Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. Now that both Daylight Saving Time and the election are behind us, it’s time to enjoy some cooler air. This past weekend, my family took a train ride on the Hiwassee Loop of the Tennessee Valley Railroad. It was fabulous. We spent four hours looking at the autumn foliage, and I was able to write a bit in my novel (because what says “author” more than writing on a train?).
Happy Birthday to all of you who turned a year older this past week. And Happy Anniversary to you and your loved one for reaching another milestone year together.
Quote of the Week: “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” –William Faulkner
Song of the Week: Contrary to popular belief, “Jingle Bells” was originally a song sung at Thanksgiving. According to a KSL News Radio article I found online, “The One Horse Open Sleigh” song was composed by James Lord Pierpont in 1850 for his Thanksgiving Sunday school class. Also, according to History.com, New England held “jingling” races in the 1800s. The song was officially published in 1857 after Pierpont performed it during a Thanksgiving concert.
Joke of the Week: What’s the best song to play while cooking a turkey? “All About That Baste.”
Recharge Tip of the Week: A few weeks ago, we talked about protecting your time and not being booked solidly through the holidays. This week, I want to talk about something equally important: providing a safe place for overwhelmed guests and family members.
During the holidays, it isn’t unusual for people to reach their limit with social interactions. Introverted people as well as those from a trauma background can get overwhelmed when asked/forced to be in loud situations. Family dinners can get a bit hairy if uncomfortable topics arise. Oversharing of personal information can cause withdrawals, as well.
If possible, designate a room as a safe place and keep it quiet and cool so that overwhelmed family members can go there to regulate their emotions.
Recipe of the Week: Fruity Ginger Ale Punch
What you’ll need:
59-oz. carton pineapple orange juice (or any citrusy flavor—I like strawberry banana, too)
2-liter bottle(s) of ginger ale (regular or diet)
In a punch bowl, mix equal parts of each to desired tartness/sweetness. Serve chilled or, if you like thicker punch, freeze the juice in ice trays and place in the ginger ale when served at your event.
Holiday Idea of the Week: With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to create a blessings jar.
What you’ll need:
Any size mason jar with ring and lid
Fall-colored ribbon
fabric square to cover the lid under the rim
one index card
single hole punch
twine or thin ribbon
Select the size of jar you want to use, then take the piece of fabric and cover the insert part of the lid. Put the two pieces back together. Take your Fall-colored ribbon and tie a bow around the neck of the jar. Write a nice note on the index card, punch the hole in the corner, then attach the twine or ribbon. I am a sucker for writing poems, so I’d write something like this:
This is a gift for you
to place your blessings in,
When you write them down on paper
something magical begins.
You no longer feel your worries
quite as intensely as before.
That helps turn your blessing
Into many more.
Shout-Out of the Week: This week I want to give a shout-out to everyone who has served our country in the Armed Forces. Thank you for giving your time, often away from your family, to help keep the United States strong and free. We salute YOU!
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.