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Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
That's the question we asked our kids when they were little, "Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? " To be honest, we're not sure how we would have answered that question when we was a kid. Sure, we knew it had something to do with pilgrims and a boat and a big dinner to show their thanks. When we were little, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was spent at church, participating in a service of thanksgiving. We knew that Thanksgiving was an opportunity to say, thank you, but thank you for what? Sure we say things like, we're thankful for the blessings we've experienced, but are we really? Do we know enough about that first Thanksgiving and the events that preceded it to know why they were so thankful? We definitely did not.
The most we think we ever knew about the Pilgrims was that they came "over" on some boats, set up a village, meet some American Indians, and have a dinner to say thanks. Not much of a history lesson. But that's what makes, Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember, by Barbara Rainey so amazing. In her book, Barbara tells the incredible story of courage, struggles, suffering, loss, and faith.
Complete with names, dates, details, and personal accounts from handwritten journals, Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember, provides an accurate telling of the Pilgrims journey, challenges, and celebration. It's a story of faith and how God continued to protect, provide, and care for the Pilgrims.
Thanksgiving really is a time for us to remember God's faithfulness in our lives. Even with teenagers and our adult kids, we pull out our book and read through the story of the Pilgrims every Thanksgiving. We encourage you to pick up a copy of, Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember, by Barbara Rainey, and read it with your family this Thanksgiving. Click on any of the highlighted links to order your book from Amazon, through our affiliate partnership. It's safe, secure, and doesn't add any additional fees to your purchase! Sign up for Amazon Prime, and get free shipping!
Be sure to check in with us here at Life in the Higham House this holiday season as we share new content as we countdown to Christmas!
- jay & amy start your Christmas shopping early
Here are a few of our favorite gift ideas!
Merry Christmas!
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About Affiliate Links: We have partnered with Amazon as affiliates to share our favorite products. When you click on an affiliate link, you will be able to order the product you've selected. As an affiliate, we receive a small percentage of the product sale, at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you. When you order using our affiliate links, you help to support Life in the Higham House blog and vlog! And we thank you for that! 
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* THIS POST CONTAINS BOTH AFFILIATE AND PRODUCT LINKS,
ALONG WITH LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THE POST.* 
Kids, work, calendars, careers, commitments, community activities, sports, chores; the list goes on and on. Out of 24 hours in a day, it feels like 20 of them are booked with something to do. Sometimes, no matter how hard we might try to not be so overly scheduled, it simply creeps in. Maintaining balance is difficult and sometimes nearly impossible.
We've had our share of busy seasons. Week on week on week of activities, appointments, sporting events, and work commitments. But in the midst of the busyness, we have come to learn that making time too reconnect is something we can't afford to do without. We have a pretty good relationship. It's not always easy and we haven't mastered everything yet, but what we realize is just how important it is that we spend time together. We are convinced that part of our success as husband and wife comes from our commitment to make sure we connect in very intentional ways. more from our Crazy in love series
When we were a very young couple, the months we spent engaged and the early months that followed as newly weds, it was impressed upon us that we needed to commit to making time for one another. Now you might think, "Well, as newly weds, spending time together is a no brainer." And yes, that might be true. But the commitment goes beyond learning to live together as husband and wife. That commitment is the foundation that leads to a habit of using our time wisely; taking control of our lives, our time, and our marriage before the busyness of life takes over.
We think there are a few things that couples must strive for as they think about their relationship and the longevity of their marriage. A Deep Spiritual Relationship
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Communication is crucial in any relationship. It's one of the most talked about, perhaps the most written about topic. To have a strong relationship, one must have strong communications skills. No way is this more true than in the marriage. It is absolutely vital that a husband and wife be committed to talking with one another. And notice that we said, WITH, not to or at one another. Communication isn't simply talking about what happened at work or at home, or who's picking up after soccer practice, or what's happening in so-and-so marriage. Good communication is talking and listening, and it happens when both the husband and the wife are willing to truly talk and listen to each other.
With 27 years of marriage now behind us, some of our favorite times together comes from when we can sit and really talk about what's going on in our lives, our family, our careers, and our marriage. We talk about what God is teaching us, individually and as a couple. We talk about how our kids are growing up and how we see them maturing. We talk about our dreams, our hopes, our ambitions, and our desires. We talk about our hurts, our struggles, our challenges, and weaknesses. We talk about our calendars, upcoming obligations and commitments, activities, trips, and gatherings. We talk about how we would like to impact those around us with the love of Jesus through our ministry and our connection with neighbors. |
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But it's not all talking. You see, you have to listen too. Marriage isn't just about what you want or what you what to say. It's about what your spouse wants and has to say. Learning to listen to your spouse is a skill that both must learn and master. When we learn to listen, we discover the heart, hopes, dreams, fears, insecurities, and desires of our spouse. These are special treasures; gifts that provide us as husband and wife with real opportunities to share and express our love. Take the time to learn how to listen, as much as you want to talk.
A Passionate Sex Life
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Now some may not like talking about their sex life, but sex was created for marriage. God in His perfection created sex to be a expression of love and intimacy between a husband and wife. We believer the sexual relationship between husband and wife can have a significant impact on the marital covenant. A healthy, appropriate, biblical sex life can be a huge blessing to the marriage offering satisfaction, joy, passion, and pleasure. While the lack of an active sex life can lead to frustration, disappointment, resentment, longing, and temptation.
Busy schedules can significant hinder and hurt the sexual activity in a marriage. It's easy to wear yourself out with careers, chores, shuttling kids, and managing the multitude of social commitments. We're up early and out late. We fill every minute from sun up to sun down with to do lists. And in all of this we miss the opportunity for sex because were too exhausted or too busy. Friends, this is dangerous!! |
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We were created to have sex. And as husbands and wives, in committed marriages, we should be having sex. A LOT OF SEX! GREAT SEX! PASSIONATE, INTENSE SEX! Sex with your spouse should be a priority. If you want a great marriage, a healthy, make sure your are making sex part of it.
(We have a lot more to say about sex and marriage, so watch for future posts on this topic.)
(We have a lot more to say about sex and marriage, so watch for future posts on this topic.)
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As you navigate through the busyness of life as husband and wife, you must recognize the need to spend time with one another. Not just sitting on the sofa watching TV together, but intentional time spent knowing God, talking and listening, and enjoying the beautiful intimacy of a passionate sex life. After all, when was the last time you sat down with your wife to really do an of those three things you just read about? We promise, if you stop and make the time both you, and your spouse will benefit from it in ways you may never have imagined.
So what are you doing tonight? Why not find out where your spouse is in the house. Go to them. Convince them to stop whatever they're doing. And take them some place where it's just the two of you. Ask them if they think you are spending enough time together. And then suggest you set aside some time each week to pray and read/study God's Word, to talk and listen, and to maybe heat up things in the bedroom. You might be surprised at their response.
One word of caution. Husbands, don't start with the more sex card. And wives, ease into the talking and listening. You see, more sex by itself doesn't make a marriage stronger, neither does more talking. It's only out of a willingness to surrender to God's lead in your life that you will see God strengthen your marriage and your relationship with your spouse.
- jay & amy
So what are you doing tonight? Why not find out where your spouse is in the house. Go to them. Convince them to stop whatever they're doing. And take them some place where it's just the two of you. Ask them if they think you are spending enough time together. And then suggest you set aside some time each week to pray and read/study God's Word, to talk and listen, and to maybe heat up things in the bedroom. You might be surprised at their response.
One word of caution. Husbands, don't start with the more sex card. And wives, ease into the talking and listening. You see, more sex by itself doesn't make a marriage stronger, neither does more talking. It's only out of a willingness to surrender to God's lead in your life that you will see God strengthen your marriage and your relationship with your spouse.
- jay & amy
If you found today's post helpful and encouraging, please leave a comment below
and share this post on your social media! Thank you!
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* THIS POST CONTAINS BOTH AFFILIATE AND PRODUCT LINKS,
ALONG WITH LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THE POST.*
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Today marks the beginning of preparation for two of our most favorite holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas! And when we say these are two of our most favorite holidays, we mean they are our favorite.
If you have been around the blog or our family vlog, you know how much we look forward to this time of the year. Not only is it a time of significant importance for our faith, but it brings a sweet time for family as well.
And today, we can officially begin talking, planning, and preparing for this very special time of the year. From our favorite foods and recipes, to movies and music, to shopping, decorating, and all the traditions we look forward partaking in and sharing, we will have it all right here at Life In the Higham House! So fasten up those seatbelts, grab a turkey drumstick and your Santa hat, because it's once again time to countdown to the holidays!
If you have been around the blog or our family vlog, you know how much we look forward to this time of the year. Not only is it a time of significant importance for our faith, but it brings a sweet time for family as well.
And today, we can officially begin talking, planning, and preparing for this very special time of the year. From our favorite foods and recipes, to movies and music, to shopping, decorating, and all the traditions we look forward partaking in and sharing, we will have it all right here at Life In the Higham House! So fasten up those seatbelts, grab a turkey drumstick and your Santa hat, because it's once again time to countdown to the holidays!
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Do we love these holidays... I'm not sure I can fully express why we love Thanksgiving and Christmas so much. Sure, there's the food and the family, festive songs, an over-riding feeling of goodwill towards all. But, it's more than that. It's the meaning behind these two celebrations. It's what they represent, what they should remind us of, and how we should live. These two holidays are about giving thanks and celebrating a gift that changed the world. They should cause us to pause, evaluate our lives, and reflect on what has been done for us, what has been made available to us. We should consider how we live, and what we're living for? |
Order Jay's Christmas Book!
 
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Thanksgiving and Christmas are both special times for our family. Over the next couple of weeks we will be reflecting on the things that make us thankful. We will take time to acknowledge God's blessings in our lives. We will celebrate the birth of Jesus and be reminded of God's love for us. And, we will enjoy the extend time to be together as a family.
We will share in traditions. We will take in the local holiday festivities. We will watch movies, sing along with the carols, and shop for those every elusive "perfect" gifts. We will decorate our home, trim our tree, and hang the lights. We'll enjoy the football, the turkey and the stuffing. We'll make a mess with the wrapping paper, delight in all that's shiny and new. And, we'll set aside to to visit with family and friends.
We will share in traditions. We will take in the local holiday festivities. We will watch movies, sing along with the carols, and shop for those every elusive "perfect" gifts. We will decorate our home, trim our tree, and hang the lights. We'll enjoy the football, the turkey and the stuffing. We'll make a mess with the wrapping paper, delight in all that's shiny and new. And, we'll set aside to to visit with family and friends.
We will take time to acknowledge God's blessings in our lives. We will celebrate the birth of Jesus and be reminded of God's love for us. And we will enjoy the extend time to be together as a family.
We will enjoy the colder weather, sit by a fire, sip hot chocolate, eat Christmas cookies, and maybe enjoy another white Christmas. We will read the story of the Pilgrims and that first meal of giving thanks. We will light the Advent lights and read one more time the amazing adventure of Jotham.
The stocking will hang from our mantle. The house will be warm and festive. We'll do everything we can to make this time a sweet time for our kids, our friends, and our family. And of course, we will share much of what we do with you.
And, why? Why do we do all of this? Because we love it. We love our kids, our family, and our friends. We love to celebrate Jesus' birth. And we love to remember and say thanks.
The stocking will hang from our mantle. The house will be warm and festive. We'll do everything we can to make this time a sweet time for our kids, our friends, and our family. And of course, we will share much of what we do with you.
And, why? Why do we do all of this? Because we love it. We love our kids, our family, and our friends. We love to celebrate Jesus' birth. And we love to remember and say thanks.
Life in the Higham House is a blog about the home and the family. It's about encouraging you and your family; sharing ideas and adventures, reminding us that we all need to slow down and make time for what matters most.
We are looking forward to sharing the next 2 months with you. So, on behalf of the Higham family, welcome to our, Countdown to the Holidays!
- the higham family
We are looking forward to sharing the next 2 months with you. So, on behalf of the Higham family, welcome to our, Countdown to the Holidays!
- the higham family
start your christmas shopping early
Here are a few of our favorite gift ideas!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
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About Affiliate Links: We have partnered with Amazon as affiliates to share our favorite products. When you click on an affiliate link, you will be able to order the product you've selected. As an affiliate, we receive a small percentage of the product sale, at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you. When you order using our affiliate links, you help to support Life in the Higham House blog and vlog! And we thank you for that!
About Affiliate Links: We have partnered with Amazon as affiliates to share our favorite products. When you click on an affiliate link, you will be able to order the product you've selected. As an affiliate, we receive a small percentage of the product sale, at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you. When you order using our affiliate links, you help to support Life in the Higham House blog and vlog! And we thank you for that!
Welcome to the Life in the Higham House , we are glad you are visiting. As a family of 7, we have had our fair share of adventures. We share our stories with the hope of passing along what we have learned, what we love, and what God is doing in our lives to encourage you and your family. But we love to hear from our readers, so please share your thought in the comment section of each post.
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