M e mo r y Ver s e :
“ Ev er y g ood an d per f ec t g if t c o mes from a b ove...” J am es 1:17 W o r k with yo ur l i ttl e o ne ( s ) to m e m o ri z e J am e s 1: 17 t h i s m o n t h . Enco ur age them to b e g i n re c o g ni z i ng ho w G o d b l e s s e s t h e m w i t h l ittle gifts thro ugho ut the d ay. B y te ac hi ng o u r c h i l d r e n t h e h a b i t o f thanksgiving, we c an c ul ti vate i n the m a hea r t o f g e n u i n e g r a t i t u d e .
R e a d a l ou d : Our Bible v er se te l l s us that e ve ry go o d and p e r f e c t g i f t c o m e s f r o m Go d. When so m e o ne gi ve s us a g i f t o r d o e s s o m e t h i n g n i c e f o r u s , i t’s po lite to say “Thank yo u.” H o w o f te n d o y o u t h i n k t h a t w e s h o u l d s ay “Tha nk yo u ” to Go d f o r the g i f ts that H e g i v e s u s ? Ju s t o n c e o n Thanksgiving o r e ve ry d ay? W e s ho ul d f i nd w a y s t o s a y “ T h a n k y o u ” ever y da y!
M i c h a e l s a w t h a t his f riend J ohn got a new Lego® set f or his b i r t h d a y . H e h a d b e en wa nt ing t he sa me Lego® set , but he decided t o b e h a p p y f o r Jo h n a nd remembered a ll of t he cool Legos® he already had. H o w di d M i ch a e l g ive t h an ks? ( Mi cha e l s a i d tha nk you to God by b e in g g r a t e f u l f o r w ha t he a l r e a dy ha s .) S e e ? It ’ s e a s y t o f i n d wa ys t o show t ha nks. I n ea ch of t hese st ories, G od w a s f i l l e d w i t h j o y when His children chose t o show t heir t ha nkfulness. By b e i n g t h a n k f u l , ea ch of t he children wa s filled wit h joy, t oo!
Wh y don ’t we c h oose one of the w ay s below that w e w ould like t o give t h an ks to God right now !
I want t o p ray a t hankful p rayer:
W e can giv e th ank s to Go d i n m any w ays . L i s t e n c l o s e l y t o t h e s e s t o r i e s and see if yo u c an he ar ho w e ac h p e rs o n c h o o s e s t o s h o w h i s o r her tha nks.
“ D e a r G o d , t h a n k y ou f or loving me. T ha nk you for my f a mily, my f r i e n d s , a n d m y h o me. T ha nk you most of a ll for sending your son, Je s u s , t o t e a c h u s h ow t o be just like You. A men”
A s Sar a lay d o w n i n b e d and c l o s e d he r e y e s , s h e t h o u g h t a b o u t ho w happy she w as to s p e nd the w ho l e d ay h a v i n g f u n w i t h h e r f a m i l y . She pr ayed to Go d and thank e d H i m f o r gi v i n g h e r a f a m i l y t h a t l o v e s her ver y much. How d id Sa ra gi v e th a n ks ? ( Sa ra s a i d tha n k y o u t o G o d thr oug h p r ayer. )
I want t o si ng a t hankful song:
D av id and hi s m o m s p e nt the w ho l e af t e r n o o n i n t h e k i t c h e n making the yum m i e s t b atc h o f c ho c o l ate c h i p c o o k i e s ! W h e n t h e y w e r e ready, D a vid w rap p e d s o m e up and d e c i d e d t o s e r v e h i s n e i g h b o r b y ta king her a fr e s h p l ate o f c o o k i e s . How d id Da vid gi v e th a n ks ? ( D a v i d s a i d th a n k y o u t o G o d b y s h a r in g his gift with his nei ghbor. ) A shley play e d al l af te rno o n o n he r ne w b i k e . W h e n i t w a s t i m e t o g o i nside fo r dinn e r, s he w ante d to l e ave he r bi k e i n t h e y a r d , b u t i n s t e a d , s he decided to tak e g o o d c are o f i t. S he w a l k e d i t i n t o t h e g a r a g e , par ked it in its s p e c i al s p o t, and hung up he r h e l m e t . How d id A shle y gi v e th a n ks ? ( As hl ey s a i d t h a n k y o u t o G o d b y t a kin g good c ar e of h er gi f t. )
S i n g a n d d a n c e t o t his silly song. Ma ke up your own rock n’ roll t une or s h o w o f f y o u r b e s t turkey impression! D o n’ t be a t ur k e y. J u st say t h an ks! D o n’ t be a t ur k e y. J u st say t h an ks! D o n’ t be a t ur k e y. J u st say t h an ks! B e t h a n k f u l i n yo ur h e ar t for e ve r yt h in g . Y e ah , b e t h an kfu l in you r h e a r t f o r e ve r yt h i ng . ( r e pe a t 3 x)
I want t o share one of my gift s: A f a n t a s t i c w a y t o s how G od a nd ot hers t ha t you a re t ha nkf ul is t o s h a r e s o m e t h i n g t h at is specia l t o you. Ca n you t hink of somet hing t ha t y o u c a n s h a r e r i g h t now? Ma ybe it ’s your gra t it ude ba gs! When you s h a r e w h a t y o u h a v e, it ma kes G od smile, it ma kes your friend smile, a n d i t c a n m a k e y o u smile, t oo!