Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Coach Robin LaGrow Buttler

As I was seeking out information to include in this blog, I ran across some interesting facts about Thanksgiving that you may not have been privy to before reading this.  Let’s play some “did you know?”:

Did you know…

…that the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers? YES, it is. The reason is because of how much cooking oil is poured down our drains. 

…that Americans eat 704 million pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving? I wasn’t aware that there is a National Turkey Federation, but that’s what they report.

…that the Butterball hotline answers 100,000 turkey-related questions every year? I’m curious as to what someone would need to ask that they couldn’t find on the wrapping, but I’m not judging.

…that female turkeys don’t gobble? Only male turkeys actually emit that call which is why they’re known as gobblers. 

…that Jingle Bells was originally a Thanksgiving song? It was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857 and wasn’t meant to be about Christmas.  It was originally titled “One Horse Open Sleigh” and these Christmas people reprinted it in 1859 and changed the title. 

…that the original TV dinner was the result of a Thanksgiving miscalculation? Swanson miscalculated the company’s upcoming turkey sales, leaving the company with tons of frozen fowl. They packaged the excess into trays, along with some traditional side, and there you have it.  Happy TV Dinner Time. 

…that the average person gains one pound between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Apparently this seasonal thickening may play a large part in the general weight gain that comes with age.

…that the first national Thanksgiving was declared by George Washington? It was celebrated on November 26, 1789.  He defined it as a time to thank God for protecting Americans and helping them to achieve independence.

…that sixty percent of Americans would rather do anything other than think about what they’re grateful for on Thanksgiving? An author for Psychology Today shares that Americans report feeling stress during holidays and would rather focus their attention on football, books or pets than consider what they may be thankful for. 

How sad. 

It’s time to make a change.  It’s time to allow Thanksgiving to be just that…giving thanks! Take the time to consider just how much has been given to us, rather than taken. God has blessed us with the gift of His son, His grace, mercy, forgiveness, health, strength, comfort, provision, and so much more. There are so many things to be grateful for, even when you feel you have nothing.  To encourage you, here are a few to consider:

God’s love for us. 

Being alive.

The ability to feel emotions.

The freedom to express ourselves.

Having food to eat. 

Friendships.

Experiences that have molded us. 

Sunshine.

The people that care for us. 

Having water to drink. 

Peaceful days.

Hard days that make us stronger.

Our voices. 

Clothes to wear. 

Our senses.

Our jobs.

The ability to love.

Finally, THIS VERY MOMENT.

You are a blessing to so many around you.  Take the time to be thankful for what you bring into this big, beautiful world we live in, and for the blessings, the gifts, the treasures and pleasures you experience from all you have to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!