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Hello Reader,

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and I'm in big trouble this year because all the local cafeterias have shut down.

True confession: I may make all the sides and rolls and salads and dressing, but I normally order my turkey precooked by somebody who knows what they're doing. And with groceries so expensive right now, I sure don't want to risk over- or under-cooking the bird!

And since those frozen gobblers take several days to thaw in the fridge, I've got to make up my mind pretty soon about cooking it myself, or I'm going to run out of options!

I don't want you to run out of options, though, so I'm including some of my most popular Thanksgiving resources (plus two brand new ones) in this week's link list. Enjoy!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Be Ye Thankful Pennant Banner - a pretty printable banner for your mantle or doorway
• ​Hymns of Thanksgiving - a beautiful little booklet of traditional hymns to sing together
• ​Thanksgiving I Spy - a fun activity for the kids and/or grandkids on Thanksgiving Day
• ​Let's Talk Turkey - a tricky trivia test to share with the guests gathered around your table
• ​A Prayer of THANKS - remember to count your blessings in these six areas when you pray
• ​Conversation Starters for Thanksgiving - get the family talking around the dinner table
• ​In Everything Give Thanks - this sweet coloring page features a young girl praying

What I'm reading this week:

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Jennifer Pepito's Mothering by the Book examines how reading classic literature aloud to her children (coupled with reading lots and lots of Scripture) helped her overcome a variety of fears she faced as the mother of seven children. Reading her thoughts felt like having a delightfully uplifting conversation with a kindred spirit. The biblical insights Pepito shares helped grow her faith and powerfully transform her life. If you're prone to worry, Mothering by the Book might do the same for you. ​

On the podcast this week:

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Loving Life at Home: Episode 19 HOW DOES YOUR HUSBAND SPELL RESPECT? One of the most powerful things you can do to build up your man and strengthen your marriage is to shower your husband with the respect and admiration he so longs for. Here's how my husband spells R-E-S-P-E-C-T. There's a good chance yours spells it the same way. Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I was only able to completely mark off two of the four items on last week's to-do list: I ✅ finished four more pages on my Thanksgiving devotional journal and ✅ pre-recorded two podcasts (so I wouldn't have to worry about it while we traveled, first to Chicago then to Missouri). The Christmas letter and gift shopping are still works in progress!

Personal goals for this week:

• finish that Christmas letter (at least a rough draft)
• get ready for Thanksgiving (menu planning, cooking, table setting)
• attend homecoming festivities at my old Alma Mater
• make a list of what I still need to buy for Christmas gifts

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