Being healthy goes beyond what we eat, drink; or the exercise we get.  We do need to work on these things, but did you know that your emotions, your belief system, and how you handle life directly impact your body?  Studies prove over and over again that life’s events can take a toll on your body and your response to those events can deplete your immune system.

Families are the source of comfort in times of need.  Relationships connect us to the care and comfort we need to get through tough times. Traditions give us memories of a “safe” place and exude the love and compassion we can use to heal our minds and our bodies when they start breaking down.  Holidays are a time to formulate these family bonding experiences, so when times are tough we can rely on our memories of the good that surround them. Be the one to start these traditions for your children, nieces/nephews, grandchildren, neighbors.

The following practical ideas have been contributed by FamilyWorks class members of the church I attend. They share to help highlight the true meaning of the upcoming holiday season.  Here is one idea of more to come.

Tammy Mcallister – Dreamstime

We place five kernels of dried corn on our plates. Then we go around the table, each of us taking one kernel at a time, expressing something we are thankful for. This is based on the “Five Kernels of Corn” tradition below:

Following the first Thanksgiving celebration, the Pilgrims continued to struggle with provisions. The general food rations kept declining through the winter of 1622. The Pilgrims put much of their hope in the fall harvest of corn, but it was a dismal failure. Rations continued to be decreased due to the extreme shortage of food. At one point during 1623, they were eating just five kernels of corn a day.

The tradition of giving five kernels of corn began with the celebration of Forefather’s Day on December 22, 1820. There were two main reasons for the five kernels. The first was to remember the sacrifice and the suffering of the Pilgrims. The second was to count their blessings.

Stay tuned for more . . . just in time for Thanksgiving!