As you go through life make this your goal – look at the doughnut and not the hole!”
~ Author Unknown
Do you focus on the donut or the hole? We have a lot to be thankful for. We live in a great country, there’s food on our tables, warm homes, a bed to sleep in, schools we can attend, family and friends, and so much more. There are many people who don’t have these things, people in our own communities and around the world. But there are many times that we take what we have for granted, and we complain about it – we look at the hole and complain that some of our donut is missing and that it should be bigger.
November is gratitude month! Thanksgiving is also approaching for our American friends. Why not make this a big family portrait of all the things that you are thankful for. Grab a large sheet of paper, or multiple pieces of paper, some colouring things and make some thankful graffiti. Draw pictures and words that each person is thankful for. Laminate these (I would just use mac-tack from the dollar store) and use these as place mats for each time that you sit down at the table to remember what you are thankful for. Need a little something to get you started? Print this page. Decorate the word in the middle as you discuss together the different things that you are thankful for as a family. Then take time to fill in the gaps around the words with images (or other words) that you are thankful for.
Take it to the next level by helping out those around you. Talk to your local “Meals on Wheels” organization (that’s what we call it here, maybe in your community it’s called something different – they cook meals on different weeknights for shut-ins), food bank, retirement center, or other organization that could use your help and see if you can help out in any way. Not only are you able to bless those around you, but you can see the gratitude on their faces. This also provides a great opportunity to encourage your children to look outside of themselves and their own familiar environment to realize that not everyone has all that they do.
Printable – I am Thankful