Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope your day is full of delicious food, loving family, memorable traditions and most importantly thankfulness. I'm in Nashville with family, but in keeping up with my latest Thursday tradition I'm posting today about the next Chapter in Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts. Thankfully it ties right into the very essence of this day...a day to focus on giving thanks. Last night when we were all bustling around prepping food, practicing how to fold a fancy napkin and talking about our Thanksgiving meal, my brother in law jokingly told us to get ready because at the dinner table we were going to have to name what we are most thankful for...and it had to be unique. For many of us naming what we are most thankful for is a tradition around the dinner table on Thanksgiving, but what if we made it a daily practice?
Ann Voskamp made a daily habit of listing out even the smallest things she was thankful for. When she remembered to say thank you for the small things she felt God swell up in her life. "God is not in need of magnifying by us so small, but the reverse. It's our lives that are little and we have falsely inflated self, and in thanks we decrease and the world returns right..." (page 59) God gives us gifts each day and we can choose to unwrap them or not. Today when you are working in the kitchen, give thanks for the little things...the food processor that works, the oven that keeps food warm, the refrigerator with double doors, the many hands wanting to help. When you are gathered around the table give thanks for the little things...the smile of the person you love, the warm food being passed around, the freshly whipped cream on the pumpkin pies, the hand of the person you are holding during the prayer. And when today is over...continue to give thanks for the little things because each little thing is a gift from God...a little piece of joy waiting to be unwrapped.
7 comments:
this was my favorite chapter yet. I remember a psychology professor in college talking about the physiological difference it makes to list three things that you are thankful for every day. I really should start doing that, even if I am just stating them in my head.
This sounds like such a beautiful book. Gave me chills reading this post :) Happy Thanksgiving, friend.
I hope y'all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I am making it my aim to be thankful in each and every day just like you said! Enjoy your time with family!!
You've painted a perfect picture of this chapter. I hope you've had a lovely Thanksgiving with your fan :) Thank you friend for always being a sweet encouragement!
Love the post hun!
Happy thanksgiving!
xox
Beautiful post, beautiful message :)
love love love! thanks for sharing:) My post is a bit late as we had no internet access where we were at the beach! And LOVE that normal rockwell picture!
Post a Comment