I hope your Thanksgiving Day celebration left you feeling satisfied both in your tummy and in your heart.
On Thanksgiving Day morning, I cook breakfast for the our family since we don’t do turkey dinner until latter that afternoon with the extended family. My feast included ham and eggs, turkey bacon, homemade biscuits, and Cinnamon rolls…can’t forget the desert!
Between the “pass me the jelly and who at the last piece of bacon” conversations,we also shared with one another the things we are most thankful for. This time of reflection has always been important to me. The Bible teaches us to be thankful and to give thanks in all things. I have to admit, I don’t always give thanks everyday, but my family and I never miss expressing our thankfulness on Thanksgiving. It warms my heart to hear my children share the many things they are thankful for…especially each other. (smiles)
Later that afternoon, we celebrated and filled our tummies again with Me-Maw’s turkey dinner. As the adults reclined around the table with our plates pushed forwarded, we were suddenly bombarded with kids. They were all talking over one another with excitement. What was all the excitement about? Christmas list’s.
Somewhere between morning and afternoon, my children went from thankfulness to a “I want and must have” mentality. What was once a peaceful atmosphere, suddenly turned into chaos. It became clear to me that our “want” meter is what causes us to get off balance quickly.
I understand where the kids were coming from. I want more too. I want more both spiritually and materially. But today is the day we are to be thankful and satisfied with the good things God has given us–not what He has not.
I put my hand up and announced, “we are not going to talk about Christmas list’s today.” And that was the end of that.
I hope to keep thankfulness at the forefront of my children’s minds this holiday season. Then, we we get off balanced desiring “things” we don’t have, we can stop and express thankfulness for what we do have. Maybe instead of making list of what we don’t have, we can makes lists of the blessings we do have. Being thankful brings sweet satisfaction and peace like no object, gift, or toy can. That’s the kind of full feeling I like to have during the holidays.
God bless….
Rachel says
Hi Micca, Thanks for your comments today. All rang very true here!! Always good to know there are others in the same boat.
It can be such a struggle to help our children to be thankful…and me too. I also fall into the trap of wanting more and wanting it now.
I have a fiend who keeps a “grattitude book” which she writes in each evening as a springboard for praise.
I have only just discovered your blog and am really enjoying it. Thank you!
Rachel.