Be Joyful, Always.

Have you ever found yourself so exhausted from the to-dos of the holidays that you aren’t quite enjoying them? This week I’m thrilled to share a guest post by Kyra Joy Craig on taking care of yourself this Thanksgiving season. Below she shares two simple, practical ways to show yourself care so you can be present and enjoy the season. Keep reading below and be sure to check out her delicious and healthy Thanksgiving breakfast recipe.

“Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be hard for a multitude of reasons, but we don’t have to cancel or postpone it. We have done enough of that this year. We can celebrate or commemorate it in our own way. ”

— Kyra Joy

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

Have you ever thought that Paul was too bossy here? The Message Bible reads “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” The pretty signs say “Be joyful always…”

Is Paul kidding? We are not robots.

This year, we have had to grieve a lot. The sudden and drastic change in schedules and routines left most of us disoriented. We literally had to say goodbye to dear friends and family without funerals. How are we to “be joyful always” and “thank God in all circumstances?” Some people want to cancel the holiday and just vacate. We simply do not know how to plan for the season this year.

After I took a deep breath, I thought about the root of “rejoice.” It could be read as “remember joy again and again.” This difficult year has brought a number of blessings like the slower pace and getting back to the essentials. What do we really need to do?

Thanksgiving is not about the turkey, dressing, pies, or football games. It’s about the essentials: remembering joy, prayer and giving thanks. This can happen in a snowy field in Maine or on a beach in California.

This year, it is okay to “thank God no matter what happens.” Let this be part of our self-care.

Two more elements of my Thanksgiving self-care routine are breakfast and walking.

Thanksgiving Morning Spiced Pumpkin Parfait

A recipe from Kyra

View Recipe

Breakfast

Please don’t think that Thanksgiving dinner is the only meal of the day. If you wait until 2PM to eat, no one will enjoy dinner. I make a protein-rich breakfast in the morning so I actually feel good when I see family and friends. We don’t have to be weighed-down and exhausted when we come to the table. Having a good breakfast lets us have energy for the day. Check out my festive pumpkin parfait recipe below.

Walking

Last year, I did my first Turkey Trot 5K. It was the best thing. It took me one hour and seven minutes. Time well-spent. As a single 41 year-old woman, I don’t host many holidays. I just go to where the kids are. This frees up some time. Walking allowed me to be present in my body, work up a sweat and feel productive before I walked into a room of complicated family dynamics. It was a very holy time for me. I was all on my own for most of the race. A huge snow cloud was dancing with the sun the entire time. Snow made for a surreal dream-like state during the last leg. Old friends and new co-workers came out to hug me as I passed their homes. When I stepped over the finish line, I felt more like myself than I ever did watching the annual parade.

Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be hard for a multitude of reasons, but we don’t have to cancel or postpone it. We have done enough of that this year. We can celebrate or commemorate it in our own way. We don’t need a large gathering or thirteen desserts for us to pause and give thanks.

I still think Paul is quite bossy, but the activities that he urges us to do can happen if you are alone or together. Joy, prayer, and thanksgiving are not dependent on location or menu.

Around June I retired the phrase “take care of yourself.” It sounded very lonely and just plain hard. I replaced it with “show yourself care.” It seemed more joyful and forgiving.

Do the things that are life-giving to you this season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kyra Joy Craig

Team: Sides

Kyra’s favorite side at Thanksgiving is Sweet Potatoes

Kyra Joy normally spends Thanksgiving at her parent’s house. As a guest she likes to bring the flowers and wine! Pictured here, she’s just finished her Turkey Trot in 2019!

You can find Kyra and follow her writing at: https://kyrajoycraig.com/ where she offers encouragement to live with joy and contentment even in the deep valleys of life. She sees both beauty and sorrow as she lives with Cerebral Palsy. It’s not easy, however, she is on a mission to learn and teach ways to live a more spiritually, emotionally and physically healthy life regardless of limitations. You can find her somewhere drinking a strong cup of French Roast coffee.

Follow her on Instagram @kyrajoycraig, Facebook, or Pinterest.