A Month of Gratitude

 

Christmas is just around the corner and I dream of a Christmas season full of cheer, family time, quietness, and memories.  I dream of a time where our little family is able to worship our little Savior's birth.......without the stress, the hustle, the materialism, the emptiness that often accompanies Christmas.

 

Okay, so what does this have to do with Thanksgiving, November, and gratitude?

 

Aren't I (just like many Americans) skipping over Thanksgiving and filling my thoughts and actions with Christmas?

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I have a theory.....this may be a plain as day to some of you, but I am pretty thick headed and had to realize this for my self. 

 

I think a Christ filled Christmas needs to start with a gratitude filled Thanksgiving. 

 

Over the last few years, I have tried to have a peaceful Christmas, but I did not start planning until December.  By that time, all the hustle was around me and the stress already built up and few fun, faith-filled Christmas activities were planned.  My mind would fill up with the last presents I needed to buy or the guilt I felt over not doing this or not doing that.  So this year, I have actually started planning our Holiday season in October.   (I hope to post on that some over the next 8 weeks).

 

I decided one of the main ways to have a Christ filled Christmas is to make this November a month of thankfulness, of planning, and of action. 

 

~Gratitude will help prepare my family's  minds and hearts for Christmas. 

~Planning will help insure that the next two months run smoothly

~Action will hopefully get a lot of the business and hustle and bustle of Christmas taken care of before December 1st. 

 

 

So let's start with gratitude...............

 

 

I spent some time a couple weeks ago listing the things I was most thankful for.  It is amazing how long that list is when I  really thought about it.  Everything from family, to a wonderful new house, to "Pinterest" for giving me great ideas.  My goal is to share some of those throughout the month. 

 

Here is the number one item I am thankful for- 

 

My relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Salvation came January 2002.  I was 20 and a sophomore at college.  I remember the moment so vividly......the moment when I gave not only my mind, but my heart to Jesus and having His redeeming. loving blood cleanse my impurities and create a clean heart in me. 

 

My gratitude does not stop there.  Salvation is also a beautiful, monumental occurrence.  But, my relationship with God since then has also been incredibly relevant in my life.  He is growing me as a believer, as a wife and mother, and as a servant of His and I am so thankful for His daily presence.  There is never a moment where He is not right there, accessible to me.  Whether it is joys or sorrows, blessings or struggles, I can ALWAYS pour out my heart to Him.  When I have strayed, when I have rebelled.......I can still turn back to Him. 

 

I do not know what I would do without the Lord in my life.  I would be nothing without Him.