President’s message – November 2022
I know many of us have worked to make sure children feel grateful. I guess what bothers me is that feeling grateful has resulted in – just feeling grateful. I would like our gratitude to have more of an impact. By the end of this year, try to make gratitude more about being a blessing than about just acknowledging we are blessed.
Here’s a simple idea to make that happen! With your family, by yourself, or with a friend, make a list of five things you are grateful for. Then brainstorm how to transform that gratitude into related action. You may or may not have time to accomplish it all this year, but just set a goal for however long your things will take. Here is an example of what you can do:
We are thankful for…
- Our home.
We can show our gratitude by…
Putting together hygiene kits, or packages of warm clothes, for the homeless in your community. Make it a priority!
- Our food.
We can show our gratitude by…
Collecting food for a local canned food drive.
- Our health.
We can show our gratitude by…
Making cards for someone we know who is having health problems. Or volunteer some yardwork for a family where they have health issues.
- Our clothes.
We can show our gratitude by…
Cleaning out our closets to donate clothes to Goodwill, Faith Food Fridays, or another giving organization.
- Our families.
We can show our gratitude by…
Visiting a local nursing home to spend time visiting with those who don’t have family close. (There are many lonely elderly people in nursing homes who would love to spend time with your family!) It’s a simple project with an important teaching opportunity: gratitude is both feeling and action.
What are ways you can think of to turn gratitude to action?
Cheryl Gewing