Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is that perfect time of year where we look back and become grateful for all that we have and have gotten to experience. We gather with family, experience the love of fellowship, and enjoy some good food. This year I decided to reach out to friends in the blogosphere to get some outside ideas to keep thankful this Thanksgiving.
10 Experts Share Ways to Stay Thankful
1. Gratitude Jar – Ashley Harkleroad
Ashley from the Created to Glorify blog, suggested to have a jar available in a place you will see regularly with paper and pen near. Whenever you pass by write something that you are thankful for to add to the jar. On Thanksgiving, open the jar as a family and rejoice in all the things you have been thankful for. Go to her blog post to read more specifics and see other suggestions she gives for choosing gratitude.
2. Thanksgiving Challenge – Joseph Monroe
Joseph from the Redeemer Savior blog, created a challenge to glorify God this Thanksgiving. He recommends binge reading all of the Bible passages on Thanksgiving. Then he suggests taking some of those passages and writing prayers from them. This can be a great activity for the family, each having one passage for which they are in responsible. Then each can pray their verse on Thanksgiving as a family. You can check out his Thanksgiving Challenge here.
3. Thirty Days of Thanks – Heather Drollinger
Heather from the Legacy of Blessing blog created a wonderful calendar that can visually record daily those things the family want to give thanks. Heather gives examples on her blog with kids’ drawings in the blank, which I thought was a wonderful way to incorporate them into this process. I only wish I got this to you sooner. 🙂 Go to Heather’s 30 Days of Thanks to download her template and read her thoughts.
4. Gratitude Tree and Thanksgiving Journal – Erin Ashley Boado
Erin at the Lullaby Lark blog is weekly adding things she is thankful for on her blog. Then she will create a gratitude tree to visually display the gratitude and remind them of those things. She has purchased her tree, but it looks like you can easily make one not so fancy. Read her post on Pumpkin Spice and Jesus Christ to follow her journey of thanks.
5. No Complaining Challenge – Deonna
This is an old post by Deonna of the Child at Heart blog, but it is a great idea. So often we focus on things to be thankful about that we don’t see how our complaining has blinded us of other good things. This is such a great challenge. Check out Deonna’s No Complaining November Challenge and how she was going about it.
6. Gratitude Photo Scavenger Hunt – Kim Danger
Kim of the Mommysavers blog came up with this Gratitude Photo Challenge list. One of my daughters loves taking pictures, and she is getting a good eye for it. This is a great way to capture children’s interest and direct it in a way that encourages thanksgiving. You can even print off the pictures before the family gathering to encourage sharing of those things of which they found to be grateful. 30 Days of Gratitude Photo Challenge
7. Get the Kids to Give Thanks – Jennifer Sustaita
Jennifer, at the Coffee, Passport, and Israel blog, has each member of the family thank God for something. She loves to hear the little one thank God for things of interest to them. The simplicity of the prayers teach the kids how easy and enjoyable it can be to be thankful. You can read her post, Thankfulness Over the Holidays, here.
8. Thanksgiving Sunday School Crafts – Jodi
Jodi has curated 20 wonderful Sunday Crafts at her Meaningful Mama blog. We are not super crafty in our family, but our girls still love to cut, glue, and color with the best of them. These crafts are fairly simple, while still maintaining a heart of thankfulness. Check out her 20 Sunday School Craft Ideas for the Fall.
9. Free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages – Amber
At the Crazy Little Projects blog, Amber created these two cute coloring pages to entertain your kids this Thanksgiving. My girls used to love any kind of coloring page I could print off, and these two would be great for some younger kids (and some older). You can have your children to write/draw something on the page they are thankful for. You can grab her Free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages.
10. Thanksgiving Coloring Pages for Adults – Carisa
Carisa from the 1 plus 1 equals 1 blog understands that kids are not the only ones that enjoy a good coloring page. She created some good thankfulness inspired adult coloring pages for you to enjoy. Check them out on her post, Thanksgiving Coloring Pages.
I hope you have enjoyed these suggestions from experts in the blogosphere. Check out these resources, friend them on their social networks, and leave them comments about how much you enjoyed their ideas.
If you are looking for more inspiration, check out these two posts from our prayer-coach blog from previous years. And, we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you for featuring my idea! 🙂
My pleasure. I love the idea and how you have the ideas easy to use on the prepared list. I think it would be fun to see what the kids take pictures of.