A RECIPE FOR GRATEFULNESS

A RECIPE FOR GRATEFULNESS

I’m always reading the most delicious and tantalizing Thanksgiving recipes with the best of intentions to try them. Each year, I begin planning the menu for our holiday dinner by reviewing the recipes I’ve saved on Pinterest or bookmarked from the many online recipe blogs. However, I seem to end up with the same menu as last year. I tend to stick with the tried-and-true holiday recipes that have been passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me. I am grateful for these traditions.

A simple reason for staying with the traditional family recipes is that they are delicious, but more importantly, they remind me of treasured memories from my youth. Thanksgiving holidays were spent at Mom and Bop’s farm in Sumter County with my cousins, Aunts, and Uncles. A home full of family, laughter, and thanksgiving. I am so grateful for these memories.

Thanksgiving Memories 

As I reflect on Thanksgiving memories, I’m hustling to prepare for our sons’ arrival this week. I’m cleaning, shopping, organizing, and planning as I anticipate (rather excitedly) their arrival. I’m thankful each year because I know that in the future, they may have their own families to consider, and the time we spend together during the holidays may be limited, so I cherish the holidays and special times we are gathered together. It’s important to pass down traditions to my family in hopes they will cherish the memories with their own families. I enjoy creating special holiday traditions for our sons. I am grateful for them.

So, with much thankfulness, I’d like to share a few of my favorite staple ingredients for gratefulness. Just blend together to create a heart (and home) full of gratitude for the holiday and every day!

Acceptance! Be accepting of one another. Let’s not place undue expectations or judgment on family, friends, or acquaintances.

Romans 14: 1-4 (NLV), “If there is someone whose faith is weak, be kind and receive him. Do not argue about what he thinks. One man believes he may eat everything. Another man with weak faith eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything should not think he is better than the one who eats only vegetables. The man who eats only vegetables should not say the other man is wrong, because God has received him. Who are you to tell another person’s servant if he is right or wrong? It is to his owner that he does good or bad. The Lord is able to help him.”

Blessings! Take a moment to reflect on the many blessings in your life. I am blessed and thankful for my faith, my family, my friends, my health, the roof over my head, and the food on my table.

James 1:17 (NET), “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.”

Love! Give love to everyone. We all need love – we all desire to love and be loved, so show the love daily!

Romans 12:10 (NLT), “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

Thankfulness! Give thanks to God in every situation, expressing unshakable faith in His Word, because God is faithful and true.

Hebrews 12:28 (NET), “So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.”

How about you? Is there something you are especially grateful for this year? Do you have a recipe for gratefulness? Let’s be grateful together this holiday season and spread the cheer – share your recipe for gratitude below!

Image Credit by ReyniRzIllustrations