I love autumn. Every morning, when it gets light enough to
see across the lake, I look to see how much the trees have lost their green and
are showing the beauty of the season. The air is crisp, apples and pumpkins
flavor the world, candy corn and peanuts fill the candy dish, and my home is
decorated with reminders that Thanksgiving is on the way. However, the season
for giving thanks lasts all year at my house. It’s cool that all the signs
about gratitude go on sale after Thanksgiving, as if that season has passed,
because I can load up on reminders of my blessings and pay half price for it…
which is just one more blessing!
My living room wall bears a sign that reminds me that “There
is ALWAYS something to be thankful for,” and even though it ends with a
preposition, the sentiment is right on! I can sit down and watch a documentary
about how people live in other parts of the world and realize I am wealthy, by
comparison. And, by the way, I avoid the shows were people are purchasing their
vacation home in the tropics. Is that even real??? Or I can go to a public
place and listen to people fuss with each other and realize the blessing of my
relationships with my people. I eat every single day and I sleep in a warm bed
every single night. I’m not sure I even come close to fully appreciating these
things because I have never gone without them. But, even though my appreciation
may not be a full as it could be, I choose to take note of it every single day
and tell someone that I am blessed by … whatever is warming my heart at a given
moment… and thank my God for providing it.
The entire atmosphere of your home can be transformed by practicing
gratitude. When you choose to be thankful for what you have, you effectively
replace envy with joy. This is not something you will discover in the DNA
strands of your innermost being. This is a learned behavior that is
transformational and it MUST BE TAUGHT to your children. Your children have
different personalities and some will naturally be more optimistic and
empathetic than others, but TEACH them to be grateful. Don’t protect them from
the needs of children around the world. It is a beautiful thing when a child
willingly gives something up for a child in need. TEACH them how to do that.
For example, have a conversation about their birthday or Christmas or Trick or
Treat and tell them there is X number of dollars in the budget to spend. Tell
them that some of that is for your family and some is for another family in
need. Perhaps you will be giving to a hungry child in Haiti, or an orphan in
Africa, or a child in their class who has obvious unmet needs. If they don’t
want to share from their blessings, don’t despair! Roll up your sleeves and go
to work! Get online and show them a malnourished child with vacant eyes and
tell them what portion you are choosing to send to that child. Then do it with
joy so that they can see it isn’t a chore or an obligation you dread. They will
see that they won’t do without because you chose to share. Their needs… and
some wants… will still be fulfilled.
The sign on my window sill over the kitchen sink reminds me
that… “Gratitude makes what you have enough.”
It is so true. When my heart is filled with gratitude for my home, I
stop longing for it to be better or bigger or more organized… (okay, I’m still
working on not coveting more organization, but that’s a whole different blog).
Does your heart feel light and cheerful when you look around at all you have?
Maybe it’s the opposite because you have so much that you can’t manage it all
and everything just looks like a mess. Most kids in our culture suffer from
that malady. So. Many. Toys! They can’t
manage them. They can’t find what they are looking for. They can’t even find
the floor! If your kids have more than they can manage to care for on a daily
basis, consider the possibility that they are overwhelmed with their abundance
and it’s time to pack some up and store to be swapped out later and maybe you
need to pack some up to bless another child. When they actually have the space
to play with their toys their little minds begin to be less cluttered and
fretful and they begin to enjoy what they have.
How many times have your cupboards been so full that you
couldn’t find anything so you just buy more of the ingredient you need only to
find it a week later in the back of the pantry? It happens! What if you gave up
grocery shopping until you ate your way through the pantry and the freezer? It’s
the same principle as minimizing for your kids. Think about how your laundry
load would change if your family didn’t have enough clothes to last a month.
You may have to do laundry more frequently, but it would go much more quickly
and wouldn’t take over your house. I find that the people that are minimalists
are the ones who have less stress and more order and have more margin in their
lives to bless people who are less fortunate… with their resources and with
their time.
Consider a trip to the home décor section of your favorite
store in the next few weeks and find some items that you can have around your
house all year to remind you to be thankful. Even better, take those ideas and
make something together as a family. Play the thankful game and stretch their
minds to be thankful for something beginning with every letter of the alphabet.
They will likely find things they have been taking for granted. Point out the beauty
of the trees and the blessings we can find in God’s creation. Every night when
you say goodnight, tell them a quality that you see in them that makes your
heart thankful. Learn to live with an attitude of gratitude and if you don’t see
the family falling in line to do the same, start teaching them with experiences
that will become embedded in their hearts. Be a joyful giver. Minimize the
stuff that takes over your world. Experience gratitude in a whole new way as
you continually thank God for His blessings.
Listen to the wisdom of Solomon in The Message…
“A miserable heart means a miserable life;
A cheerful heart fills the day with song.
A simple life in the fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton
of headaches.
Better a bread crust shared in love than a slab of prime rib served in
hate.”
Proverbs 15:15-17
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