Honest, I am not trying to alarm you, but we only have 22 days until the turkey carcass is in the freezer for soup, and people start lining up to buy their Christmas trees at the local Home Depot!
Maybe it's because I was born on Thanksgiving. Maybe it is that I have heard Thanksgiving is called "The Introvert's Holiday" for its more reflective, more intimate pace. Whatever it is - I always try to make sure that in our home, we pause between the mad back-to-school/World Series/Halloween rush...and Christmas season...to be thankful.
It seem appropriate to pause to reflect on all our blessings, but how can we do that?
Maybe it's because I was born on Thanksgiving. Maybe it is that I have heard Thanksgiving is called "The Introvert's Holiday" for its more reflective, more intimate pace. Whatever it is - I always try to make sure that in our home, we pause between the mad back-to-school/World Series/Halloween rush...and Christmas season...to be thankful.
- I want us to take a breath.
- I want us to think deep thoughts.
- I want us to take time to honestly snuggle into life and just be glad to be here, together.
It seem appropriate to pause to reflect on all our blessings, but how can we do that?
- It needs to be visible, because in this month-before-THAT-month it will otherwise get pushed to the back burner.
- It needs to be easy.
- It needs to be inexpensive.
- It needs to be - at our fingertips.
All too often, I wait until the day before Thanksgiving...then I think, "OH! We need to talk about THANKFULNESS!" Ha. As in, "Hey kids, before everyone starts asking you what you want for Christmas - possibly even AT the Thanksgiving table - let's try to think about what you are already thankful for!"
More recently, I've tried to make autumn our season of Gratitude. As we settle down into the school year, we try to consciously appreciate the gifts of family, home, friends, and the simple everyday blessings that mean the most. But - how to make that a visible part of our every day?
So, I took a few pictures, put together a cute little bulletin board set....and then never used it on a bulletin board! We love to use it as dining room decor - around the top of the wall, or just above the chair rail level. I printed off the pictures at my local photo printer's and reuse it - but if you have a good color printer, you can do it right at home! We cut out and glue the border together, then cut out and leave a stack of the "leaves" laying in the middle of the table all month. Any - and all - of us are encouraged to write down a blessing in their lives when it comes to mind...and stick it on the wall. (We use painter's tape - whatever will leave your wall unscathed will work!)
More recently, I've tried to make autumn our season of Gratitude. As we settle down into the school year, we try to consciously appreciate the gifts of family, home, friends, and the simple everyday blessings that mean the most. But - how to make that a visible part of our every day?
So, I took a few pictures, put together a cute little bulletin board set....and then never used it on a bulletin board! We love to use it as dining room decor - around the top of the wall, or just above the chair rail level. I printed off the pictures at my local photo printer's and reuse it - but if you have a good color printer, you can do it right at home! We cut out and glue the border together, then cut out and leave a stack of the "leaves" laying in the middle of the table all month. Any - and all - of us are encouraged to write down a blessing in their lives when it comes to mind...and stick it on the wall. (We use painter's tape - whatever will leave your wall unscathed will work!)
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By Thanksgiving - I hope - we have a more sincere understanding of the blessings in our lives, and a more sincere gratitude going forward into a season that SHOULD be a season of giving. I am happy to share the set with you - and hope it helps your family as you seek to develop an attitude of gratitude!
Finally, today, I want all my friends here in The Red Couch Reading Room to know - I am sincerely thankful for YOU this season. You are my comrades in arms, as we seek to build integrity, wisdom, and discernment into our students, our children. Thank you for coming by to visit, thank you for inspiring me, and thank you for holding the bar high in your homes and classrooms! You are a blessing to me!
Thankfully -
Thankfully -
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