Now, I also realize that Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday but a . . . what do you call it? Country holiday? Patriotic holiday? Anyway, it's celebration is limited to the US of A. Still, the spirit of the day back at it's first celebration wasn't being thankful for the United States of America, but having a heart of thanks for what God had provided for the pilgrims - a new home, new friends, food to eat, shelter, etc. I just think it is TRAGIC that we move right along daily forgetting to be thankful for all God has done for us. And THEN we go and have a holiday to help us remember and we still blow right past it to something a little more "me centered" - ironically, Christmas.
So, at The Blue Hutch we have decided to take pause and make November a month where we focus on being thankful. I found this 4 foot tree at Michaels for $4 and some leaves at Target for $.50 and there you go. I am going to use the tree as a pattern to sew something more permanent for the future, but the foam puzzle is serving us just fine for now!
Every night at dinner we have taken a moment to go around and tell what we are thankful for that day. These things are written on a piece of paper which is then connected to a leaf and stuck on our primitive tree. The kids have really gotten into it - KB gives mostly Sunday School answers, but Little has been very thoughtful.
So far some of our responses have included:Church (KB)
Kirk Kids (Bubba)
Gracie (KB)
My bus (Little)
Burger King (Bubba)
The Gingerbread Man game on Starfall.com (Little)
Fridays (Honey)
JCPenney photo coupons (Me)
What's fun is that when we sit down for dinner, Little immediately says, "Mom, let's ask what we are thankful for today!"
I pray this "silly" little tool will help to grow in them a thankful heart. From my mouth to God's ears!
8 comments:
I love it. And love what your kids are thankful for.
And I'm sorry you are sad tonight. Peace to you tonight, friend.
we have a thankful jar and I got some leaf cut outs and turkey cut outs from the parent teacher store. We have also been doing it at dinner and writing something we're thankful for. We've followed that with a verse of thanksgiving and a song "thank him, thank him" or "give thanks to the lord"- we'd be open for more suggestions!!! i love the tree though b/c you can continually see all the things we have to be thankful for!
love the idea of adding to it each night! i'm pulling out my leaves and starting now instead of sitting down and writing it all at once! thanks!
Hey, did you know that the puritans considered Thanksgiving the only religious holiday? They didn't celebrate Christmas, choosing instead to have an annual celebration of Thanks to the Lord.
Also: it's not limited just to the United States. Canada has Thanksgiving, but they celebrate it in October.
What a great idea!! We have a "thankful jar" and add to it all during the month. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, the 5 of us sit around and pull them all out and read them.
Loving the thankfulness ideas!
Inspiring and encouraging!
~annie
My favorite response was "Burger King" from Bubba. Such a guy.
Amen! I love the ideas!thanks for keeping me on track- I needed a push to get moving on celebrating Thanksgiving.
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