It is Thanksgiving week ladies! I don’t know about you, but I am excited and stressed at the same time. I love having the kids (especially the grandkids) around, but there is so much to do – cleaning, shopping, preparing food, and decorating for Christmas.

I am ashamed of myself because my focus should be on being thankful. What is the expression “too blessed to be stressed?” That is me, except I allow myself to get stressed!

I know this might be a little hokey, but this week’s blog post lists some different ways to be thankful over the next twelve months. Start in December and finish up next Thanksgiving. Resolve to make 2018 a year of gratitude.

Pick one or more of the suggestions below, or come up with one of your own ideas, and embark on a journey of thankful living. Whatever you choose to do make sure you focus on your blessings.  I am sure your effort will make 2018 a joyful year.

  1. Buy poster board or a flip chart. They have flipchart post-its at office supply stores. I love them. You can pull a large sheet off the pad and hang it on a door or wall. Before going to bed each member of the family writes a blessing from their day.

When the page is full, put up a new one – or put a fresh sheet up every month. Don’t throw them away. Save the treasure trove of blessings and post them on the walls next Thanksgiving. See how many blessings God bestowed on you during the year. It will make next Thanksgiving especially meaningful.

  1. Choose one word a month and write an acrostic around the word. Use words that describe God and thank Him for this attribute. Find Scripture that defines or uses the word and memorize the verse(s). Display the acrostics somewhere where everyone can see – maybe the refrigerator. It will help everyone focus on the word during the month.

An example:

Just

Evil destroyer

Sacrificed life for me

United brothers and sisters in Christ

Saved me from my sin

If you need some help selecting the words and verses, here are twelve suggestions.

Awesome (Daniel 9:4)

Blessed (Romans 10:12)

Cares (1 Peter 5:7)

Comforts (Psalm 86:17)

Compassionate (Psalm 145:8)

Forgives (1 John 1:9)

Holy (Psalm 30:4)

Just (Psalm 7:17)

Love (Ephesians 5: 1-2)

Patient (2 Peter 3:9)

Saves (Psalm 25:5)

Truth (John 14:6)

  1. Make one day a month “card” day. Send out thinking of you cards with a personal note to at least five people each month. Let them know they are special and why you appreciate them.
  2. Thankful Thursdays. Every Thursday pray about what you are thankful for and spend time praising God. Don’t petition God for needs and wants. Ask for nothing on Thursdays. Focus on the greatness of God.
  3. Meditate on one Scripture each month that focuses on salvation. Pray these verses and look them up in a commentary to expand your understanding. If you Google the verse (example: Psalm 27:1 explained) a lot of commentary information will appear. Let the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice make you thankful for this most wonderful gift.

Suggestions: Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 51:6, Luke 2: 29-32, John 10:28, Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Ephesians 2: 8-9, Philippians 2:12, 2 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 2:3, 1 Peter 2:2-3.

Do you have any ideas to help us be more thankful in 2018? If so, share them under comments.

Before leaving the site, check out the devotions. Our Word of the Week is “Thankful” and the kids are studying the Book of Ruth with a devotion for both child and toddler on kindness.

Happy Thanksgiving! Stop by next week.