Growing a Thankful Heart

Every year I try to think of different ways to teach my children thankfulness. One year we made a thankfulness tree by writing what we were thankful for on pretty paper leaves and hanging them on a “tree” we made from cut branches. Another year we made a blessing box where we would write down who or what we were thankful for on a little piece of paper and put them in a decorated box. On Thanksgiving, we would take turns picking them out of the box and reading them. But November quickly turns to the hustle and bustle of December and by January when I am snow blowing the drive way and the kids are shoveling for the 3rd time in a week the Thankfulness we had for our warm house has faded to crankiness for early mornings and cold feet!

How do you teach Thankfulness? Even though my thankfulness tree looked great as a centerpiece on our kitchen table it has not grown a heart of thankfulness. Colossians 3:15-16 says” Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing in all wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs with Thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Nurturing thankful hearts start with nurturing hearts for Christ. I have found during the times our family spends together reading God’s word, praying together, and making our church family a priority is were we find our Thankfulness grow. This year, before the turkey goes in the oven, before we begin the pies, our Thanksgiving day will begin praying and spending time with a God in his word thanking him for the sacrifice he made so the home we have today can keep us warm for now and the eternal home we have in heaven will keep us warm forever.