Thankful kids start with thankful dads. I love this time of year. Let me tell you how you can be grateful, some reasons to be thankful, and how you can lead your family in this area.

Be thankful—so you raise thankful kids.

Listen, I’m a Thanksgiving Guy. I love it. The Thanksgiving holiday is a primer for Christmas. Think about it: food, family, and a bit of downtime. Thanksgiving is basically Christmas—minus the expenses for gifts. And, the last two years, my family has become the family who has their Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving. Judge all you want. But, do you realize what this means? It means I’m not doing a bunch of chores over the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m enjoying beautiful decorations—along with my leftover turkey sandwich. Win-win, baby!

I’m looking forward to the next few days. More important than food and decorations, this holiday is a special time for me—a reminder—when all is quiet—to reflect and be thankful. I’m not usually the guy who sits around thinking of things to be thankful for. So, this time is helpful for me, amidst all of the end-of-year busyness, to draw back and consider all God has done.

 

How you can be grateful—and create thankful kids.

The science of gratitude will tell you how being thankful combats stress, builds resilience, and even rewires your brain. Awesome. Take note, think thankful thoughts and you’ll start to feel thankful. Start to feel thankful, and you might actually behave like a person who is grateful. Hear this: you might even start to be thankful. Imagine that!

Here are a few verses to put you in a thankful mindset.

Psalm 9:1 > I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare of all Your wonderful works.

Romans 1:21 > For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.

Colossians 3:17 > And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 4:2 > Devote yourselves to prayer, stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 > Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Think about these verses today and over the coming days.

Some reasons to be thankful—your starter list.

I don’t know about you, but until I sit down and make a list, I don’t often consider all God has done. No matter our situation or season in life, there are so many reasons to be thankful. Once I start my thankful list, it never fails, I start thinking of a bunch of other things I’m grateful for. Here’s a sampling of my list. Maybe reading these will help get you started—and bring a spirit of thankfulness to your family over the coming days. I’m thankful for…

my wife

my kids and how they’re growing

our home

our church family

my books (don’t judge!)

a place to study—and stare at my books

opportunities to work—and work with great people

1 of our 3 cats

that we have heat in our home (our HVAC was down a few days ago—whew—praise God for heat!)

You get the idea. Hopefully, this starter list will put you in a space to consider what you’re thankful for—and make your own list. Have fun.

 

 

Your mission: start raising thankful kids.

My family loves the game where everyone goes around the room—every single person—and says something they’re thankful for. The more simple the better. Go around the room as many times as you can. Trust me—it’s worth it.

But listen, this is a moment in time where you, dad, can pour into your kids. Tell them what you are thankful for—point them to God. You won’t regret it. And, you have a headstart on everybody since you’ve made your list! Remember, the godly father practices thankfulness—so he raises thankful kids. Let’s do this, Happy Thanksgiving!