Ecc. 3:1  "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

You have to be on purpose if you want to slow the hustle and bustle.

I can think of no better way to cultivate a heart of gratitude than to purposefully look for the hand of God in your life.

Make this family project a tradition for your family.

Grab your calendar and reflect with your family over the past year.

Other places to look-  pictures, blog posts, journals, magazines, checkbook/bills- any place that might chronicle the past few months.

Begin the process by going through each month, starting in January. 

Go through each day, each week, each month.  On my calendar, I tend to make “trigger notes”*, little notations throughout the year that help to trigger our memory of what happened that day.

• Look for any “firsts” in your family
• Did someone learn to walk, talk, drive, cook, swim, etc.?
• What were some personal achievements?  Run a 5K, hunt, lose weight, overcome a fear
• Name some new friends that you met for the first time this year.
• What places did you travel this year?
• Did you read any outstanding books, articles, blog posts, etc. this year?  Which ones?
• Births?  Deaths?
• Special wins?  Painful losses?
• Name some new skills that you learned this year.
• National tragedies or achievements (ex. – storms/weather incidents or Olympic firsts/wins)

Each day this week, gather your family around the dinner table.
Go through only 1-2 months each evening. Keep it fun!  The whole year in one night, might kill the joy of this project.

Choose one person to be the family scribe.
Their job is to write down all the cool things that your family wants to remember.

*Tip- I use my family calendar.  See an example of my calendar.   The "trigger notes" are on the month-at-a-glance section.   I then record the detailed memories from our family in the daily section of the calendar.

I hope that you will join us.  This is an incredible way to record God’s faithfulness to your family and create a family treasure at the same time.

You will never regret the time you take for this project.  That’s a promise!

Next week we will talk about Part 2: A Heart of Thanks For 2012.

memory lane photo credit: alexbfree via photopin cc

If you are joining in for the first time this week, be sure to read Part 1, where we reflected on the past 12 months.  We took the time to write down and remember the many joys of the past 300+ days with our families.

The next step- say Thank You

Here, in America, we have an annual time of thanks as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

On Thanksgiving, every year our family gathers in a circle for each person to share 1 or 2 things that they are thankful for.  Our answers are similar to one another- “I’m thankful for my family, my health, my home, etc”

This time I want you to really think hard about the people who have affected your life.   The people that stepped into your world and you have never been the same.  The person that introduced you to your spouse, the teacher who believed in you, the pastor that faithfully taught you to study the Word.  The neighbor that looked out for you and made sure you were okay.

Look back through the events of this year.

What people stand out in your mind?

Who are the key people that made your accomplishments  and celebrations of 2012 possible?

Who are the people in your life that it would be easy to take for granted?

1. Create a list.

Name every person that comes to mind that you are thankful for.

Jot down their names and the reason you are thankful for them.

2. Pray a heartfelt prayer of thanks for each person on your list.

Be specific in naming the reason you are thankful for them this year.

3. Put action to your feelings.  Express your gratitude to them in some tangible way.

Send a letter, call them on the phone.   Express to them your thanks and why.

I would guess that most people have no idea the impact they have had on you.

Hearing that you are thankful for them and why, would rock their world.

But here’s the incredible part. 

Your commitment to giving thanks not only will rock their world, it will rock yours too.

Include your children.

Have them make lists too.  Pray with them.  Help them express their gratitude.

There are many things we can do this time of year, but one of the most impacting, life-changing moments you can experience is the moment you stop to show appreciation to someone who cared for your enough to share their life with you.

“But I don’t have time!”

This will take time.  True!

However, your time is the most precious gift you can give this Christmas season.

Who will be the first person on your list?

thank you photo credit: the Italian voice via photopin cc