Thanksgiving's....tomorrow...already?

Wasn't Independence Day last month?

It you're young, you'll find that a well-worn piece of humor you've heard from grandparents, parents and now; me. If you have lots of Thanksgivings under your belt, you understand.

My days aren't getting shorter just because it's almost winter. They're getting shorter because I put a higher value on them than I once did. For me, time is flying by.

As we're coming up on the end of 2014, I realize the holiday season -officially marked by Thanksgiving, not Halloween (an illegitimate holiday) is not the time for slowing down and reflecting many of us remember from childhood.

Today, some of us are still hustling to do end-of-year bookkeeping, trade show planning, and cost-containment - just in case the slow revenue numbers of the past two quarters don't show some sign of life come January.

For many businesses, a new year means starting from zero on the revenue meter. It's a never-ending battle to keep a spot in ad budgets that gets more intense during slow times.

Some companies have already committed their bucks for '15. The others are trying to juggle budgets, project next year's revenues, get ready for SHOT Show, and the half-dozen or so other shows they'll be attending - almost before the Tournament of Roses parade ends on New Year's Day -and celebrate the holidays.

But Thanksgiving is different for at our house because if you're not cooking, you're kicking back and enjoying a real day of down time.

Thanksgiving's the official "last day before we can start Christmas decorating" and the eve of "Black Friday" for the girls. They cook, then plop down and plow through the huge Thanksgiving day paper, looking for "deals" and planning their mid-morning assault on the retail industry.

We learned years ago that without all-night vigils, those awesome early bird specials aren't happening. For some, Black Friday is all-out war, even with the internet and pre-Black Friday sales. We choose to be non-combatants.

So we sleep in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and then our shoppers head out while the rest of us -weather permitting- go do something outdoors.

This year it's looking like we have several options- a mild cold front predicted for tonight might make for a last good bite on the lake or a pleasant day on the links. Either way, it's a winner. Weekdays in the outdoors with a clear conscience are few and far between-even if your business is the outdoor industry.

I don't know what you're looking forward to - or dreading for the holidays- because I've had enough of them to know that not all of us are in the same place.

If you're looking forward to Thanksgiving because of time with family and the chance to to take a break, I hope you savor every second.

If you're not looking forward to a holiday because of a challenging personal situation, I've been there. Often enough to know there's not a lot I can do or say that will offer the kind of help you really want.

But those experiences have taught me that bleak situations can turn, sometimes miraculously.

If you're in need of a miracle, know that I'm praying that you get one. It might not seem like a big deal, but prayer can change things.

If that offends you, I offer no apology. My faith is what has kept me going in times I hope never to repeat and would never wish for anyone else.

As we take the next couple of days off to spend time with our families, we'll be checking messages, reading email and getting ready for next week.

That's because our next editions on Monday, December 1 mean there we're only three weeks from our final edition of 2014 (Friday, December 19).

And we have plenty of big things to tell you between now and then.

But they'll keep for a couple of days. After all, tomorrow's Thanksgiving.

I hope yours is a great one.

--Jim Shepherd