I recently saw a post scrolling through social media that said, “What if you woke up tomorrow and all you had was what you thanked God for yesterday?” If I am honest, there are some days when I would be left with very little. What about you? Thankfully, that is not how God works, but that does not mean that we are off the hook.

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Sounds pretty simple, right? No way!

Thankfulness is not always easy and that is because it does not come naturally to us. We don’t set out to be ungrateful people, and it is definitely no one’s mission to raise ungrateful children. But, it still happens. If you want to cultivate thankfulness within your family, it starts with you!

This year, together as a family, try making a Thankful Pumpkin. Place a pumpkin in the center of your kitchen table and use a sharpie to write something that you are thankful for each day. This can serve as a perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, but also a great reminder to always be thankful.

Another way that you can cultivate thankfulness within your family is by choosing to bless someone else. Make it your mission as a family to help someone in need this holiday season. Whether it be donating toys to a toy drive, spending your time serving together at a local charity, or even providing Christmas for a family in need. When we choose to be a blessing, it also serves as a reminder of all that you have to be thankful for.

We all want to be known as someone who is thankful, and more importantly, we want to instill that in the hearts of our children. Our kids are our legacy, so make the most of the opportunities you have to cultivate thankfulness in your family this holiday season. ■