It's about time I got that negative post off the top of my blog :o)And now, to the other end of the holiday spectrum--I love Thanksgiving! There is something about taking time to be grateful, really focusing on what we've been given, that makes our hearts softer. I feel like our society just jumps from one consumer-minded holiday to another (Halloween to Christmas) without giving Thanksgiving a thought, so we work really hard to combat that mentality here at home.
I try to stretch it out all month long. Every week in November we talk as a family about some aspect of gratitude, and we do activities that support whatever we're talking about. This year's activities consisted of:
- Making a Thankful Tree, where each day we write on a leaf something that we're thankful for and tape it up on our "tree" (we just drew one on a big piece of posterboard--I'm all about keeping it simple). We'll read our leaves out loud at dinner on Thanksgiving Day.
- Writing "I'm Thankful for You" cards to our extended family who will be far from us on Thanksgiving Day. We took turns writing on little notecards telling each person why we are thankful for them and popped them in the mail. Last year we received these in the mail from my sister and her family, and they are priceless!
- Delivering "Turkey Grams"--plates of treats left anonymously on our friends' doorsteps with a picture of a turkey and this note attached:
"I'm just a little turkey with feathers on my back;
My friends have left me at your door, along with a little snack!
They want you to know that, not just now, but all year through
They're very thankful to have friends as wonderful as you!"
We've had a lot of fun doing this all month long, and the attitude that has been in our home has definitely been one of (more) gratitude. The boys run in from school every afternoon and go straight to the kitchen, so they can write something new on their leaf for our Thankful Tree. I've noticed more "We thank Thee..." in their prayers, and not as much "Please bless us..." It's a good feeling!
I personally have a very full heart this year. There is so much in my life that is good. I haven't mentioned this before on my blog, but this is the first Thanksgiving in 3 years that I am not in the process of recovering from a miscarriage. While those experiences have been very difficult for me, I am realizing (with the passage of time) how much I have been blessed by it all. I have a deeper, more compassionate, more sensitive heart than I did 3 years ago. I don't focus (as much :o) on what I don't have--I am learning to be truly happy with what I do have. I am so much more aware of divine presence in my life, and I know that God knows and loves me. It's all a process, and I know I have a long way to go, but I am so grateful for the perspective I am gaining.
This season is a wonderful time to pause and think--not only about all the good things that make your life happy, but also how your own challenges are shaping you for good. I hope you can see it :o)
"There is always something to be grateful for!"
Happy Thanksgiving!
10 comments:
What great ideas. I'm suddenly on the what happened? end of holidays. Last year my kid didn't even know what Christmas was about, this year it's I want, I want, I want. And I didn't even have anything to do with it! It's great to focus on the real reasons - I'll have to remember them for a later year.
3 years in a row - wow. I can't even imagine.
Happy Thanksgiving Karen! Thank you for that post.
I LOVE Thanksgiving too. We tried to do a thankful jar this year with activities associated with each thing we were grateful for...didn't quite make it all the way though, but at least we got some in...I'll probably keep it up till the activities are gone anyway. I love President Monson's talk from last conference. I love the story he tells and I hope that I can leave a legacy as beautiful as that with my kids.
I'm thankful for you! :) All of those seem like great ideas. We will probably do something more than talk about the pilgrams and play with a little people mayflower. :P
This is a great post,girl. There are so much to be thankful for,when we focus on the happier things, it's hard to remember how to be sad. :)
Way to Go, Karen.
Oh, what a sweet Thanksgiving post! I did realize as I was cleaning up all the cooking mess and trying to recover from the hectic day that I don't think my kids even GOT "THANKSgiving." I definitely need to be better about emphasizing the SPIRIT of the holiday rather than what we DO. (Or worse, what we BUY!) Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I love the idea of the tree. We'll be doing that next year for sure!
good ideas. thanks for the reminder to be happy with what we have, not sad about what we don't have.
do you realize how much goodness you bring to my life? i love your bright smile, your happy ways, all the good you do to make life better, so much better, for so many. i love you.
I love you! Thank you for this post and I am SO with you on the Halloween thing. I think you are amazing and I wish we still lived in the same little house! ;)
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