The value of teaching kids about thankfulness should never be underestimated. It is a quality in a person that creates peace and inner joy. Instead of relying on external things to decide how we measure our joy, it is best to model gratefulness and discover what a difference it makes within our hearts. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it might be fun to devote some time this month to practicing this attribute. Here are some thoughts to get you started.
Start and end your day with reasons to be thankful. Talk about them amongst your family. Keep a journal of at least 5 things you are thankful for every day. Getting into this habit will help train your brain to be more positive. It’s been said for every negative comment, there should be 5 encouraging comments you give people. Remembering this will improve your relationships dramatically. The same goes for being thankful. For every negative thought, try to think of 5 blessings. Eventually, you will gain a better outlook on life.
Study a hymn about thankfulness. Now Thank We All Our God by Martin Rinkart is a hymn that dates back to 1636. He became a pastor at the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War and saw terrible bloodshed, severe plagues, and famine. Among all the hardships, he allowed himself to be used by God and gave of his time with thanksgiving. During this dark time in history, he wrote this beautiful hymn of gratitude. There are also many other hymns written about gratitude in the midst of tragedy.
Volunteer or serve in an area you feel passionate about with your family. By serving others, you realize things in your life that are blessings that you may not have thought about beforehand. For example, when I visit the elderly in nursing homes, I realize how lonely they get and how much they appreciate conversation. It makes me grateful to have loved ones around I communicate with all the time. I am also thankful to be healthy enough to be able to do things for others. The experience of loving on others makes you feel thankful that you can use your gifts to serve while making others feel special.
Read books about being thankful. We have a whole collection of books on our shelf we bring out just for the Christmas holidays. Why not keep books about being thankful? You can read these anytime, but this is a great time to make it a priority. These read-alouds are another way to help you concentrate on being thankful. You can also visit the library and search for some wonderful treasures.
Make a fun collage about things you are thankful for with your family. Spend some time looking through old magazines with your kids or printing out pictures of different things they choose to be thankful for. This collage can become a great keepsake as well as a reminder of the blessings we have.
Focusing on our blessings creates contentment and improves our relationships. When others see how grateful we are it becomes contagious. Our minds tend to go to the negative side, but with a little time and effort, we can make gratefulness a new habit. ~ Gina
