This year, I challenge you to find ways to show gratitude, look outward, and see how your thanksgiving can be a blessing to others. Here are 10 ways you can…
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it, the beginning of the holiday season. Even though I’ve been walking past turkey decorations and Christmas lights for the last month, I don’t consider it the “holidays” until the bird is carved.
I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t my favorite time of year. Despite the stress of cooking (something I will never love), and trying to fit everything I want to do into the time I have and the budget I agreed on, this time of year is the best.
Maybe it’s because I don’t feel hokey talking about things like gratitude and family togetherness. I can say the word blessings without feeling self-conscious.
It’s one of the few times when I feel like our culture is in line with my heart.
Being grateful isn’t something that should wait until November, but it often gets sidelined in favor of flashier emotions: anger, pride, selfishness, and just plain old want.
I know that when I’m thinking about myself, or thinking about what I want, I completely forget about what I have and the people who matter to me. I read somewhere (and you know it’s driving me crazy that I can’t remember where!) that when we look inward, we can’t see anything around us.
So, this Thanksgiving, I am challenging you (and myself) to stop and find ways to show gratitude, to look outward and see how our thanksgiving can be a blessing to others.
This will be different for everyone, but if you’re looking for a few ideas, here are 10 ways you can show gratitude this Thanksgiving:
Count your blessings
We all have something or someone that we are grateful for; someone we didn’t deserve in our lives, an opportunity we never expected to have, a second chance we never thought we’d get. God blesses us all abundantly. Think about those things and say a prayer of thanks.
Volunteer this Thanksgiving
Sharing some of our time, bringing light to another’s darkness, filling a need in our communities—nothing shows our gratitude for our own blessings like being one to someone else.
Invite a guest
The holidays are all about hospitality. But while some families are cringing at the thought of so many relatives at the table, others are missing people. If you know someone who is spending Thanksgiving alone, invite them over—not because they have no one else to spend the day with, but because you’re grateful to have them in your life and the chance to share the holiday with them.
Tell your family what you really think
I don’t know about you, but I am especially grateful to spend this Thanksgiving with my husband and children. Don’t be afraid to tell your family how much it means to be together around a table with them.
Give the people what they want
My children have a laundry list of foods they won’t eat, mostly because of their texture (i.e. no mashed potatoes because they are, well, mushy), not to mention allergies. Instead of complaining about the special requests, I’d rather just be grateful that they are strong, healthy, hungry, and opinionated.
Donate
Chances are that you have more than someone else. Money, time, family, or any number of things. Offering what we have to make someone else’s life better is a great way to show our gratitude for our gifts.
Sponsor a child
It doesn’t have to start and stop with the holidays. Sponsor a child and you change their life. Seeing what little some children have compared to my own makes me grateful for what we can provide. It also makes me realize that we can provide for kids outside of our family.
Write a letter on Thanksgiving
This is a lost art, but a wonderful one. Send someone a letter letting them know what they mean to you, how they made your life better, or just that you were thinking of them. Not only will it touch their heart, it’s something of you they can keep always.
Spend Thanksgiving Visiting
We all tend to visit family during this season, and that’s an important part of it. But consider visiting places where company would be welcome, but is often scarce—nursing homes, hospitals, homes of shut-ins, etc.
Flip the script
It’s way too easy to get caught up in the craziness of all-day cooking, Black Friday anticipation, and family stress. So, instead of letting the circumstances overwhelm you and steal your joy, be intentional about your Thanksgiving. Focus on the important people and not the stuff, be grateful for the food instead of resenting the need to cook it, and enjoy the day instead of counting the hours until it’s over.
Thanksgiving is the kickoff to a season that is devoted to gratitude, love, and giving. Let’s start it off right, with open arms and open hearts. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
What are some ways that you are showing your gratitude this Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear in the comments!
For more on gratitude during the holidays, check out these posts:
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