God’s Giving Dinner

My four year old keeps asking if it’s time for God’s Giving Dinner. He means Thanksgiving Dinner, but I refuse to correct him. We have several things that we say incorrectly on purpose because he has done so and we think it’s just adorable. We say bluebabies instead of blueberries and we don’t generally use the letter L properly in our house either. Someday I will have to correct all of this so he doesn’t get made fun of in school or have to go to speech class like I did in elementary school. But I hope he holds on to God’s Giving Dinner and never sees it any differently.

In the last couple weeks, I have been thinking about the month of November. To me it’s always been about turkeys and cold weather and a day dedicated to shopping and good deals. But as I get older, I am gravitating towards a feeling of responsibility for all of the things that I want to teach my boys. This month between Election Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, I am overwhelmed with gratefulness for each of these days. It’s so important to me that they don’t miss out on the chance to sit in gratitude.

We decided to vote as a family this year. I was super emotional when we walked up and it was our turn. We made sure to tell our boys how many brave people had given them the freedom to choose and be a part of this incredible democracy. And I love that Veteran’s Day is celebrated just after Election Day and that it shines a light on the brave men and women who have protected this nation that we love. Finally, Thanksgiving Day can often be overlooked by the Christmas decorations that go up just after Halloween so it takes effort these days to be certain that we don’t move from pumpkins into eggnog and making Christmas lists and travel arrangements. Being intentional about gratefulness makes the wants and needs of life seems so minor and insignificant.

It’s hard to have room in your heart to want when you are filled with gratitude.

I was honored to have a chance to vote this year, and I am the proud daughter of a veteran, but I have a lot of work to do in the thankfulness category. I can’t expect my children to be anything that I am not. The days go by so slowly sometimes. We get up and get ready, we go to school, we come home and grab dinner, do bath time. I love the actual tasks of being a momma. But the years, those go by so quickly. I feel like I have to reach up and grab those moments — the teaching ones. I don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to teach them to be thankful on each of these holidays in November.

I pray they are filled up with pride and appreciation for history. I want them to carry hope in their hearts and see that they have been given a voice, and one voice can make a big difference. I hope they live their lives based on their beliefs. I will encourage them to walk out their faith and their convictions. But they will never do this if I don’t show them the way. I have to journey down the paths I want them to take. My words will never be as effective as my actions. I can’t expect them to be anything that I am not. So I must purposely walk in gratitude.

More than anything I want to teach my kids to be grateful. Grateful for the chance to have a voice in a democracy, grateful to those who gave them a chance to have a voice, and finally grateful for God’s giving dinner.

What ways have you found to teach your children a heart of gratitude?

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