Thursday, November 17, 2011

Thanksgiving: Begin Living a LIfe of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year, because it is one holiday that encourages people to be more satisfied with what they have versus wanting more.  It is never to late to begin living a life a gratitude....

.....and it doesn't have to start and stop in November.  Here are a few ways to make giving thanks the central theme of not only your home this season, but of your heart forever.

  • Make a banner to hang with various cards that can be attached.....write something you are thankful for each day and attach it to the banner.

*This year we have written what we were thankful for each day on a leaf or turkey and taped each one around the arch leading into our family room

  • Last year, my husband and I wrote one thing we each were thankful for and displayed it on a chalkboard in our home


  • Memorize Scripture regarding giving thanks:






  • Set a timer and commit to spending 5 minutes each morning giving thanks only.
  • Get a paper roll and tape it to a frequented area in your home....you and everyone in your family write something on it during dinner each evening.  Allison of All For The Boys is doing something similar to this with her kids.
  • Create a thankful jar---each person in your home puts something they are thankful for in the jar....then read all the items in the jar on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.  
  • Study and discuss the beginning to Thanksgiving.
  • Ask God daily to produce a thankful heart in you.
  • Take time to tell those you love why you are thankful for them....my mother-in-law started a tradition in our family.  Everyone in our family tells the one celebrating their birthday why they appreciate them and/or what they like about them.

Linking up with This or That ThursdayGussy's Inspiration Workshop, and Thanksgiving Tradition Link Up.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Great ideas! and your mantel is beautiful!

Deborah said...

What a great post. I'm in the process of making a "Give Thanks" banner for my fireplace mantle. I really like your mother-in-law's idea of telling the birthday person what you appreciate about them and the thankful jar. Awesome ideas I'll be starting next year. I'm thankful for the inspiration I've found on your blog this year. Happy Thanksgiving.

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

Great ideas. Love your mantle.

Kmcblackburn said...

What a lovely post and sentiments. Thanksgiving is MY favorite holiday too, and for the same reasons.

Enjoy!

Kathy

Unknown said...

I love all of these ideas. I have a gratitude journal and make my giving thanks time during my morning commute. It makes go by faster and I arrive feeling full of thankfulness!

Ashley Sisk said...

These are all great ideas - I need to spend more time doing this!

Anonymous said...

Love the turkeys taped around the arch. I might just steal that!

Mommyof2girlz/StephD said...

Sometimes one gets wrapped up in life and we forget to stop, breath and think about all the things to be thankful for. I am thankful for these wonderful ideas :)

deb duty said...

Your mantle is beautiful and I love your ideas for living a more thankful life.

Anonymous said...

such a wonderful post with great ideas!

i love your mantel decorations :)

Unknown said...

I love your ideas! Please think about linking them to my Thanksgiving link up!

katy said...

Love this! Great ideas, Amber.

Unknown said...

I love the idea of writing something down each day that you are thankful for an displaying it in your home.

Carolina said...

Love all these ideas- will try a couple of them in our home!

Unknown said...

Love these suggestions!