Thankful Thoughts from 9 Amazing Homesteaders
Through the hustle and bustle of every day life; no matter if you come from the big city or the small homestead we all have been blessed in one way or another. Each year families sit around the table and say what they are thankful for this year.
As homesteaders living the lifestyle that we are blessed to be able to live, we have all come closer together as a community. Today, we asked eight (nine including us) homesteaders what they are thankful for and here is what they all said:
The two most powerful words thanks and giving and put them together to get Thanksgiving. At Thanksgiving most of us thank about what we're most thankful for and just smile. I am truly speaking from my heart so here goes what I am thankful for. I'm thankful for the simplest of comforts in my own home such as hot water, light and warmth. I'm thankful for finances that allow us to live comfortably and be generous with others. I'm thankful for past adversities that have formed me into the person I am today. I 'm thankful for difficult times that sharpen me and make me better in the end. I’m thankful for the new relationships and connections over this past year both online and right here at home. I am thankful for my partner and my son who has been my rock plus my biggest fans. ~ Tana
First and foremost I am thankful to my God above for all that he has done for me and my family. This year I am especially grateful for my Wife Tana, and my children: Kyle, Tristan and Mackenzie, and for the rest of my friends and family. I am also grateful, to all the men and women in uniform or have worn the uniform for your sacrifices so that we all may be free and allow us to live the lifestyle that we do. ~ Shane
“It’s not happy people who are thankful. It’s thankful people who are happy.” -unknown
In my opinion, being thankful means showing appreciation and gratitude for all that you have been blessed with. I don’t think you can be truly happy without this. We should also be thankful for the struggles we face because, without these challenges, we can not grow or learn from them. Everything in our lives molds us into who we are. I am thankful for my blessings and my struggles for they have molded me into who I am and I am very happy with the person I see every morning when I look in the mirror.
I have been blessed with many amazing things that I am thankful for. My kids, who challenge me every day. I am thankful for these incredible opportunities to teach them life lessons. My husband, who has stood by me through all my ups & and downs. My parents, who raised me to be myself no matter what. I’ve also been blessed with a love for our earth and a drive to keep her safe. I am thankful for all of my blessings. I am also thankful for all the unbelievable people on this earth that do good every day. Be thankful and you will be happy.
I am grateful for our farming family. We didn't start out with the goal of being a farming family. We were kids in our twenties,starting out like many others in the mid 1980's. Somehow, the blessings lined up and we had the opportunity to grow our farmstead on family land and never looked back.
I am blessed with a patient hard working husband who knows how to work the land, build, and tend animals and plants. Our grown up children took much of the life lessons we tried to instill and are building good solid healthy lives on their own. Our farm continues to grow and emerge. It may not be a showplace farm. It has the usual working farm messiness, broken parts, and scrap piles. It's even better because it is our place. Looking forward to the future with three little grands who we can share the farm with and watch them become farm kids too.</div>
As I reflect upon the history of that first Thanksgiving I realize just how blessed we are! The Pilgrims sailed on a ship across the sea, their food spoiled; the fresh drinking water became stagnant. When they finally reached the golden shores of America their bodies were already greatly weakened and winter was fast approaching.
In fact, over half the Pilgrims died during that first terrible winter. The living buried the dead at night in secret, in hopes that the Indians wouldn’t know just how few of them were left.
However, the Native Americans had pity on the Pilgrims and extended them their hand in friendship.
Today my family is thankful for good food, fresh water, our health, our many friends who have helped us along life’s journey, and this beautiful land that God has given to us!
~Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
“I hope this next year will be a bit easier…Have a few more blessings…”
I almost wanted to roll my eyes. On occasion when I am talking to my mother, even as an adult, I still want to say, “Mooomm…” dramatically.
But I knew she was right.
Until we are thankful, no matter the circumstances, we will never reach a place of true contentment and blessings overflowing. A thankful heart says, “I am so blessed” when the bank account doesn’t agree. It says, “I am so grateful” when hard knocks are so very persistent. Thankfulness says, “I am so relieved my hope is in Jesus.” Because without that, there really is nothing.
Being empty-nesters, my husband and I really miss our kids and grandkids. Our children are spread out all over the United States, and sometimes, the world. One of the things I am most grateful for as this Thanksgiving Day quickly approaches is our family. Even though our kids are far away, we love to remind ourselves that we are blessed that all of our children are out there in the world being productive and responsible citizens. I feel so thankful to be able to spend this Thanksgiving with two of our eight kids and two of our grandchildren. We are really looking forward to it! Our marriage is way up there on the Blessings List, too. We are strong together, and we always turn to each other during troubling times. We are each other’s best friends and biggest supports. We’re also so very grateful for our home and community. The Healing Harvest Homestead is a small place, just 2/3 acre, approximately. But we are able to grow herbs, vegetables, have a few fruit trees, and house our chickens, turkeys, and horses with no problems. The community we live in is filled with great and helpful, like-minded people—the kind you can call on in emergencies! It’s a small but powerful place.
Motivation and Faith are on the abstract list of things we feel such gratitude for. We are so fortunate to be motivated to continually learn and grow as we become more self-sufficient with every year that goes by. Our energy, drive, and commitment are intangibles that are vital to our lifestyle and growth toward self-sufficiency. We both work outside the homestead on top of the daily chores and duties around here. We come home, work on projects, complete animal/garden chores, and try to learn something new every day. I am so, so very grateful for our ability to learn, the fearlessness to try new things—even if they are scary, and the commitment to see things through. We also feel such gratitude to be followers of Jesus Christ, to know that He is always there, and that no matter what things happen, everything will fall into place. Having God in our lives is our biggest blessing of all, for without Him, everything is pretty meaningless.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! :-)
Heidi and Bud....So grateful!
We are Thankful for You!
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
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Thank you Lisa[/caption]