sunday night, I will choose a name at random and have Amazon.com send them a copy of the book. If you don't win the book, but want to learn more about it and see some sample recipes, check out this blog.
Happy Thanksgiving!

20 comments:

Amy said...

What a lovely idea Rinda, happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.

Growing up, we had wonderful neighbours. When I moved a long way from home to attend Uni, they would send care packs of food and write post cards to me and always call in when visiting the city. Years later when our elderly gentleman neighbour was under specialist care in the city I would visit him most days and he would swan around the ward introducing me to all the staff - we had a great time together!

I am thankful you have reminded me of this story and these wonderful people, I plan to scrap about them tonight - or at least, very soon!

scrappyjacky said...

Happy Thanksgiving,Rinda. The book sounds great...would love to enter the giveaway.

alexa said...

Morning Rinda, and wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving! Such a kind gesture, and the book looks bright and full of interest! We have been blessed with many kind people; from the vicar who used to lend us her car when we first moved here as a young couple with a baby and didn't have one, to the elderly neighbour who often gets to the bins before I do and puts them out on the roadside the evening before collection. More recently, the friend who just turned when things were difficult and sad here with a full meal for all of us, and just popped it in the oven. Angels come in all shapes and sizes!

Becky said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. My neighbour Rachael is a wonderful lady and will come in and feed the cats for me whenever we have to go away at the last minute and can't put them into a cattery. Not an easy job for her with 3 children under 10 and a husband who is a Met police officer and works shifts. Needless to say I am extremely grateful to her.

Yvonne said...

What a generous give away for Thanksgiving, Rinda! I have one very special friend that is with me through happy and sad times, no questions asked.

Anne said...

Oh yes, it's thanksgiving in the States, so a very happy thanksgiving to you and all your family and especially to Paul !
We have great neighbors around here but I guess the best is our next door neighbor. She lost her husband a while ago and he left her some money so she decided to redo the fence around her house. The rule in UK is that you are responsible for the fence on your right and your neighbor for the fence on your left. She knew we couldn't afford to redo the fence on her left, so without even telling us, she decided she would pay for it (may be you even read the story on my blog). She just popped in a day and said everything was arranged and told us when the guys would come. That was amazingly kind, she is such a sweet person. xx

Margi said...

Happy Thanksgiving Rinda, love your quote of gratitude,,,,totally beautiful.
Although we are strictly neighbors, I don't know her life for the most part and she doesn't know mine, but when I need help with the pups or she needs help with hers in an emergency basis we are always right there to help each other out. I am quite thankful for that!

Karen said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Rinda! We just started a neighborhood website where neighbors can leave messages asking for help, or volunteering help. We live on a short street, and neighbors are always willing to give us a ride to the airport, water our plants while we're away, and keep an eye on our house when we travel. I love that quote, and you may see it in my gratitude journal as well.

Nellie Mae said...

Wow, what a generous give-away. I should mention that many good friends have been so helpful to me lately....but I must say, the neighbor that used to live across from me would come over and shovel my walk way, mow my lawn or rake my leaves....just to be nice. The best thing he ever did was come running when a snake was laying across the pathway and I screamed. He got rid of the snake and now I'm always afraid of finding another one on the sidewalk because that neighbor moved away!

nancy y said...

What a thoughtful giveaway! Good neighbors are indeed a blessing! After a surgery 10 years ago a group of ladies pulled together to deliver a home cooked meal for my family for a week until my Mom arrived to help out.

Carola Bartz said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you, Rinda. Your page today is so beautiful, I like the little angel.
During our move, my friend Jeanne was of incredible help - I think without her we would have quite struggled with the second leg of our move. I would love to cook something for her out of the Good Neighbor Cook Book!

Alison said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you all Rinda....I have been so blessed my friends everywhere I have lived!
Alison xx

Missus Wookie said...

Happy Thanksgiving Rinda & family. new run a food co-op with some of our neighbours, so useful to split the delivery costs!

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Wonderful journal page. Love the angel. :)

Melissa said...

Another great page & your use of the music paper for a banner works really well.

That looks like a great giveaway - I'd love to win it! When we returned home from out of state years ago when my father-in-law passed away, friends greeted us at the door with a homecooked meal that I'll always remember! Friends sharing hugs & love & food to comfort us & welcome us home.

Jimjams said...

Happy Thanksgiving Rinda ... karma is good today as YOU have won Jennifer's Frosty Festivities blog hop prize!!!

I've just checked out the blog and already found a recipe I want to try out for next time I bake for my crop, so a BIG thank you!

As for good neighbours and friends - we've been very happy with the help & friendship offered by one couple: they housed us between apartments, looked after me during the day when I was in a thigh to ankle cast and Hubby was at work and made us feel SO very welcome when we moved to their country.

Lynda said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gosh, it's hard to really mention one person who has helped me - my friend Barb when I was going through a crisis, my Aunt Irene who's gone to a better place who helped me grow and my hubby who continues to help me on this journey. And that's just the start of the list! Great giveaway!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

What an awesome idea, Rinda. Thanks so much for letting me know about it with your comment on my blog, as I am running in several different directions this weekend and haven't been on the computer. :o)

Having just recently been on the receiving end of some amazing generosity, the subject of good neighbors is near and dear to my heart. The first person who came to mind is my sister's sister-in-law Gina who cooked meals for my mom and step-dad every three weeks for a year and a half. Every time Mom had chemo, Gina would prepare a meal large enough to feed them for several nights. So, if I'm lucky enough to win, I would definitely want the book sent to sweet Gina! xo

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't have neighbors really, not the help you out sort, but I do have a good friend that is always willing to swap childcare with me so we can each get some time alone to get our hair done.

~*~Patty S said...

Just back from a week in Colorado with our son.

Hope that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving

If I am not too late, thank you for the chance to be the lucky winner of your super giveaway dear Rinda.

Brightest of Blessings All Ways
oxo