HIGHER GROUND
Have you noticed that the Universe loves gratitude? The more grateful you are, the more goodies you get. When I say “goodies,” I don’t mean only material things. I mean all the people, places, and experiences that make life so wonderfully worth living. You know how great you feel when your life is filled with love and joy and health and creativity, and you get the green lights and the parking places. This is how our lives are meant to be lived. The Universe is a generous, abundant giver, and it likes to be appreciated.
Gratitude brings more to be grateful about. It increases your abundant life. We even want to be grateful for our lessons. Don’t run from lessons; they are little packages of treasure that have been given to us. As we learn from them, our lives change for the better. So, whether the lesson is a mistake we have made or a problem that has cropped up, we can be mindful of our lesson and be grateful for what we have learned.
Practice Gratitude!
FEATURED NEWS
YMCA Turkey Trot T-Shirt Unveiling
From 10-11:30 a.m. on Aug. 7, join the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square for the unveiling of the highly anticipated 2021 Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot participant shirts. The YMCA brought back its t-shirt design contest this year, which will feature the winning design on the 2021 Turkey Trot shirt.
Members of the community voted on their favorite t-shirt design, which will be revealed at the free event at The Square. Enjoy music, food trucks, photo opportunities with the YMCA Turkey Trot mascots and more!
This year’s theme is “Thankful Together” with proceeds from the 2021 Turkey Trot supporting the YMCA’s Community Health programs that help families dealing with diabetes, nutritional challenges and weight loss struggles.
Join the YMCA at Thanks-Giving Square for this special event as we celebrate the return of the Turkey Trot! The announcement and reveal will be streamed on Facebook Live for those who are unable to attend.
Registration is open now for the 2021 Turkey Trot!
Meet our intern, Mbwani!
We are pleased to welcome Mbwani Tambou as our summer intern at Thanks-Giving Square. Mbwani joins us through the Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program.
Mbwani graduated from DISD’s Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy and is headed to Emory University this fall. We are lucky to have him on our team this summer!
North Texas Giving Day
North Texas Giving Day is coming up on Sept. 23! Join Thanks-Giving Square’s efforts to shape a better future for Dallas with a generous donation. Your gift helps us maintain Thanks-Giving Square as a safe, inclusive and restorative space where people of all backgrounds and beliefs – whether cultural, political, spiritual, generational, sexual or otherwise – are welcome to gather, reflect, celebrate and grow both personally and collectively. We appreciate your support!
Dallas Police Department Memorial Service
On July 7, Thanks-Giving Square participated in the Dallas Police Department’s Memorial Service held in conjunction with the 5th anniversary of the tragic 2016 shooting of five officers in Downtown Dallas. Thanks-Giving Square provided a display that included candles to be lit by family members of the fallen officers at the end of the service.
After the event, the display was set up at the Square in memory of those who were killed during the shooting. The Square extended Chapel hours to accommodate guests wishing to reflect.
DID YOU KNOW?
Thanks-Giving Square’s Glory Window was featured in the 2011 Oscar-nominated film “The Tree of Life.” It was also chosen for the official United Nations stamp in 2000 during the International Year of Thanksgiving.
UPcoming Events
22nd Annual Promise House Golf Classic
Monday, August 23 | 8 a.m.
Royal Oaks Country Club
Turtle Creek Chorale’s Songs of Strength and Survival
Sunday, August 29 | 6 p.m.
Cathedral of Hope
Gratitude Spotlight
Expressions of gratitude left by visitors on our Gratitude Wall.
Partner Feature
Bonton Farms
We are pleased to feature Bonton Farms this month for their impactful work to uplift communities. Bonton Farms began as a garden in a small lot and has flourished into much more. The organization now runs two fully functioning farms, a Farmer’s Market, a café and coffee house. Bonton Farms seeks to remove barriers faced by members of the community so they can access all seven human essentials – health and wellness, economic stability, safe and affordable housing, transportation, a sense of belonging, education and access to fair credit.
About us
“The Convener” is a monthly publication of The Thanks-Giving Foundation. If you have suggestions or comments, please contact tgs@thanksgiving.org.