A Card, A Note, A Gift from Grandma

I have a stack of Thanksgiving cards sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for me to sit down and get them ready to mail.
I used to think Thanksgiving cards were a ploy by the card companies to get us to spend money, but one day I realized that, really, they are an opportunity to tell my kids and grandkids how thankful I am to have them in my life.
We always make a point of telling them that when they come to share Thanksgiving dinner with us, but sometimes not all of them can be here. And a card is something a child can tuck under a pillow or into a box of keepsakes; it's there to remind him that he's loved when we're not there. Sometimes all of us experience a time of loneliness, a time when silence seems to overcome our sense of belonging somewhere.
A card with a hand-written note that says “I love you and thank God for you” is a gift that speaks into the silence.
So, I'll make myself a cup of tea, and get those cards signed and ready to mail, and while I do that, I'll be thinking about each one of those precious people, thanking God for them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today has been house cleaning, and tomorrow the cooking begins. The pies, the cranberry sauce, and peppernuts can all be done a day before; Thanksgiving is almost here!

As I go about all the pre-holiday chores and rituals, I wonder:

How will my children shape their celebration of this day as they grow older? What kinds of things will be most important to them? Do they realize how much their dad and I love them, and how thankful we are that we get to be their parents?

What will my grandchildren remember about their growing up years when they are my age? Will they recall holidays like Thanksgiving at our house? Cousins, aunts and uncles, a kitchen filled with good food, a house filled with love?

Will they feel they are part of something – a family – that has worth and significance? Will they understand their place in that family?

Will they know how much they are loved, and how thankful their grandpa and I are for them?

I've been thinking about my own attitude a lot this week. There is a lot to get done, and I want to be mindful of the blessing in it. God has blessed me with the resources I need to put a bountiful meal on a pretty table in a safe, warm home. I have people I love around the table. I'm able to take pleasure in the celebration.

When I think about that, I'm overwhelmed with a desire to go about my preparations with a grateful heart. I want to express my gratitude with my attitude. Instead of complaining or playing the martyr, pretending to be overwhelmed with all there is to do, I want to focus on everything I'm privileged to have at my disposal with a right attitude.

I want my children and grandchildren to remember and be glad we shared these celebrations together.

I hope it's that way for you, as well. Happy Thanksgiving!

Grateful Hearts . . .

The Thanksgiving holiday is a good time to reflect, not just about the things we are thankful for, but as parents and grandparents, about how to help our children and grandchildren to have thankful hearts.

When children learn to be thankful, that thankfulness chips away at their natural self-centeredness and selfishness. By its nature, thanksgiving encourages an awareness of what we've been given already, and puts our wants into perspective.

And awareness of our own blessings allows us to consider how we might share those blessings with others. We become more other-centered, more generous.

When we make thanksgiving a part of our everyday lives, it doesn't just mean responding joyfully to good things. It also means we reframe those not-so-good daily events so we can see what's good in them.

How can we do this?

• Be aware of Who it is you are thanking, and His presence in your life.

• Thanksgiving means a shift of perspective. What is good in your life, in this particular situation?

• How can you express your thanks? Prayer? A different attitude? Verbal recognition that something is a gift in your life?

As we practice these things ourselves, we encourage others around us to recognize the gifts in their own lives.

Beyond that, we can gently help our children and grandchildren realize it is God who has blessed their lives, and that thanksgiving is a good response to those blessings.

We may not choose our circumstances, but we have choices about how we respond to them. When we look for whatever good there might be and respond to that good with thanksgiving, we model a grateful heart for our children and grandchildren.

What are you thankful for?

Books for Thanksgiving Readers . . .

Having a few good books on hand to read together offers an opportunity for everyone to relax together and make memories during the Thanksgiving celebration. If some of your guests are younger, consider these Thanksgiving books:

• For toddlers, try My First Thanksgiving, a board book by Tomie dePaola. His signature illustrations complement the simple text perfectly as he explains that we give thanks to God “for our being together.”

• For grade-schoolers in the crowd, try Turkey Riddles, by Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg. You may groan but your young guests will be delighted, especially if you can't answer the riddles.

• Older children will enjoy two Scholastic books, “. . . If You Sailed On The Mayflower in 1620” by Ann McGovern, and “If You Were At The First Thanksgiving” by Anne Kamma. These two books describe what happened, why it happened, and how the children involved experienced it. Interesting details will keep children intrigued.

• N. C. Wyeth's Pilgrims, with text by Robert San Souci, is the kind of book the whole family can read together and enjoy. The illustrations by Wyeth are beautiful and evocative; the text gives enough details to interest readers without overwhelming them.

These books are available or can be ordered at a local bookstore or online, and while you're shopping, you may find others you would enjoy.

If you can't be there yourself, but want to share the holiday in some way, send one of these books to your grandchild. Tuck in a letter with some of your favorite Thanksgiving memories, or a list of things you are thankful for.

Grandchildren and books are sure to be at the top of the list!