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As Thanksgiving draws near, many of us are thinking about what we're thankful for — taking time to consider how best to appreciate what we have in our lives. This year, novelist and memoirist Anne Lamott has focused on using prayer to help express our thanks. Many of her books explore how individuals can transform their lives — how one moves from being troubled to feeling whole. In Lamott's case, she suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse; after hitting rock bottom, she found her faith.

President Obama is now about to enter into a series of difficult talks on the so-called debt ceiling and the impending fiscal cliff. Lawmakers have until Dec. 31 to come up with a deal to prevent $700 billion from being cut from the federal budget.

Art galleries in Chelsea were devastated by the flooding in New York City during Hurricane Sandy. According to just one insurer, the cost to Chelsea exceeds $40 million in lost or damaged work.

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GUY RAZ, HOST:

It's WEEKENDS on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Guy Raz.

Israel is now warning of a possible significant expansion of its operation aimed at Palestinian militants in Gaza. Earlier today, an Israeli air strike on a suspected Hamas target killed at least 10 people, and Hamas fired dozens of missiles into Israel. We'll get to our cover story on legacy and the Obama White House in a few moments, but first to the Middle East and our reporter in Cairo, Leila Fadel.

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GUY RAZ, HOST:

Let's turn to another story we're following today: President Obama's visit to Asia. He's in Thailand today, the first stop on a three-country tour of Southeast Asia that will take him to Myanmar, the country also known as Burma.

NPR's Scott Horsley is traveling with the president and joins us now. And, Scott, the president obviously trying to shine the spotlight on Asia, but all in the midst of escalating violence in the Middle East. How is he staying on top of it?