“A heart overflowing with thanksgiving has no room for complaints and negativity.”
-Melanie Chitwood
As I was decluttering our bookshelf I picked up the very first marriage book I ever read fifteen years ago and started flipping through the pages looking for the treasured nuggets I highlighted in crayon. Gratitude must have been heavy on my heart because it showed up in multiple highlights including the one above.
Gratitude is the act of expressing thankfulness and appreciation for the blessings in life, and acknowledging that these blessings are gifts from God.
The posture of gratitude is how I wanted to enter the new year and encourage our family to do the same. I printed out pictures of all the wonderful moments from the year and had my girls tape them to the window (our wall of gratitude). Fancy, I know. We cooked up a feast and it didn’t take much prompting for everyone’s hearts to soften after seeing the goodness of God reflected in the images.
Before starting dinner I also acknowledged the goodness and faithfulness of God in the midst of hardship. Not on the wall were hard times, like the cluster seizures little V experienced that left her unresponsive for what felt like an eternity. Her lifeless body and eyes immoveable to any promptings until we began laying hands, praying and calling out to the Lord. Her eyes shifted, hours later her body moved, and a few days later she was able to walk again. Even in this hard moment, we give thanks to the Lord for restoring her back to us and for his presence through the entire ordeal.
The boss prayed a blessing over the year, over each person, and we recalled with laughter the moments from the year. Who knew seven dollars worth of pictures taped to a window would elicit so much joy and conversation around the table? It was our first fruitful investment of the year.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
-Thessalonians 5:18
❓Reflection Questions:
1. In what moments from 2024 did I see God’s goodness?
2. How did he use the hard moments from the year for my good?
3. How has God been faithful this year?
🙏🏻 A Prayer from snippets of Psalm 106:
We give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love and mercy endure forever.
Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord,
Or can proclaim all His praise?
How blessed are those who maintain justice, Who practice righteousness at all times!
Remember us, Lord, and may we find favor with you.
Visit us with Your salvation, So that we may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones,
That we may rejoice and that we may boast with Your inheritance.
Forgive us of any sin we have committed and help us turn from our ways.
Save us, Lord our God,
And gather us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name
And glory in Your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
And all the people shall say, “Amen.”
Praise the Lord!
🍞 Yummy Recipes from Dinner:
Hasselback Potatoes (a new family fave)
