Being Thankful

Being thankful is something we should do every week and not just the week of Thanksgiving.

We are thankful for a lot of things, but unless we sit and think about it, we sometimes forget about all the things we have to be thankful for.

First of all, I am thankful I have God in my life and he is the first one I thank for the things we have and don't have.

Don't have? Yes, sometimes the things we should be thankful for the most are the things we don't have.

I'm glad I don't lead a "soap opera" life as my husband calls it. A life where each minute of the day is full of tension, not knowing what is going to happen next. Though things have happened in our life that had us asking why, I am thankful for having, most of the time, a "boring" life.

I just read an article that I will put a link to at the end of my post. It was a very good article with some great ideas.

One of the ideas I liked was about cutting a tree out of construction paper and attaching it to your refrigerator. Cut out leaves to write down what you are thankful for and attach them to the tree. This would be a good activity for children, it will help them think about the good things in their life and let them share them with the family. You will find out what things make you or your child happy.

A friend once told me that when she was at a store she always tried to smile at everyone. You'd be surprised at the smiles you'd get in return, she said. A smile is something we can give to someone that doesn't cost us a thing. When someone smiles at you, Pass It On!

Though we are thankful for big things, sometimes it's the little things or things we take for granted that brings a smile to our face, such as. . .

birds at our feeder, laughter of a child, a phone call or letter from a friend or family member you haven't seen for a long time, pets to love us no matter what, good neighbors, a squirrel scampering outside in our yard, the sun finally peeking through the clouds on a dreary day and the contented look on a baby's sleeping face.

What is a little thing that brings a smile to your face? Comment and share it with us, so we can smile, too.

If you have a minute go here and read this post at Reader's Digest about being thankful. It is a great article.

Happy Thanksgiving!