I am one of “those” people. The crazy type who goes Black Friday shopping and hunts for awesome deals late into the night.
Yep, that was me last night.
My husband showed true love by escorting me to all of the many stores I “needed” to go to. And to top it off, we just added a new puppy addition to our family which we couldn’t leave behind. Hand-in-hand with our puppy, Addie, in tow we scoured the stores for Christmas presents until we dropped.
I love finding great deals, but one thing I’ve noticed about Black Friday shopping is how they keep pushing “Friday” earlier and earlier.
Everything starts on Thursday now!
Have you noticed that? Thanksgiving is being intruded upon by the alluring promise of sales.
I might be crazy for going shopping on Black Friday, but I am smart enough to have my limits. I will never, ever allow my deal hunting to get in the way of Thanksgiving day – no matter how great the doorbusters are.
We live in a country that has so much stuff, and yet the ONE and only day we set aside to show gratitude and give thanks as a nation is being overrun by shopping.
And the shopping is creeping closer and closer every year.
Whether you’re hitting up the stores this weekend or not, don’t get so distracted by purchasing more stuff that you forget to show gratitude for what you already have.
Not too long ago I saw a picture album on a friend’s Facebook page which was titled “Project 365 Grateful.” I noticed she had a new picture for every day of this year in the album and I was curious what this was about.
I looked at her description and this is what she said:
“Sometimes I let the blessings in my life go unnoticed. I serve the Lord Jesus Christ who has given me more than I deserve! I am completing this project to remind myself that God has given me plenty to be grateful for – even in the darkest, ugliest and most stressful days of the year – I am blessed. Commence Project 365 Grateful!”
She posted a new picture every single day of the year with a caption underneath of what she was grateful for that day. I thought it was a fabulous idea!
It’s such a creative and fun way to get into the habit of showing gratitude.
We all need more of this. Here are 5 different days from her list:
Day 10
“Grateful for…MY PILLOW! Although it may sound sort of lame, understand that after a long day of work, this pillow did its job!”
Day 13
“Grateful for hot cocoa on this cold night.”
Day 18
“Grateful for my church and for the opportunities I have to grow more spiritually mature.”
Day 78
“Grateful for easy access to God’s Word. I LOVE my Bible app!”
Day 83
“It was cold today! Nothing better than snuggling under a warm, thick quilt! I am grateful for the roof over my head too.”
She included a picture of an object to go with her words of gratitude every day. So cool right? And she is planning to do this for the entire year!
I encourage you to do something like my friend.
You don’t have to make a Facebook album to take the 365 gratitude challenge. You can simply keep a journal and write a short note of gratitude for something in your day.
Just because Thanksgiving day is officially over doesn’t mean we have to stop giving thanks. Let’s take our cues from black Friday and keep things going all weekend long (and beyond)!
And by the way…if you didn’t catch Bethany’s amazing blog post on Wednesday, you really should check it out. It’s a practical post about gratitude and is called: Are You a Whiner or a Worshiper?
PLUS – if you leave a comment on her post you will be entered into our FREE book giveaway. The winner will be announced this Monday and will win Choosing Gratitude by: Nancy Leigh DeMoss, so better hurry!
Remember, God is the giver of all good gifts, so make sure to direct your praise towards Him.
My friend was was great example to me and I need to be reminded to show gratitude to God for even the tiniest things – like cocoa on a cold day.
Help me get the ball rolling now!
What are you grateful for today? What are some little tiny things you can thank God for? Share your thoughts and inspiration in the comment section below. I love hearing from you!
Photo credit: www.flickr.com | Sean Molin Photography
