An Attitude of Gratitude

2020

2020 threw us a curve ball. Quite literally. It was so unexpected.

With all of the challenges and tensions and stress it is easy to fall into an attitude of anger, frustration, tiredness, apathy or sadness.

Every November we the time as a family to remember all of the things we have to be thankful for! We create a Thanksgiving tree, hang it on our door and every day we write down one thing that we are thankful for. Everyday. One thing.

While this year may seem like the wrong time to be celebrating. . . we are stuck in quarantine and with so many uncertainties. I believe it is even more important in 2020 to take time with our families to slow down and find all the reasons we have to be thankful. We need to develop an attitude of gratitude, of kindness and of perseverance when the world around us throws us a curve ball. Otherwise we go down with it. We sucked into the complaining, the fear, the anxiety, the anger. And our circumstances still do not change.

Instead choosing joy, kindness and gratitude changes the little things. It changes things at home first. And maybe in our workplace, or with our family. And maybe it is only a small step in the right direction, but it is a good step. A step worth taking. Let’s show our kids that their lives have value, they are worth living even if they have to do distance learning, that kindness is more important than who wins a presidential election, and that anger does not resolve anything. . . but instead love does. Let’s follow the example of Jesus who said,

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

The Book of John 15: 9-17, The Holy Bible

or in the footsteps of people lie Martin Luther King Jr who said,

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

Martin Luther King Jr

2020 has brought a lot of turmoil with it. Sickness, loss, hate, riots, political differences.

This November let’s really celebrate Thanksgiving.

Let’s celebrate by showing kindness.

Let’s celebrate by showing forgiveness and grace.

Let’s celebrate by choosing to say all the things we are thankful for, instead of all of the things we need to complain about.

Let’s celebrate with an attitude of gratitude.

Who knows, it might even be contagious…

If you would like to join me in the Gratitude Month Challenge please leave a comment on this post or on my Instagram account. Let’s start a new trend that is not about politics or sickness, or hate or anger. . . but just about choosing love and joy. . .love and joy in spite of it all and through it all.

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Martin Luther King Jr

So here’s the plan: print out your own Thanksgiving tree and leaves (you can click on this link for the free printables). Each day as you sit down to dinner together as a family every person can write one thing that they are thankful for and hang it on the tree! By the end of the month you will have a beautiful reminder of all the things you have to be thankful for.

Lots of love to all of you this month!