7 Ways to Keep Thanks in Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just a week away! Here are seven ideas that can help us keep Thanks in Thanksgiving.

1. Memorize Philippians 1:3 (“I thank my God every time I remember you.”) Make a special effort as Thanksgiving approaches to tell the grandkids why you thank God for them.

2. Have a “bowl of thanks.” Ask each person in the family to write things they are thankful for on small slips of paper. Drop the slips into the bowl. On Thanksgiving Day read the notes of gratitude and thank God together for His many blessings. (Long-distance grands can either mail you their notes of thanks or write them on Thanksgiving Day.)

3. Talk with the grandkids (in person, on the phone, by e-mail) about the blessing of good health. If possible, with your grandchild, “adopt” someone who does not have this blessing—rake their leaves, walk their dog, go grocery shopping for them ...

4. Discuss Ephesians 5:20 with the grands: "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

5. When the grandkids come to visit, make a paper chain of thanks: 1) Cut different colors of construction paper into strips. If you want a loose paper chain, cut long strips. Short strips will make small links. 2) Ask family members to write on the links what they are thankful for. 3) Attach the strips together to make a chain.

The chain can be hung in a special place for decoration. The links could be separated on Thanksgiving Day and the family could read the notes of thanks.

6. Deuteronomy 32:7 tells us to "consider the generations long past." Remember deceased loved ones by asking everyone around the Thanksgiving table to share why they are thankful for that special relative or friend.

7. Have a 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 family photo available on Thanksgiving Day. On the back of the picture write the date, who is in it, and one thing that each person was thankful for during the current year.

I read a great article about taking family pictures: 8 tips for great family photos. You might enjoy reading it.

Whenever I give thanks, I am reminded that God has blessed us in so many ways!

Abundant blessings,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
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© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux.
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Traditions

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

“Recipes, collections, activities—almost anything can become family tradition,” say the Littauers in their book The Blue Plate Special. They say to “start with something that appeals to the majority. Maybe that’s sharing cinnamon rolls together (homemade or store bought, it doesn’t matter) the first Saturday morning of every month.”

I remember my family eating lunch with my grandparents every Sunday after church. We ate in a cafeteria and played a little game called “who can eat for the least amount of money.” Of course, now I understand that game.

One of Pops' and my traditions when our kids were growing up was regularly marking their heights on a door. We’re continuing this tradition with the grands. They love to see how much they’ve grown! We draw a line for their height, include a date and first name, and sometimes even take pictures when we measure how tall they are.

When our out-of-town grands visited a week or so ago, one of the first requests was, "Measure us. See how tall we are."

Would you share a tradition that you have with your grandkids ... or a tradition that your grandparents had with you?

Have a great week,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
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© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux.
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Let's make a parachute

Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Have you ever thought about making a parachute ... for Colombia? Until the other day, I never had.

Christians in Colombia are often attacked and threatened by Guerrillas. The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) helps support a missionary pilot who flies into guerrilla-controlled areas and drops Bibles and Christian books. These books float to the ground in small parachutes.

A ministry outreach of VOM is Kids of Courage. Its website has complete directions for making small parachutes that can be sent to Colombia. (They request $3 to accompany each chute to help pay for books, shipping costs, and airplane fuel.)

I think that it would be great to make a parachute for Colombia with a grandchild, and also look at a map together, explaining where the parachute will be sent and what it will contain. (Directions could be sent to long-distance grands. Grandparents and grandkids could make their parachutes on the same day and exchange cell phone pictures. Or, they could mail one another pictures of completed chutes.)

We can find other activities, stories, downloads, etc., on Kids of Courage. Here's a link to a children's story written about missionary Gracia Burnham and the power of forgiveness.

How do you encourage your grandchild to help Christians in other countries?

He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com
Grand Connection blog
Examiner.com column

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© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux.
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