Being Thankful Makes it Beautful

As I walked through the yard a few weeks ago I came upon a very unique looking pine branch. The end of the branch forked out in about a dozen or so smaller branches--making it look like a mini tree. I snagged it seeing the potential for a craft later on. The branch is now a thanksgiving tree ...or the start of one anyway. Inspired by my reading of 1000 Gifts, our family has been working on individual "thankful" lists--both in journal format and in discussion at the supper table. The tree, I thought, would be tangible way for the kids to really see the accumulation of thankfulness. I explained the idea of the thankful tree to them and we began making "leaves of thankfulness for the tree." They made several wonderful observations. 1. The tree was not very pretty without leaves/needles (Gabe quickly pointed out that taping paper maple leaves to a pine branch was close to sacrilegious) 2. that as the tree has accumulated leaves in just a week it has become more beautiful....thus being thankful makes even the ugly--or not so pretty beautiful.


Lately I have really struggled with finding the "thankful" in the not so beautiful parts of life. As I strive to see with eyes of thankfulness, as I pray to see all life events as God sees them...the kids' memory verse from several weeks ago plays over and over in my head..."Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thesselonians 5:18. So if you are reading this post and are struggling through some "ugly" I challenge you to find some "beauty"...in being thankful.