Adding this to all of our days...

Last week I shared with you about our jar of thanksgiving.

If you missed it, you can read about it here.

  We began on Sunday to fill it up with our thanks and by Monday we needed a 2nd, bigger jar. Then, on Thanksgiving morning, as we gathered around the breakfast table, just the 5 of us, Daddy emptied the jars and shared each thanks-filled drawing and read each note out loud.

Here's a sampling of the gifts counted by 3 boys: 

My school

A place to live

Technology

Books

Wii

Food to eat

Friends and cousins

Fifi and Monsie (our cats)

My Mom

All of God's creations

My brothers

Peace

Jesus

American soldiers

Health

Good rules to keep my heart away from the devil

Daddy 

We were blessed!  I loved hearing what they are thankful for.  They excitedly yelled "That's mine," as Daddy read each entry.  My 5-year-old's drawings were precious.  He wrote "I am" (2 of his school vocab words) on each note and then drew a picture of what he was thankful for.  Did it all on his own. 

Precious. 

The boys loved that activity so much that we've decided to continue with the jar of thanks.  It'll remain in our kitchen and will collect our thanks each day.  Then, we'll sit together at week's end to count our gifts and give thanks together.


  Thanksgiving...not just a holiday, but a way of life; a daily practice that uncovers hope and turns eyes set on ho-hum or challenging circumstances outward and upward.
Plus, it's also good for you.

Turns out science is proving that grateful kids (and adults) are happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their lives.
  You can read about those studies here.

So give it a try and weave thanks into your day.  Get the kids involved and make it fun by filling a jar or a journal...whatever.

  You'll be blessed in the sharing and you'll all be happier and healthier for the counting.


This post is linked up with AnnVoskamp and others who are giving thanks and counting gifts at...