I’m starting a 365 Thanksgiving challenge and for those that are up for the challenge I‘m also setting up a group on Facebook!
At 16 years old I feel I should start being more thankful for what I have and not let things pass me by. I have been blessed with a lot and should really recognize those things more! I want to start living in a way where I am more thankful for the things I do have and not worry about the things that I don’t. Thanksgiving seems to be this holiday that we celebrate once a year and usually involves lot’s of good food, family and friends and a football game on TV. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with doing those things…..but when the focus is more on those things then what the real holiday is about it becomes a problem. I think Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday and I think it should be celebrated! But I think we should really celebrate thanksgiving every day not just the once a year. And most importantly examine why we are celebrating it!
So when thinking about a way we can celebrate it everyday the obvious thing popped into my head…write down a few things everyday that I’m thankful for and bam there…I’m thankful. Maybe that would work for you, but that’s not good enough for me…I want to really be thankful and really realize what a blessing even the littlest thing like an outlet in the side of a wall is to me. And to do that we need to be thankful to the creator of things instead of JUST the things themselves.
After thinking about it a little bit things have come together a little bit. So starting the day after thanksgiving I have an incredible challenge for you! And this may seem simple or meaningless and you may not even try it or be interested in it, but for those who are willing to take the next step this is my challenge to all of us!
Get a notebook, a journal, or something else to write in that you will look forward to writing in everyday (Or if your not into writing a journal or something like that Spend some time in prayer instead). Then at some point during each and every day till thanksgiving next year! Write three things you were thankful for on that day. But that’s not it…..that’s only the easiER part. The next part of this challenge is to do this….
”And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” - Colossians 3:17
….You know those days where you are in a super bad mood? Where you feel like griping about everything that goes wrong…or even the good things that aren’t good enough. You know when you don’t get something you were hoping for and it puts you down. Maybe it an entire week that just seems like it’s one thing after another. Well when those situations arise…take out your note book and go through the things you have been thankful for and take some time to just pray about everything you have been blessed with. AND then right down what you’re mad or frustrated about and then write something you can be thankful about despite it. Look for the silver lining!
Like I said before….this may sound easy or a little boring, but to me it’s super exciting. If you choose to take up this challenge, by next Thanksgiving you will have compiled over a thousand things to be thankful for! I don’t know about any of you, but I want to see how many things I can think about and be thankful for. My prayer in doing this is that I (as well as you guys) would constantly be thanking God for the things you have and for the amazing blessing they are to your life. Then as a result we will be constantly looking at the things in are life and randomly thanking God or even people for them. And when the hard time come we charge into it with an attitude of thanksgiving and praise to our God. I want that attitude…and I want to spread it around to everyone around me! Please consider doing this…even if it’s just one thing a day…be thankful and discover the true meaning of Thanksgiving!
“….giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Ephesians 5:20
Just a though provoker – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!