Let me tell you about... being thankful.

So, my family and I are on a trip for Thanksgiving. This year, like most years, we are in Spring, Texas where John and I first met and where we began our journey together. We go to see his side of the family and also to see some very special friends. It is always a great trip. We always feel so loved and encouraged and pampered when we go there. We offer very little in the way of help to any of our hosts, but yet John's sister nor our friends ever treat us like we have been a burden to them. I'm so thankful for that. I'm one of those people who feels very inadequate in the kitchen, so, although I love Thanksgiving, I would just freak out if I had to be in charge of it. (In fact, I think we are going to be at our own home for Christmas and I'm pretty sure we are going to order out.) Thanksgiving is one day out of the year that is dedicated to being thankful. It's good to have that special day, but a few years ago, we began another family tradition having to do with being thankful, so....Let me tell you about the Pecoraro family "thankfuls." At night before we go to bed, we often say what we are thankful for before we pray together. We don't do it every night and I wish we still did it as often as we use to, but anyway, here is how it works... We simply go around the room and everyone has to say something they are thankful for. It can be something very simple or something big, but everyone has to think of something and they can't "steal" someone else's thankful. They are each just supposed to say one thing, but usually it ends up being several things. I love it. I love hearing about what is important to each of them. I love having a chance to end our day with our eyes off of ourselves. Being thankful is remembering that there is someone to be thankful to. Our God blesses us and blesses us, but sometimes we barely notice the blessings because we forget to be thankful for them. Saying our "thankfuls" is a reminder to me that thankfulness is part of our character and thankful people are happier people because they know and recognize that they have been blessed.  I hope that my family and yours will be blessed this week and that we will notice all of the blessings we have been given and remember to be thankful for all of them.