*don't forget to scroll to the bottom for my thankful pictures.... and tag me in a thankful pic from your day!*
Is it just me, or is it pretty easy to find things we’re NOT thankful for this year? I’m guessing that fear, health regulations, canceled holidays, viruses, politics, masks, or online school won’t top your thankfulness list. I’m with you.
I’m sick of being afraid of every sniffle.
I’m tired of daily regulation changes.
I’m fine with wearing a mask but WOW, anyone else miss smiling at people!?
I feel the dissonance of school cancelations.
I dislike the climate of fear my kids are absorbing.
...We could probably make this list as long as our arm...
Here’s my question: what if that’s all ok?
What if difficulty actually sweetens thankfulness?
I'd rather have thankfulness come easily. I like easy. A lot actually... But sometimes thankfulness is a bit more illusive. Sometimes thankfulness is a treasure that must be mined.
Last time I checked, mining something is dirty work that requires explosives and lots of manual labor.
I don’t want to work for my thankfulness. Can’t I just order some on Amazon?
“‘Tis the season to be JOLLY”, not “‘Tis the season to get dirty and raw and dig for the good in our lives.”
Do we have another option though?
What are we teaching our kids?
Thankfulness only when it is easy? Yikes!
I want my kids to hunt for thankfulness like a treasure.
Worldvision says
“one of the best things about thankfulness is that the more you choose it, the easier it gets...
"...The more you profess gratitude, the more you notice things to be grateful for. The thankfulness muscles respond to exercise!”
Notice how it called thankfulness a choice? Ouch. Far too often I think thankfulness is a nice fluffy feeling that just happens. What if it isn't?
Let’s face it, exercise isn’t always the most fun… but who isn’t glad they exercised AFTER the workout?! It is so good for us!
So let’s exercise our thankfulness muscles together!
Where is your thankfulness hiding? Let's start mining.
There is power in calling out and acknowledging what we’re thankful about because if we don’t, it quickly passes. Naming things has a way of slowing time and acknowledging what is actually happening amidst the craziness of life.
Here’s what I’m going to do:
I’m going to put on my mining hat today and LOOK for things I’m thankful about. Then I’m going to snap a picture and share them with you!
Will you share yours with me?! I'd love to see them!!
Here are mine from the day:
Ok... there are my 15 from yesterday.
Can you find 5 today? List them. Photograph them. Let your kids know you're mining thankfulness. It's contagious. Trust me. They'll ask you why you're taking pictures of the squash on your fork :)
Don't let fear make thankfulness slip through the cracks of your day!
Share it with me too! I'd love to see a peek of your Thankfulness!
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Ready for some fresh milk?? Yes Please!