Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and yours

a very happy 

Thanksgiving!

May all your travels and time

be blessed,

 may all your loved ones

be near in your

heart,

if not around your table.

 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.

Numbers 6:24 KJV

Kids and Gratitude, cont.

I think it comes as no surprise to anyone that gratitude is not natural, it must be taught.

Because children are born selfish, it is our responsibility to train their hearts to be grateful. It is not an easy task, but it is a worthy one, for a child with a thankful heart is a delight to be around.  Don't you just love the sound of a pint-sized 'thank you'?  I know I do.

*The first step in teaching a child's heart to be grateful, is prayer.  Teach them how to give thanks verbally.  When we pray, we take our eyes off of ourselves and put them where they rightly belong - on God.  Gratitude originates in the heart and the whole goal of parenting is to hit the heart - right?  And gratitude draws our hearts closer to God.  There is no where else I'd rather be.

*To further lead in gratitude, teach your children to write a thank you note.  Good manners never go out of style and a thank you note is a great, simple way to show someone you are thankful, that you appreciate the time, effort, and resources it took to get you/them that gift.

*Tell your children, "no".  I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but in today's society, where entitlement runs rampant, the best gift you can give your kids is the realization that we don't always get what we want.  And if you have kids age 5+, make sure they earn part or all of the money they need to buy an item.  Someone who is always given, without having to invest in their own things, is usually very unpleasant and nobody wants that!

*Read stories/books about gratitude.  Family Life has so many great resources for families in their shop {and always at a reasonable price}.  We have a several of their books and really like them all.  "Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember", is one of our favorites.  It comes with a CD about the pilgrims voyage here and what they sacrificed to make America a christian nation.

 

*Another idea I like is to offer a 'silver lining' award to any child who can turn a bad situation into a blessing. Perspective changes everything!

*Encourage your older children {ages 10-12+} to keep a perspective journal where they explore a situation from several points of view.  It could also aid in developing the character trait of empathy. *BONUS!!*

*Memorizing Scripture is a great way to practice gratitude {and it increases their vocabulary!}

Just a couple examples of good verses are: Psalm 50:14, Psalm 50:23, Psalm 107:22.... the list is endless really!

*Encourage generosity and give big on every occasion possible.  A thankful heart is a generous heart.

*Finally, enlist your child's help with chores and responsibilities.  The more we do for our children, the less they appreciate our efforts.  I know it can be excruciating to watch them do a chore, but stick with it.  They will get it sooner or later and be all the better for it.

 

Blessings,

{K}

Five Minute Friday: Grow

I'm back with the Gypsy Mama today for Five Minute Friday... join me won't you?

 Our prompt for today is 'grow'.   A fitting word for my house in this season.

   

He comes to me and says he hurts, his ankles, his legs, all over really.

I check and feel and find nothing wrong, but the pools in his eyes grow and so do the black circles under them, so I do the only thing this mama knows to do, and I warm the rice bags.

Bags of warmth to soothe the sore muscles and aching bones that stretch and grow.

From the look on his face I know it's not just the body that hurts and so I probe, gently questioning, hoping he will reveal just a bit.  And after a few minutes his eyes spill over and he flat out says he just doesn't know what is wrong. 

But I know.... he's growing and sometimes growing hurts, whether it's the body or the heart or the soul.  And the waters that were once so clear are now muddied and hazy and the way is not-so-sure.  At times we are all stretched tight like a wire, ready to snap at the littlest push, thinking we can take no more.  But in hindsight, taking a look back after time, we see we have gone farther than we thought we could, done more than we thought possible,  and we are the better for it. 

Growth is good, always good - no matter how painful.  For it is in the stretching, the very thing that hurts the most, that we become more like Him.  Always more like him.

What is Gratitude?

I know I said I would be back on the subject of kids and gratitude and I'll get there..... next post.  You see, I realized that my little series here is a bit out of order {that's what you get when you don't have time to plan!}  Seems I should have started with this  subject of gratitude and discussing what it truly is... but you all are smart nd I'm sure you have figured it out, so I'll give you just a few thoughts of mine.

What is gratitude?

*Gratitude is a perception, a way of looking at things.

*Gratitude is a choice.

*Gratitude begins in the heart.

*It is a lifetime spent learning and acquiring this gift of gratitude.

*Gratitude is formed once you realize what you have been given, who you are, and from whom all   blessings flow.

*Gratitude draws us closer to God.

By listing {mentally or in written form} the gifts that God in His infinite grace has poured over us, we expand to receive.  Because the more He pours, the more we expand to receive.  And the more we expand to receive, the more He can pour.  And I like to be poured in to!

 

Blessings,

{K}