Choosing to have an attitude of gratitude

Now that our Halloween decorations are put away and Christmas is right around the corner, I want to focus this year especially on Thanksgiving. In the past, as soon as Halloween was over it always seems as though I rush into Christmas and Thanksgiving just gets passed over like a stepping stone. Don't get me wrong, we still eat turkey, dressing and all the fixings, but I feel like I don't FOCUS on being Thankful like I should. Even our society seems to "overlook" Thanksgiving in many ways...they put up Christmas trees in August for heavens sakes!!! So this season I want to make it a point to verbalize to my kids and my husband what I am thankful for! I read a wonderful post about 20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude by Melissa at the Inspired Room just last week and couldn't pass up sharing her list...

20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude

1. Mind your manners. Say please, thank you and excuse me.
2. Smile when you see your family. Turn your frown upside down.
3. Pick up after yourself.
4. Notice when others do kind things for you, show gratitude by action or words.
5. Say I love you before going to bed.
6. Give hugs daily.
7. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Focus on what you are happy about today.
8. Create gratitude journals to keep track of daily blessings.
9. Show thankfulness for even the little things others do for you.
10. Leave love notes in unexpected places like lunch boxes and under pillows.
11. Encourage someone with a compliment.
12. Verbalize what you are grateful for when you feel like complaining about life.
13. Keep a basket of small slips of paper on the table. Write notes of thankfulness during the week and read them to each other during a family meal.
14. Remember to thank God for blessings each day.
15. Surprise your family (or friends) with little gifts or treats to show you thought of them.
16. No grumbling about minor annoyances around the house.
17. Do special things to cherish time with your family. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
18. Reflect on happy memories regularly. Make inspiration boards of special times.
19. Help someone out without them having to ask you. Watch for someone in need.
20. When you are doing household chores, be grateful you have a home to clean.

Beautiful

What a great way to start a season of Thankfulness with attitudes of gratitude!

Speaking of being thankful...This little school project is what inspired this post. Cade brought home a completely blank sheet of orange paper with the words "I am thankful for" at the top as a homework assignment. I explained to him that being thankful means that you are happy to have something or someone in your life. As we sat down this afternoon to talk about it he opened up to me about what made his heart happy.

This is what he came up with...

He started naming off all the people he was thankful for and then added WHAT he was thankful they did with him. Goodness knows I couldn't draw all of it so I headed to my handy-dandy

kindergarten clip art file and luckily (thank you Lord) found everything he named off!

At my house, Mommy, Daddy, Gracie

and

my Nani and her good cakes
Mimi when she pulls the wagon when I was thiiiiissss (shows me with his hands...about 5 inches long) BIG in her red wagon.

I'm thankful for Papa and how he plays basketball with me.
My Grandpop and how he throws the ball.

Young hearts are so impressionable.

Lord give me the wisdom to leave a lasting mark of thankfulness on the hearts of my 2 most precious little ones. I know I cannot do it without your spirit!