A Blessing Book

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

I think it started out just because I felt sorry for it.  

The Thanksgiving holiday is always pushed aside and stomped on as Christmas steals its' show, but over the past 10 years, it has become my favorite holiday all for one reason.

It centers around thankfulness.

My Aunt Kim keeps a blessing book.

It looks like the book above with all the notes and turned down pages, but she keeps it going all year and writes down different "blessings" that she received or witnessed throughout the year.  She said it kept her constantly practicing the "thankful" approach to everything so when something came her way that she wasn't so thankful for, she could look back over her book and be refreshed in all the blessings she has received or seen.

They could be little things like, "70 degree day in February" or big blessings like, "Car is paid off and we now can save for a family vacation with the budgeted car payment money."  Or, when my grandpa was put in the hospital after rolling his riding lawnmower onto himself, she wrote something like this, "Dad was himself in the hospital today.  He witnessed to his roommate and showed Jesus in front of him.  That's my dad...he's back!"

She doesn't write everyday, but writes enough that when she goes back through it each Thanksgiving, it takes her hours to read back over and decide on the written blessings she wishes to share.

See, about 10 years ago, our family started to gather together in my grandma's living room after our Thanksgiving meal and talk about each of our blessings for that year.  It has always been such a special time of sharing and always turns into a bawlfest [made up word] where we walk away with red eyes, but a thankful heart.  

Not everyone in my family keeps a blessing book, but this year especially, my blessing book/notes look much like the above photo.

- Bountiful - 

I live a blessed and privileged life and I know that, but this year has had its trials and its time of uncertainty, but My Savior and my family have been ever so faithful!

After Thanksgiving, I will be detailing each of my blessings that both Jimmy and I shared at our family gathering, but I encourage you to start your own "blessing sharing" at your family gathering.  If you are not going to a family members home for Thanksgiving this year, just write down your blessings on a notecard.  

It isn't all about the sharing.

It is about the attitude of thanks.

I saw this wall hanging in a store once and it made me smile.

The same way it makes me smile now...

We've all heard that saying, "A thankful heart is a happy heart" and that is so true!

This Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage you to embark on the day with thanksgiving in your heart because when we really start to think upon our lives, we all have much to be thankful for!

I am thankful for all of you - my readers - and appreciate you so much!

Love,

Tal