Gratitude.

"As we express our Gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy

One of my biggest fears as a mother is that my kids don't fully learn about Gratitude, a grateful heart, to recognize their most simplest of blessings....and to then give back.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I did a home evening to kick off the month of November.

I called it Gratitude.

Simple lesson, simple message:

We have been given much, so we must give back.

They each received a journal to record 2 things:

1. My 3's. 3 things they are grateful for that day.

2. Service. One nice thing they did for someone else...

I want them to look outside their little lives and see how blessed they are and how simple it is to maybe bless someone else's life. Who knows, maybe it will work, maybe it won't. I just hope that just a tiny bit of my lesson will touch their little hearts....





And I sure know that I need this lesson. For the past couple of weeks, I have had a pity party at my house. For me, I am feeling down, lots going on and I need my Gratitude journal to help me remember as well....

Accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative

Latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with Mr. in-between

Good advice then. Good advice now

President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign May of 1992

So for the Stott's...

Off to the Thanksgiving season,

trying to stay focused on what's important

and what's truly NOT.

Love a little more, appreciate what we have,

remember why we are here,

cherish the sweet things.....

stay focused on what's really important.

Happy Thanksgiving season to you!