I know...Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season is in full swing. I've heard my first "Chia Pet" commercial and several stations are playing 24 hour Christmas music. The rush is on. Calendars are filling and "to do" lists are growing. Maybe more than at any other time in the year, however, we need to counter the "gimme/ I want" season with a reminder about thankfulness. What spurred my thoughts was a quote I was sent that said "Only in America do people trample each other for bargains on the day after they were supposedly thankful for all that they already have!" So I decided to share "How do you spell 'Thankful?'" The letters in "thankful" were used as an acronym to teach a reminder lesson on fostering thankfulness.
T - Tally your blessings (you have so much to be thankful for...really...so remember)
H - Hold your tongue (once said, there's no rewinding either the words or their affect)
A - Ask for God's perspective (our own is so limited by time & experience)
N - Negate negativity (negatives cast a dark shadow on every situation & every relationship)
K - Keep your emotions in check (they're easily fired up but much harder to tame)
F - Foster family fellowship (chosen or biological, none of us are meant to go it alone)
U - Unleash your passions & creativity (there's joy in serving others with your gifts)
L - Live in expectancy (God has a good life for you, full of amazing things....trust Him)
These are simple reminders & yet in this busy & often frustrating time of year, we can lift our spirits by taking time to consider them. Gratitude is a spark that ignites both joy & peace. It reminds us of what is really important, helping us keep the reason for the season as our priority and that reason is simple ...God gave! Refocused, our lives will reflect a constant consciousness of all that God has done for us & the many blessings He has given us. His sacrifice & love will then cause us to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness that will permeate everything we do, spreading the true Christmas spirit in ways that nothing else can.
Blessings!
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