Thanksgiving Traditions
November 6, 2020
Thanksgiving Traditions
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday! If you read my Bio, you would already know that I love to cook for my family and friends. If you haven’t read it, I love to cook for my family and friends. I love the smells, the tastes, the smiles and the conversations that happen around the table. I would love to share some of our family traditions with you.
In the Gottesman house, we love to intertwine the Love of Jesus in everything that we do. So it is no accident that we spend some time talking about how the Lord has blessed us and share the things we are thankful for. We even have a Thankful Tablecloth we use each Thanksgiving. Every year, our family and any guests we host on Thanksgiving, sign our tablecloth and write at least one thing they are thankful for. I love reading the things written on the tablecloth from previous years each year that I get the tablecloth out. My kids have written some funny things. When my son was little, he wrote he was thankful for chickens, we still get a laugh every time we read that. I remember asking my son why he wrote chickens, he said because they make chicken nuggets. I hope that made you giggle.
When thinking about what you are thankful for, do you struggle with what to say? It doesn’t have to be big. I love when I read over the tablecloth and read the simple things my family and our guests have been thankful for. A heart of gratitude starts with the little things. If you are struggling to think of things you are thankful for, can I challenge you to start with the simple things in life?
Breath in your lungs
Food to eat
A bed to sleep in
Family & Friends
You may be reading this and thinking you only shared one tradition and you are right, the only tradition we have is our tablecloth. But it really is not the only tradition, we have made it a tradition to see the simple blessings in our lives. Isn’t that the true essence of Thanksgiving? But I don’t want this tradition to just happen at Thanksgiving. How can we have a heart of gratitude and thanks all year long? Remember the simple things!
Below is something I have shared a few times over the years on social media and it is a great reminder for me. Sometimes a shift in perspective is all we need to open our eyes to the blessings around us.
Lots of Noise = you have people in your life
Dirty dishes = you had a meal to eat
Food to eat = money to provide for you & your family
Laundry = clothes to wear
House to clean = you have a home to live in
This November, I pray you can see all that the Lord has blessed you with and give Him thanks. If you struggle with this, can I challenge you to start a Gratitude Journal? Simply write down 3 things you are thankful for each night before you go to bed throughout the month of November. Practice makes perfect! This easy act could shift your focus, shift your attitude, and shift the atmosphere of your home and your workplace.