Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Growing up we always got together with all our aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents and made a whole day of it. We started in the morning with homemade cinnamon rolls and worship, then we went around the room and shared what we were most thankful for that year. After that, we kids would do a turkey shoot, a scavenger hunt, bob for apples, and play all sorts of games. Then there was dinner, a talent show, dessert…it was the best.
After being away for the last several years, I get pretty excited about enjoying Thanksgiving with my side of the family again, now with kids of my own. We try to recreate some of those memories for our kids, so my sister and I plan a nature scavenger hunt, have the dads do a turkey shoot with the oldest four kids, and even have the kids (and dads) bob for apples. It’s pretty great. =D
Aside from my favorite roasted turkey recipe with cornbread stuffing, one of my favorite things about the Thanksgiving holiday is the idea of reflecting on everything we have to be thankful for. I saw a quote the other day that said, “When taken seriously and when it’s made a priority, gratitude has the power to change everything without changing anything.” What a powerful statement! I love that.
Last year I started a list of things I was thankful for and tried adding to it every day. It is amazing how making a list actually compels you to look for things to be thankful for throughout the day. I challenge you all to try it! It will open your eyes and your heart to see all the little moments that make life so beautiful, even if sometimes it feels like a complete mess.
Hope you all have a thankful holiday season!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on wander-more.blog
Featured Image by Timothy Eberly