Well, November is here and you know what that means: Christmas music and decorations in every store.
Not what you thought of? Good. I love Christmas as much as the next guy (probably more) but its season is a little later.
At our house November means there are two little turkeys sitting on the mantle and a ceramic pumpkin tureen full of candy is somewhere around.
It also means my facebook feed will begin filling up with people starting a “30 days of Thankfulness” pledge. Each day they post something they’re thankful for. I like the idea, but it seems most people aren’t able to follow through with all 30 days. I would probably be one of those people.
While it’s lovely to see Facebook turn into a series of thanks instead of gripes and muses, it’s certainly not the only outlet for recording one’s gratitude.
Several weeks ago, I came across this printable gratitude journal.
This is lovely, sweet, and just right to use for myself or my little women. They love crafts and seasonal crafts are always a big hit. If the idea appeals to you, it’s a super simple, totally free, printable. Check it out at Motherhood Your Way.
In the past, we have created “Thankful Trees”. The child traces her hand onto construction paper which we cut out to represent leaves. I cut a large brown tree trunk, and we paste it onto a manilla or white paper. Then on each leaf, she writes (or dictates to Mommy) something she is thankful for. Daisy has requested we do this craft again this year.
It’s fun to look back on those later and see what she was thankful for. Some of the most memorable are Pearl’s “for Mommy teaching me my letters” and 3 year old Daisy’s “for my new brother or sister”.
One of the neat things about a 30 day challenge is it pushes you to think beyond the top 5 things on your list. Everyone is thankful for family, friends, food. And certainly we ought to reflect with gratitude on these things. After that, what will you put?
I’m thankful for my bed. It’s just right for me and I always miss it when I’m away. How blessed I am to have not only a safe place to sleep each night, but a just right, perfectly soft, not too warm, not too cold, snuggily, happy place to rest. How blessed indeed.
Let this be a season of rejoicing and gratitude. Write your blessings, not your wish list.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. -1 Chronicles 16:34
Devote yourselves in prayer, being watchful and thankful. -Colossians 4:2
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
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude
is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton
