Thankfulness & Reflection: 6 Questions From the Oliver Family to Help Prepare for Thanksgiving by Jonathan Oliver

Holidays
2 years ago

Thankfulness & Reflection: 6 Questions From the Oliver Family to Help Prepare for Thanksgiving

Use the holidays as a time to reflect. As Thanksgiving approaches, think about the following:

  1. What are a a few of your family traditions?
  2. If you travel, how far away from home will you go?
  3. What is a food item that must be on the table?
  4. What will be your greatest challenge? Kids out of school, in-laws, family origin, eating too much food, possibly divorce?
  5. How can you take care of yourself to best be thankful as Thanksgiving approaches?
  6. What are you thankful for?

Here are the answers from the Oliver family:

1. We are a young family, so establishing traditions are being formed. Right now I will say cooking as a family and going to pick out a real Christmas tree the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.

2. We try and rotate every other Thanksgiving between my bride’s side of the family and my side. However, the last three Thanksgivings, including this one, we will be home because my wife, Saran, is on call.

3.  Turkey, ham, dressing (not stuffing), cranberry sauce out of can (the cheap kind), pecan pie and Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell ice cream.

4. Having both my daughters, Journey and Justice, home together all day. Having activities planned.

5. Communication with my bride, checking with my accountability team, not over-eating or drinking, being present in the moment and  letting go of perfection. Awareness of expectations (that’s a setup for disappointment).

6. My family and our health. My bride and I are truly happily married and choose to invest in becoming even closer. Journey and Justice are both healthy. We are building a beautiful family and it isn’t by accident. We are very intentional. I am thankful for everything God has blessed me with, even the struggles, because they help build me into the man I am becoming daily.

Please share your answers below! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Elisa Schmitz
What a wonderful post about your beautiful family! Love the photo, too. We also pick out and decorate our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. Wonderful tradition we all look forward to. Growing up, we would go to my grandparents' house about three hours away. Now, I mostly host. I always serve turkey and ham (or lamb), twice baked potatoes, praline sweet potatoes, veggie casserole, fresh baked rolls, pumpkin cheesecake and pecan pie (Donna John 's grandma's recipe). The biggest challenge is our blended family dynamics, but things seem to be getting better every year. To take care of us, I insist on an after-meal walk. Gotta get moving after all that eating! I am thankful for my husband, my family, my tribe (and much more, but those may be my top three)! Thank you for making me stop and reflect, Jonathan Oliver ! Happy Thanksgiving.
Jonathan Oliver
Thank you for the feedback.

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