Thankful Thoughts

So yesterday I had an idea. I think it was a good idea. I might even go so far as to say it was a "God idea."

The holiday season is upon us, and let's face it, things are tough all over. I have no idea what Christmas will hold this year, if there will be much under the tree... if there will even be a tree, but in my heart I have this deep desire for this to be a holiday season where we truly remember the "reason for the season." And before Christmas is upon us, Thanksgiving is at hand.

Truthfully, as a Christian, I almost think that the Thanksgiving should be just as important, if not more important than Christmas. Think about it, despite the fact the purpose behind it has faded, it is for the purpose of giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives. The purpose has faded? Yes, it has. Lots of people celebrate the day and the only thing they give thanks for the whole time is for a meal on the table. And I decided I really don't want that to happen at my house this year.

I've been at a table when someone piped up with a suggestion "name something your thankful for" suddenly and I've wracked my brain only to come up with the standard "my family" on the spur of the moment. It's a fun idea, but one we don't always give enough forethought to.

So yesterday morning I was listening to talk radio and they were talking about family devotionals at this time of year to help foster an attitude of gratitude.

This is what was birthed out of my thought process. This is the "Thankful Thoughts" jar. I had envisioned it sitting on the kitchen table, but it's landed on the coffee table instead. I'm ok with it since truthfully the living room seems to be a bit more activity central. The instructions for it are simple, any time you're feeling thankful, grab one of the little cards in the caddy by the jar and write a note, date it, sign it and drop it inside. The jar has been up for 24 hours and it already has quite a few notes inside.

My hope is this will inspire my family and me to focus on our blessings. In Thessalonians 5:18 the Bible says "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Wow! I mean as a believer, I want to be in the will of God, and when I am giving thanks, I am! That's pretty amazing! The invite isn't open to just the family, by the way. Anyone who stops by is welcome to participate. Grab a pen and a card and have at it!

The plan is that sometime Thanksgiving Day, or over the course of that weekend, we'll sit down and read through them all. I So far my little kids are the big participants, and I've made a few entries of my own, but I'm believing the men in the house will get on board too. We can share thankful thoughts or scriptures about being thankful. All words to offer thanks to the Father and encourage one another's hearts.

I'm also hoping this will lead to other ideas to follow. Goals for the New Year? Love Thoughts for Valentine's Day? But for now we're working on thankfulness.

What would your card say?