Family Gratitude Challenge
My husband and I have been talking a lot lately about intentionality. We have these great ideas and dreams for our family, and it can be really disappointing when they seem to fall flat because we failed to actually PLAN for them. I've been reading the book, "Awaking Wonder" by Sally Clarkson and I was extremely convicted by the chapter on how quality time can truly shape a child's mind, and how to recognize the "thieves" of that gift. Video games, YouTube, TV, and Social Media can all play a part in distracting us from what is life-giving. Time spent with your children is never wasted. A book read aloud to your kids is never inconsequential. Baking, singing, and laughing together is never without reward...but can we say the same for the time we spend staring at our phones? If you feel that pang in your chest because you feel called out, well join the club! I highlight the little nuggets of wisdom I find in the books I cherish, and this particular chapter was practically covered in neon pink highlighter!
As I was trying to come up with some tangible ways to make a few necessary changes in our day to day lives in light of what I read, I kept coming back to the word gratitude. One of the first phrases we taught our kids to say was, "thank you". As a family, we make it a point to start our prayers with the word "thanks", and my oldest has now taken on the responsibility of reminding her siblings if they ever happen to forget to say it to anyone who gave them anything at any time....something I can assure you they just love to hear from her! Ha! Right! All of that to say, I truly believe that we are fairly good at being thankful. But, do we recognize and hold tightly to the feeling of gratitude? Do we allow ourselves to be grateful for the tiny snippets of peace in an otherwise extremely hectic day? Do we savor the gift of that one lone tree changing color in the middle of the desert? (I'm talking to myself on that one!). Do we let the feeling of our youngest child's hand in ours linger, or do we move on to the next task too quickly? Are we grateful, truly grateful, for the freedoms we are afforded in this country? If I'm being transparent, I can answer with a hesitant but true, "no, definitely not always".
And so, in an effort to hold myself accountable, and to encourage you and your family to do the same, I made a simple little printable that you can use throughout the month of November to remember and reflect on the things for which you are grateful. Try to think outside the box, and have some real and honest discussion with your kids about how they feel and show gratitude. Every child is different, and it's my hope that at the end of the month we have a list of things that perhaps we'd never thought of before. I hope that for you and your family as well! May this be a blessing to you.
**Get the FREE Printable here!**
