As is probably normal with any move, Jon and I have done a little too much complaining about our new lot in life here in North Carolina. It isn't that we don't like it here-- it's just hard to bounce back from TWO cross-country moves in about a year, deal with not knowing where anything is or who anyone is, and figure out WHY it's so much more dang expensive to live in the middle-of-nowhere-North-Carolina than it was in Las Vegas. I decided for our FHE lesson this week we needed to start a "Thankful Tree," to help us refocus on all the many blessings we DO have (and still have) despite feeling a little alone lately. I recently read a thought that asked how we'd feel if we suddenly woke up one morning and found only the things we'd thanked Heavenly Father for the night before... So I started by telling the story of Jesus and the 10 Lepers and the importance of GRATITUDE-- and how Thanksgiving is such a special holiday. It's squished in between the ones about GETTING candy and GETTING presents; instead we get to celebrate all that we're THANKFUL for.
*Jesus
*Heavenly Father
*The Holy Ghost
*Mom, Dad, Lucy, and Zach
*Grandmas and Grandpas
*Aunts and Uncles and Cousins
*Church
*The Prophet
*Missionaries
*Scriptures
*Our House
*Our Car
*Friends
*Mountains
*Medicine and Doctors
*Food and Water
*Animals
*Toys
*Trees and Plants
*Rain and Snow
*Choo-choos
*Babies
*Mac and Cheese
*The Sun
*Books
*Money
*Clothes and Shoes
*Exercise
*Our Bodies
*Sense of sight, smell, hearing, and touch
And Lucy keeps coming up with more, so I'm going to have to cut out more leaves. This month we're really going to try to focus on counting our blessings, and how grateful we are to our Heavenly Father for all that He's blessed us with!!
10 comments:
What a marvelous way to express gratitude and think of the many blessings we truly enjoy. The kids will always remember it, and this is sure to become a favorite yearly tradition.
I love this idea, Sara! And I think one of the greatest things I learn from Hailey is how to be grateful. Kids just seem to come with this gratitude for EVERYTHING that is so inspiring.
What a great FHE idea. I love your thankful tree. It is so easy to see what we don't have in life instead of what we do have. We are thankful for all of YOU!
Count me in on being thankful for so much to be thankful for. Even my small, dry, meager post-glutony-cruise peanut butter and jam sandwich I'm eating right now. Sure would like to have the cake Joan is holding!. . . I'm having some real withdrawals here . . . But I'm thankful to be home.
You can probably also had a leaf about not having to move again for 4 years (especially if you stay in the same house). I love this idea and would love to copy it...maybe next year.
Ooopss....I meant to say "add a leaf" not "had"
We did a thanksgiving tree too. I've been complaining sooooo much about not having our stuff yet and it seems to be overriding all of my other blessings, so...we did the tree too.
It was funny because when we were putting leaves on the tree the kids said, don't leaves fall off the tree in November? Hmmmm....I just told them it wouldn't be a happy tree if all the leaves fell off.
That is something I really need to work on! Such a wonderful FHE idea! I love it!
Thank you for the fantastic FHE lesson! This is such a great idea. We're thankful that we get to see you guys next week!
I haven't been to your blog for awhile and I've missed some great stuff! I enjoyed catching up! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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