30 Days of Gratitude

Thanksgiving, while it has become an overly-commercialized event of gluttony and excess, has its roots in worship and praise. This is meant to be a holiday of Giving Thanks to God and those around us.

So let us take 30 days to be grateful and to give thanks for what we notice around us. Below are several themes, each with 10 prompts. There are 6 overarching categories, each with 10 prompts, so hopefully it won't be difficult to find 30 things you are wanting to give thanks for. There can be more than one answer for each prompt, so you could end up with well over 30 things to be thankful for. 

Sit and think of God as you note what you want to thank Him for. 

1. His mercy (which we can never earn)
2. His grace (which we never deserve)
3. His other characteristics
4. His actions towards you
5. His actions towards others
6. God
7. Jesus
8. Holy Spirit
9. Name of God
10. How He is working NOW in your life

Go around room by room and brainstorm what things you have to be grateful for. 

For example, I am grateful for a cape in my closet that was crocheted for me by a friend.

1. Kitchen
2. Dining Room
3. Living Room
4. Family Room
5. Porch
6. Bedroom
7. Bathroom
8. Yard
9. Garage
10. Closet

Go around person by person in your life and send them a text, email, or card to thank them for something they have said, done, or taught you. 

For example, I am grateful for my spouse who loves me where I am at, but who also spurs me on to mature and grow. 

1. Spouse
2. Parent
3. Sibling
4. Grandparent
5. Extended Relative (Aunt/Uncle/Cousin/Niece/Nephew/In-Laws)
6. Friends
7. Boss
8. Co-Workers
9. Pastor
10. Worker at a Store

Go around outdoors and look for things you are grateful for.

For example, I am thankful for the roses which keep on blooming all season long. 

1. In your yard
2. At the farmer's market
3. At a city park
4. At a state park
5. Around the block near your house
6. In the early morning
7. In the evening hours
8. In the sunshine
9. In the rain
10. In the animals

Go and look at your body that God has crafted together and think of what you are grateful for.

For example, I am grateful for the ability to go on hikes in the woods. 

1. Sight
2. Hearing
3. Touching
4. Smell
5. Taste
6. Mind
7. Arms
8. Legs
9. Ability to do...
10. Talents

Sit and think how the Spirit has shaped, grown, and matured you. Think of what you are thankful for in the midst of your pain.

For example, I am thankful that I have loved people enough to feel grief at their passing. 

1. Trials
2. Struggles
3. Suffering
4. Grieving
5. Childish ways set aside
6. Signs of being shaped and molded into a more Christ-like individual
7. Signs of growth
8. Signs of maturity
9. Anger at injustice
10. Sadness at the brokenness of our world 

Self-Care Sunday: Practice Niksen

The Dutch art of Niksen may not be as well known as the Danish art of Hygge, but it is equally important. 

Niksen (pronounced Neek-sah) is the art of doing nothing. Not using the phone, doing the dishes, listening to music, but actually doing nothing.

As life picks up pace and schedules are getting fuller again, niksen needs to be protected from busyness and overcommitting. 

One way I keep niksen is to actually schedule it on my calendar. It is one of my day's priorities and it counts as a valid plan. When someone invites me to something, I can legitimately say that I have plans and won't be able to attend. 

How can you practice niksen this week? 

A Necessary Role in the Church: The Questioner

The Church is guilty of creating an in-group (us) versus out-group (them). 

Furthermore, the Church is guilty of mocking, belittling, and tearing down the outgroup. 

That is why it is necessary for the Church to have people in its Sunday School classes, dinners, services, and other events, whose role is to question the Christ-likeness of our jokes, descriptions, and words in general.

So when someone makes a disparaging comment connecting atheists and the first of April, the Questioner can ask "If an atheist was here and heard your comment, would they be drawn to find out more about the Christ you profess?" 

When someone makes a mockery of the name of the opposing political party, the Questioner can ask "Is that how we should love our enemies?" 

When someone belittles the clothes/attitudes/behavior of the youth, the Question can ask "Is that how you want to be treated?" 

The Questioner is not to question the morality (or lack thereof) of the world, but they are to challenge those in the Church to choose words that are godly, edifying, and encouraging. 

Because people who feel mocked, judged, belittled, or otherwise put-down will want nothing to do with the Church or the Jesus we claim to follow.