Bounce House Blessings

With the holidays quickly approaching my thoughts naturally turn to the many blessings I have to be thankful for. It’s easy to run down the list of “big” one, the boys, our home, the food we eat, our health. But in reading 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks” I begin to think about the smaller things, like “I’m thankful we are able to set the bounce house up in the bonus room so that the boys can burn off their extra energy in the winter without literally bouncing off the walls of our living room” … and “I’m thankful for that moment on Saturday morning, when the boys are all curled up together on the couch watching cartoons, perfectly content and happy”… then I wonder, ‘am I teaching them to be thankful, do they know how blessed they are?’ It’s not easy in a “world of plenty” to teach kids to recognize; and be truly thankful for, all of the wondrous gifts they have been given. So, I did some research online and found some great articles, filled with not only suggestions and tips, but thankfully some reassurances that we are already doing many of the “right” things. There seemed to be three or four areas that all the articles touched on… limiting monetary or material rewards, and instead giving love and praise—a child who is given a reward for every “achievement” will come to expect rather than appreciate the gift. Second that children who are given responsibilities around their own home gain a better understand of the value of things, and tend to be more grateful for what they themselves have. Third that by encouraging children to help in the community or to support charitable causes we are helping them to; by seeing the plight of others less fortunate that we are, understand how truly blessed they are. The final thing that everyone seemed to agree on was that the most important thing we can do as parents is to teach by example. Showing gratitude to others, staying positive in even the most difficult moments by finding the (possibly hidden) blessing, and remembering to openly say prayers of thanksgiving for not only the BIG glorious gifts from God, but also the little ones, the ones that makes each day it’s own blessing.