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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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2 comments:
I think of Holiday Traditions that we have passed on to our children and grandchildren. Christmas Eve is the holiest night of the year for us. After a simple meal, the grandchildren, with parents, read “The Night Before Christmas” in the living room while we grandparents light a roaring fire in the den. Only burning tapers are visible on the mantel beside a dimly lit tree. Silent Night plays softly. My parents’ miniature silver bell rings in the celebration. The grandchildren scramble into the darkened room to find their gifts. One special gift is a tenderly wrapped weighted box. It is no surprise. The grandchildren know this double-layered box holds grandpa’s famous orange chocolate fudge on the top layer and crunch peanut butter fudge on the bottom. It is tradition. Blessings, Rita
Hi, Rita! Your Christmas Eve tradition sounds wonderful! It's neat that you have silver bells that belonged to your parents.
Pops and I have had some of Grandpa's famous fudge and it is delicious!!!
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