Contact: Mary Hester, 269-208-7545, mry_hester@yahoo.com 

ST JOSEPH, Mich., Oct. 8, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Mary Hester, a stay at home mother from Southwest Michigan, has a lot to be thankful for with a large, loving family. After reflecting on her blessings, she decided to put up what she is calling a "Harvest Tree." So she has put her Christmas Tree up two months early and has decorated it in a harvest theme. The tree is covered with fall leaves, gourds, fall flowers, pine cones, and scare crows. Underneath the tree, instead of finding presents, there are many wonderful reminders of the abundance that we have been blessed with. Harvest is a time to focus on contentedness and gratefulness for all that we already have been given. Mary believes that the Christmas season has turned into a season focused on getting and she wants to encourage her own family and others to spend more than one day remembering thankfulness over a turkey dinner but to allow thankfulness to be a season that precedes the season of Christmas. She believes that if we do this, when the Christmas season does reach us, we will be prepared in our hearts and minds to give and receive gifts in the true spirit of Christmas. Mary's husband, Kevin, the planter of The Shore Church in St. Joseph, Michigan loved the idea so much he's even asked Mary to put up a tree at the church. He believes this will remind people of the Bible verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that says, "...in everything give thanks..."

Mary plans to do the Harvest Tree every year and hopes that others will join in and begin the holiday season focusing on all the things that we already have to be grateful for but often forget to reflect on through the year.

You can contact Mary or get more information about the "Harvest Tree."

mry_hester@yahoo.com
269-208-7545