by Marty Coleman | Nov 24, 2016 | Thanksgiving, W. T. Purkiser |
Sharing Your Blessings
I hear ‘I am so blessed’ often here in the bible belt. I say it myself sometimes. I say it to others when I hear them talk of something good happening. But until I read this quote I had never put blessing and thanksgiving together like this.
Of course at Thanksgiving you bless the meal. But do we think about how each person’s individual blessing has contributed to the meal? Did we consider Uncle Bob’s amazing ability to impart joy to the kids by playing with them is his blessing he is sharing? What about sister Eleanor who has spent a lifetime cooking the best damn pecan pie in the world? She didn’t hide her abilities, she shared them. And what about that young precocious son of your brother, who is funny and sharp as a knife with his wit? He probably doesn’t know it yet but he is sharing that which has been given to him.
Even more importantly, once we step away from the Thanksgiving meal, do we share our blessings with the wider world? I hope we do. Because the truth is if you really want to show your thankfulness for the blessings you have been given, whether by God, the universe, genetics, the capitalist system, wherever you believe they came from, then there is only one way to show it and that is to share it, right?
Lets share our blessings in love. Happy Thanksgiving!
Drawing and commentary © 2016 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by W. T. Purkiser, 1910-1992, American Preacher
Purchase the original | purchase a print | matte and frame available
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 27, 2014 | Thanksgiving |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I thought it would be cool this year to show a selection of drawings from past Thanksgivings. Some have links back to the original post, others don’t because the original post was just the drawing.
2013
Original Post – Perfect vs Wonderful
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2011
Original post – The Gratitude of Escape
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2010
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2009
I did a 5 part series on gratitude that year.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 26, 2013 | Annette Funicello, Thanksgiving |
I think it’s a perfectly wonderful week to talk about Thanksgiving
The Mouseketeer
Annette Funicello was a founding member of Disney’s Mouseketeers. She then went on to star in Beach Blanket movies with Frankie Avalon and record chart topping records. She had it all; looks, fame, money and adulation of fans around the world. She also had MS, which caused her to retire well before she would have otherwise. When she made it public she was inundated with messages of sadness and sorrow for her plight. In response she said this,
“Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.”
Annette Funicello – Mouseketeer & star of Beach Blanket Bingo
The X Factor
One of the past contestants on ‘The X Factor’, Rion Paige, was born with wrists and arms that are bent at wrong angles and can’t move as you would expect. She is up in front of millions and millions of people singing, showing the world all her ‘imperfections’. She is the one on the competition who is the biggest smiler, the sweetest laugher, the most thankful in her responses to the judges. Her body may not be ‘perfect’, but her attitude is. I have no doubt she has this quote on her refrigerator.
Rion Paige
Perfect vs Wonderful
I know for me, when I like look for the perfect in myself, others and the world around me, I see imperfection. But when I look at the wonderful in myself, others and the world around me, I see perfection everywhere.
The Vintage Napkin
I have used this quote before, WAY back in 2002 when I was drawing the napkins for my daughters and putting in their school lunches.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Annette Funicello, 1942-2013, American actress and singer.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 23, 2012 | Thanksgiving |
HOLY SHIT
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 25, 2011 | Christmas, Thanksgiving |
It’s Black Friday Reality Check Day
Here is a simple idea: Do you want to give you and yours a GREAT Christmas? Don’t go into debt giving gifts. Give what you can afford to pay cash for. If you can’t buy it with cash or a debit card, don’t buy it. If that means your family and friends think less of you (do you REALLY TRULY think that is going to happen?) then let them think less of you. Why is it ok for them to think less of you? Because there IS less of you! Less money than you are pretending to have. You DON’T have it so don’t pretend you do. You aren’t doing anyone any favors by giving gifts you can’t afford just because you are afraid they won’t be happy. In the long AND short run you will be happier and your family will see you being a great role model for responsible stewardship of your money and resources. THAT is a great Christmas gift.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Anonymous
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 23, 2011 | Anonymous, Gratitude - 2010/2011, Thanksgiving |
Some things I escaped, for which I am grateful.
- Losing an Eye – 1955/1965 – Numerous cuts around my eyes as a kid. My nickname in my family was ‘Stitch’.
- War/Combat – 1972/73 – Was just young enough to not be drafted during the Vietnam war.
- Injury – 1972 – Private plane landing. Tire went flat on landing, but not before we had slowed down considerably.
- Rape/Death – 1973 – Got in the car of a stranger during a severe rainstorm at LaGuardia Airport. Talked my way out of it successfully.
- Death – 1973 boat explosion – Severely burned but survived.
- Injury/Death – 1989 Loma Prieta/World Series Earthquake – Very close to the epicenter in Santa Cruz county.
- Injury/Death/Arrest – 1993 – driving while intoxicated – Stopped drinking in May of that year.
- Nasty Divorce – 2000 – First wife Kathy and I had an amicable divorce and remain good friends and supporters.
What have you escaped for which you are grateful?
Drawing and List by Marty Coleman, Publisher of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Anonymous
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 27, 2009 | Gratitude - 2010/2011, Maurice Setter, Thanksgiving |
Expecting something of value to happen in your life without pre-conditions of the exact nature of the event isn’t easy. But if you practice being open to whatever happens and finding the preciousness within it, then it won’t matter if it is gold, silver or dirt.
Drawing and Commentary by Marty Coleman
“Too many people miss the silver lining because they are expecting gold.” – Maurice Setter, 1936-not dead yet, English football (soccer) player
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 26, 2009 | Anonymous, Gratitude - 2010/2011, Thanksgiving |
When we are non-grateful we look at what is missing, what we want or feel we should have.
In art instruction there is a technique to help people see the object they are drawing by having them focus on the negative space. the space between and around objects and its shape. Seeing that helps to see the object.
However, in life seeing what isn’t there is a double edged sword. Should you work to attain what you want, work for that you do not have? Sure, it’s a good thing. But to look at what a person doesn’t give instead of what they do isn’t always the same thing. To look at what a society doesn’t give isn’t always the same thing.
Instead of focusing on what is missing, the negative space in your partner, your boss, your child, your society, your culture, focus on the positive space. The things they actually do and be grateful. It doesn’t mean you don’t try to attain something greater. It doesn’t mean you can’t say when your needs aren’t being met. It simply means you acknowledge what is really there.
I am grateful for those of you who read my blog and enjoy the drawings and ideas. I appreciate when you write and tell me stories about your own journey into becoming who you want to be. Thank you.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 25, 2009 | Gratitude - 2010/2011, Thanksgiving, William A. Ward |
I was looking for a shopping quote today in anticipation of Black Friday but came to realize as I was searching that Black Friday is primarily not about shopping, it’s about gift giving.
So, a simple question comes to mind. Is the gift you are going to get on Friday a gift that the recipient will feel was given with them in mind? Will it show your gratitude for them, your love for them or will it show you spent money because that is what you are suppose to do?
Will the present be buried in the past without a second thought, or will it be treasured because it came from love?
You may ask, how can I know what that is? You know by paying attention to the person. Not when they are writing down their wish list, but throughout the year. Listen to what they talk about, what they care about. That will tell you how you can meet their needs with a gift. That will show you are acting grateful, not just saying you are grateful.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward, 1924 – 1994, American Author
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 24, 2009 | Gratitude - 2010/2011, Robert Flatt, Thanksgiving |
This Thanksgiving I am going to be thankful for, along with the usual suspects of family, friends, health and safety, contentment. That I am either content with who I am and what I do, or I am taking action that will lead to that contentment.
Sit and be content this week.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Thanksgiving, like contentment, is a learned attribute. The person who hasn’t learned to be content lives with the delusion he deserves more or something better.” – Robert Flatt
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