Always Fall Once: Message Minute

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or click here to download the mp3.

Good morning, this is Topher from Washington Church of Christ bringing you a Message Minute and wishing you a happy new year!

On January 2^nd I’ll be traveling down to Jasper to the Skate Center for Christian Skate Night.  It’s a tradition the Wiles family has enjoyed every 1^st Monday of the month for two years now.  Often kids will roll right up wanting praise from me with lead-in comment,
“Hey Topher, I didn’t fall tonight!” 

My reply always is, “Well that’s too bad, you should always try new enough tricks that you fall at least once every night.”  “I still fall.” 

As you enter your new year, I hope you fall.  That’s right, I hope you plan to try new things.  I hope you are ambitious in your plans.  I hope you strive for new heights, dive to new depths, search for new ways to make this world a better place, and if you do, you’ll fall, at least once.

But don’t pity the person who falls.  In Ecclesiastes 4, the wisdom writer says, “but pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Two are better than one, if either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” (excerpt from Ecc 4:9-10)

Do you want a successful 2017?  Make sure you’re ambitious enough to fall, but also make sure you’re there to help someone up.  Write it in your resolutions to help someone else get back on their feet.  Commit to show the compassion that God created in you for a fallen friend during  2017.  You’ll be glad you did!

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.
To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

Fixing Our New Year's Focus

Living Lessons:  Fixing the Focus

by: Christopher Wiles

In 7th grade, I had the same glasses
but a little better haircut!

Regularly since 1990 I’ve visited that beloved optometrist who puts a funny little machine over my eyes and asks, “Which one is more in focus, one or two?”  In 6^th grade I received my first pair of brown and white “turtle-framed” glasses and I got a bad haircut from my older sister’s friend.  Whew!  That combination had the makings for a tough year in school.  Yet, I excelled somehow, making much better grades than previous years and developing lasting friendships.  Those grades & friends stayed steadily strong all the way through high school.  Correcting the weaknesses that affected my focus (and getting a better haircut) led to marked improvements in my life.  Guess what, I’m not alone in that learning experience.

When our weakness in our eyes cause problems where we can’t focus in the proper place or distance, studies show that it affects us in profound ways.  According to www.allaboutvision.com, the lack of proper focus “can affect learning ability, personality and adjustment in school.”  Wow, weaknesses and poor focus can have a profound affect!

Image from http://www.newcovenantgrace.com/

Focus and weaknesses are exactly what Paul was referring to when he writes to the church at Colossi, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col 3:2)  Paul lists several weaknesses that inhibited them from focusing on things that are above.  Making the top list of weaknesses from the Colossian past are: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, desire, greed, idolatry (3:5), anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language (3:8).  Indulging in these weaknesses, they were limiting their ability to focus. Indulging in these items were like adding a cataract or a stigmatism to a child’s eyes where they can’t properly focus at school.  The lack of focus greatly impacted their lives.   

New Year’s resolutions are all about focus.  Whether you make 1, 10, or 100 resolutions, make sure those resolutions are focused on “things that are above.”  Then, set goals and make plans to get rid of all those “weaknesses” that inhibit your ability to focus on those heavenly resolutions. 

Might I suggest some reasonably attainable heavenly resolutions for your 2017?

Image from http://www.daringerdes.com/

1. Read the entire New Testament, Old Testament, or Bible in 2017.
2. Set a 10 minute time and small place to pray every single day.
3. Commit to your own personal service project for others once per month.
4. Commit to studying with one person in 2017 in the hopes of leading them to the Lord’s salvation.
5. Identify your own weaknesses and drastically change habits to remove one every quarter (13 weeks) for a total of four weaknesses actively worked on in 2017.

Remove the weaknesses that inhibit you from focusing on “things that are above”.  It will change your life, someone else’s life, and potentially the lives of generations to come. Focus!

Just for fun, here's the 1992 Smyrna Middle School "Touch of Class" yearbook and page I pulled my photo from!

Living Lessons are articles written for the weekly Washington Church of Christ bulletin.  You can find more by clicking HERE or searching for "Living Lesson" in the right sidebar search.

New Year Gratitude

Click "Play" to Listen to a Minute about the Gratitude we choose to teach our boys!
Or click here to download the mp3.


So many people are negative on 2016.  I fear that we are bordering on being ungrateful for the many blessings God has given us in this year and being ungrateful to God is a dangerous place to be in life.  Why don't we model an attitude of gratitude for our children because of all the "New Hope" born in 2016 instead?

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." - Colossians 3:15

Click for Carrie's Biography.

Click for Daisy's Biography.

Can I muse just a little more than my allotted minute about the current attitudes I see?  The previous year did have some hurts, stings, misfires, and mournings.  

Yes, spend an appropriate amount of time to lament those losses that affect you.  Yet I see several on social media (even Christians) who have given up the entire year as a loss calling it "the worst year ever," which is the attitude I fear that is going to have a negative affect on us longterm.   Seriously, who knows what Star Wars episode XIV heroine, future United States female president, or outstanding musician was born this year?  Consider this for a moment, was anyone celebrating at the end of 1956 because Carrie Fisher was born?  No, those who let their attitudes be dominated by ungratefulness were probably lamenting that actress Ruth Draper died on December 30th, not knowing that God had given a wonderfully inspiring actress that year in Ruth's place.  Did anyone get excited that Daisy Ridley who played "Rey" in "The Force Awakens" was born in 1992?  Likely, no one but her family did.  Consider that Daisy had the most prominent female role in a Star Wars film to date, and she knocked that role out of the park!  Yet in 1992, most weren't celebrating her birth, but may have been throwing the baby out with the 1992 bathwater because actress Marlene Dietrich passed away.  

My daughter, Clara, was born in 2016, maybe she'll
play a lead role in a Star Wars movie! 

In 2014 there were nearly 4 million children born in the United States.  Assuming we reach that figure in 2016, who knows what goodness was born in the year that we are drawing to a close? Our Clara Afton was born after all!

If we don't strive to change our negative attitude before 2017, then when the first major trial or death of 2017 comes along, we will be tempted to give the new year up as a loss too.  Carrie Fisher's first big movie at 19 years old was, "A New Hope" which carried a major theme about focusing on the positive opportunities ahead.  Rather than be so negative on 2016, let's consider all the New Hopes born in the year.  So let's be grateful for the all hope born in 2016 AND look forward to new hopes to be born next year too.  Just try to be thankful. You'll be glad you did!

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." - Colossians 3:15

Click to go to Ruth's Biography.

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.
To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

New Year Optimist or Pessimist

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or click here for the mp3.

Micah came to help today!

Good morning, this is Topher from Washington Church of Christ, bringing you a message minute.

How will you know if you are an optimist or a pessimist this New Year’s Eve?  Well, it’s easy.  If you are staying up to see the new year in, you are an optimist.  If you’re staying up to make sure the old year leaves, you’re a pessimist.

Seriously, I think way to many of us are negative on 2016 and life won’t get any better in 2017 unless we change ourselves, not the date.  So rather than ask God for a new year, why don’t we ask God for a new us?  I think it starts with what David asks of God in Psalm 51:10 when he requests “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” 

So, Friends, don’t pray for the date to change to one more digit.  Pray for our hearts to change to more righteousness, and don’t wait for a couple more days to do it.  Start today with this prayer.  You’ll be glad you did.  

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.

To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

Sweet Gift For Sweet Young Lady

One of the young ladies in this album had a birthday recently. Ashley has babysat our children, volunteered at about every service project possible, helped widows, orphans, and whomever else needed it. Her mom helps people every day in a doctor's office and her dad helps people every day by overseeing maintenance on the Daviess County Courthouse properties (not to mention just an all around community "do-gooder"). We were honored when she accepted our birthday gift of "We'll create photographic art of whatever you want for your birthday." Ashley decided we should nab a few photos of her close friendship with another great young lady, Logan. So here we are just enjoying a few moments of smiles, friendship, and celebrating life! Click the photo on the right to see the whole album!

Bible Verse about Friendship: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Photo info:
Setting: At Tony & Cindy Stone Barber "Round Barn" farm.
Weather: Full sun, cold, crazy windy (didn't follow the weatherman's prediction of cloudy skies!)
Shot with: Nikon D5300 with Tamron F2.8 24-700mm lens. No flash, only reflectors & a diffuser.
Ashley's Parents: Scott Schnarr Melissa Schnarr

Grading the Year: A Message Minute

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or click here to download the mp3.

Good morning, this is Topher from Washington Church of Christ bringing you a Message Minute. 

If you're listening to this message, then you've made it to the last week of 2016!  Congratulations!  As you look in review of the year, maybe it wasn't the best year.  Maybe it wasn't the worst year.  Maybe it had some of the highest points in your life!  Maybe it had some of the lowest! 

Clara Afton taken by Kenedi Wren Photography

My 2016 had one of the lowest moments for me in the passing of my mother, so I could give the year an awful grade. Yet 2016 also contained one of the highest moments as My first daughter was born, Clara Afton Wiles!  So how do I grade 2016 when put on the balancing scales of positives and negatives?  Well, the difficult truth for this math teacher is that I shouldn't and I won't grade it. 

I want to encourage you to do what I choose this year and every year, don't grade it, only follow the wisdom located in the first two verses of Psalm 103, when David proclaims, "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Follow David's advise, simply Praise God for 2016, and choose only to focus on the ways The Lord benefited you.  You'll be glad you did!

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.

To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

Washington Library Santa 2016

As always, the library did an outstanding job with the Holiday Traditions Open House. The kids were all smiles as they met Santa and his elf, did crafts, listened to great music, and enjoyed good food. Here's a Facebook album with a whole slew of low resolution photos.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154889778182490.1073742017.506237489&type=1&l=086fd87d97

Click here to find the high resolution photos on Google for personal download. You have my permission to share and reprint. 
https://goo.gl/photos/ahx1FpRVii353hye8

I'll be posting a few of my favorites soon.

The Charliest Brown

Click the Play Button to Listen

Good morning, It's Topher from Washington Church of Christ wishing you a very Merry Christmas!  Are there any Christmas movie scenes more heart warming than the final moments of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"?  It begins with a dejected Charlie Brown wondering what Christmas is all about, then shifting to Linus uncharacteristically dropping his blanket to quote from Luke chapter 2  "And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

But this underdog finally winning movie doesn't stop there, it ends with goodwill even toward Charlie Brown and his blockheaded purchased dinky little Christmas tree that can barely hold one ornament.  As his friends realize the depth behind Linus's nativity monologue, these same friends who have ridiculed the Charliest Brown, now gather around in support and good will as they decorate his center piece, that foolish little tree. 

Charles M. Schulz brings to life for us a passage from 1 Corinthians 1:27-30 when he refers to the tree as symbolism for the birth & crucifixion history of the Son of God.  It reads, "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong … so that no one may boast before Him.  It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."  May God bless you with a very Merry Christmas.  

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.

To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

Serving with Volunteers

Good morning!  Today I'm part of a panel discussion board addressing the challenging topic of nonprofit volunteerism and how to manage volunteers.  For those who desire it, I'm linking a few resources here that are beneficial for those that I am addressing today.

Here's a good overall Volunteerism resource site that is primarily text driven.
Idealist.org
http://www.idealist.org/info/VolunteerMgmt

This one is similar, but a little more "to the point."  I like it's simplistic interface and I also like some of the extra reading resources it offers.
https://www.501commons.org/resources/tools-and-best-practices/volunteer-management

Here's a third that is sound in structure and instruction just in case the first two didn't float your boat.
https://knowhownonprofit.org/people/volunteers

Finally, for those of you that aren't text driven, here's a youtube channel that gives great resources and ideas in video format.
https://www.youtube.com/user/VolunteerMatch

Here are a couple of the groups and resources talked about today:

Daviess County Partnership Connections: http://www.dcp-connections.org/

  Connections Resource Directory: http://dcp-connections.org/cmx/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DC-Community-Resource-Guide-1-11.pdf

4-H and Daviess County Extension: https://extension.purdue.edu/Daviess/pages/sc.aspx?intHomeID=15&intSubCatgID=68

RSVP: http://www.rsvpvolunteercenter.org/

Daviess County Historical Society:  http://daviesscountyhistory.net/

Big Volunteerism Ideas from Topher: 

1)  Keep them connected to the larger community vision.  "Without Vision, the People Perish." - Proverbs 29:18 - Remind them of the big picture!

2)  Keep them connected to each other.  Those personal relationships are such a big deal in volunteerism.  Use food, parties, thank yous, etc. to keep people connected to each other.

Thanks for joining me today, I really enjoyed meeting more of you!

Home Alone: From Desperation to Declaration

Good morning, this is Topher from Washington Church of Christ, wishing you a Merry Christmas.  One of the most popular cult classic Christmas movies in recent years involves young Kevin McCallister fending off would be robbers in "Home Alone." (Catch a 2 minute clip  "Booby Traps" here)  There's a pivotal moment in the movie when Kevin knows what time the robbers will return and he shifts from a moment of Desperation, to a personal Declaration that he will defend his home.  So he draws up a battle plan. 

Christmas brings out the desperation in all of us.  We're desperate for approval, so we charge more money in gifts than we can afford.  We're desperate to be liked, so we attend every single party we can.  We're desperate to have the best looking house and the ugliest sweater, so we spend inordinate amounts of time & finances prepping the house and ourselves to "look our best".  It’s no wonder people are already sick & tired this season.

It's time to make a declaration and draw up a battle plan.  Declare today what you're top priorities are and plan everything around that.  Might I suggest that you follow Jesus' declaration in Matthew 6:33, "But you, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Declare that you will Seek first the Kingdom of God, You'll be glad you did!

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.

To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE.  

Misfits with Rudolph

Good morning!  This is Topher, wishing you a Merry Christmas from Washington Church of Christ.   Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is one of my favorite Christmas Classic movies just the same as it is for many of you, and we're not alone.  The lovable 1939 creation is #2 in the world on the all time best selling Christmas song  list.  That's not too bad for a shiny nosed misfit reindeer that was originally intended as a marketing device for selling department store goods.  It makes me wonder, "Why do so many of us love Rudolph?"

At the heart of the story is an idea that we are all like Rudolph.  We're all different enough that we have felt at times like a misfit among ordinaries.  We can identify with him who can't play in any reindeer games.  Our hearts break as we remember moments when they laughed and called us names.  We long for a time when we save the day, are appreciated for our quirkiness, and go down in history. 

Here's the good news, this is exactly what God intends in you.  For those who passionately seek & follow God, you've become a misfit among ordinaries.  You seem strange to those around you and you Jesus loving quirkiness is something that makes you a little quirky among others.  Guess what, Jesus intended that from the start of his ministry, and here's even better news, you're not alone.  In gathering his disciples, Jesus created a Motley Crue of 12 close disciples that is ripe with quirky idiosyncrasies, rowdy fishermen, embezzler, tax collector, murderous zealot. This band of misfits worked because Jesus intends misfits to FIT together. 

For those moments that you feel stranger than the world, for those times where you don't seem to fit in, for those times when all your oddities set you apart, just remember, Jesus loves you that way and He's gathering people together just like you to be His church.  Oh, and trust me, you'll go down in history too.  Don't believe me?  Jesus even said it in Luke 10:20a, "But Rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

Passionately follow Jesus, faithfully gather as you learn to fit with all the other misfits in Jesus' church, and rejoice that your name is recorded in heaven.  You'll be glad you did!

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for the public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings.

To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE.  

Grinchy Priorities

It's the 60th anniversary of the story, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"  That's worth recording a Message Minute isn't it?  Click "Play" above for a One minute thought!

Topher in the morning recording while wearing the hopeful snowflake hat!

"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:34-40

Message Minutes are sponsored by  Washington Church of Christ and recorded for public 107.9 The Memories WAMW morning radio program.  They air at approximately 7:35am on Weekday Mornings. 




To find more of the Message Minutes that have been uploaded to this blog CLICK HERE. 

Design, Creation, Beauty

Enjoy the full album of photos here!
https://goo.gl/photos/QKR9bjTT5yjjz4rj8

Micah's 3rd birthday, our first snow of the season, and a whole lot of joy make for some inspiring photos. There is no photoshopping done to any of these, just us snapping a couple quick photos. Look at the design, structure, and beauty of the snowflakes on the top of my trash can lid. Look at the joy, design, and beauty of my family. If you tell me this is all random, I will respectfully listen, but I won't believe you. There is a designer and He is the good God.

"What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made" - Romans 1:19-20a

Enjoy the full album of photos here!
https://goo.gl/photos/QKR9bjTT5yjjz4rj8

Class Information on Deuteronomy 1

If you're looking for my quick worksheet to help guide you through Deuteronomy 1, then you're in the right place.  To get to the .pdf file, click this screenshot image here: 

Everything is better at Grandma's!

We were blessed to spend a good amount of time with my grandmother this trip.  Due to complications from a surgery mishap recently, Grandma had been in a pretty dire situation.  Now she is able to fix us the traditional Carolinian "chili slaw dog" and treat us to a glass bottle cheerwine from her special stash.  Everything does taste better at Grandma's!

Just a reminder that Grandma's can be very influential in a young man's life, just ask Timothy! "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well." - 2 Timothy 1:5

Good morning from Knoxville

Good morning from Knoxville Tennessee! We are well on our way to seeing more family in NC. We came out of Middle Tennessee last night and enjoyed using a friend's fuel points at Kroger to get gas at $1.49. That was a very wonderful gift that we had never thought of before! So if others of you are not using fuel points you might just tell your friends or family who are traveling that they can use them on trips. We plan to do the same. Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

With Family Photos This Good Why Use Photoshop?

Most of you know that family photos can be an adventure about as fun as laying on a bed of nails.  So why not enjoy a laugh out of the outtakes?

Micah has realized that his sister isn't cooperating!

Yet, out of the 93 photos taken, we did nail a couple keepers for the ole family photo albums.

Kaelynn, Jaxsen, Jasper, Clara, Micah, Ethan, Gabriel in front of Dad's house.

Ethan and Gabriel - Brotherly Love

Kaelynn, Gabriel, Ethan, Jaxsen, Jasper, Micah, Clara in front of Dad's house.

Enjoy the entire album on this Facebook public link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154808430952490.1073742012.506237489&type=1&l=c2165fdac4

Food, Faith, and Family

First, we cooked Thanksgiving breakfast with the Cox family in the motorhome in Portland. Spiritual family is important to us.  Then we had a big meal with Ashley's family in Goodlettesville, a lot of good faith was shared. Then we enjoyed a meal with my dad and kids in TN, more photos will come soon of that.  Today I plan to change spark plugs in the motorhome,  and then we are off, over the mountains toward the east coast for more family time!  God has been so good to us on this trip!

I'm chronicling the whole trip on www.topherwiles.com if you want to follow and smile!

No Flash, No Worries!

It was a rainy, chilly day here in Mammoth Cave National Park.  Gabriel, Ethan, and I rode our bikes and played tennis anyway.  Then, when we wanted in out of the weather, we hung out 200ft underground in Mammoth Cave!  We met a lot of great people like our two Rangers, Elaine & Jackie, and a cool roadtrippin crew from Wisconsin, Abby, Ali, and Will.  Now the boys are playing chess in the motorhome as we prep for a trip back to Tennessee for Thanksgiving faith, family, and food!

You can see all the low resolution photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154803597057490.1073742011.506237489&type=1&l=94ba1dd20a

I'm uploading all the high resolution photos to a dropbox file, but it takes a minute with this slow wifi access at the campground.

Here's a couple for fun!

 




"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made." - Romans 1:20a

Mammoth cave National Park

We made it yesterday evening to Mammoth Cave National Park. We're excited about a little bit of backpacking, the little bit of rain we got, and heading down into one of the world's biggest caves. 400 miles of known underground passageway sounds exciting to me! We enjoy annually a trip out in the woods right before Thanksgiving, it gives us a good appetite right before Thanksgiving.

We are the MOA Tribe (Men Of Action)!

"The invisible qualities of God can be clearly seen through creation." - paraphrase from my memory of Romans  1:19-20

See all of our trip updates at http://www.topherwiles.com

On The Road Again

What good is adventure without a little bit of adversity? After 18 hours from the moment when hour engine died on the interstate, we're back on the road! Turned out an ignition coil has gone bad. But now I have a new distributor cap, rotor, ignition module, and ignition coil! I'm grateful that I grew up with a man in my life who taught me how to use some tools. Thanks Dad! 

"In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." - From Jesus in John 16:33 I think?

How We Roll

This is how we roll in the motorhome. We're only 2 hours in our first full family vacation of 2016. Micah is snoozin and Ethan is dominating at blockus. This is our first real test to determine if we want to drive the motorhome all the way to California next year. I have a feeling the mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina will give us a good idea of what we're in for. Our Thanksgiving holiday looks to be full of Adventure, I hope yours is too! #familytime