2016 Theme Word

If you have followed this blog for any length of time, you know that each year I pick a Theme Word.  Something I want to focus on throughout the coming year.  It's a way to steer my monthly goals into something more productive.  After several years of "action" such as "Simplify", I've decided to go more with attitude this year.  Something that will impact the whole family; something we can work on together.

Simple  Joyful Thanksgiving.  It's so easy to get wrapped up into the competitive nature of living in the current day that we (are least I do) lose focus on what is truly good and given to us by God.  It's so easy to take the things we are given for granted instead of offering up thanksgiving for those things or, on the reverse side, to see the trials we deal with as punishment instead of trying to live with joy during all circumstances.

.I have a few ideas I've been tossing around in my head over the past few months on how to incorporate this is our lives and to hopefully change some attitudes in my kids. . .to maybe get them past the normal mindset of entitlement that pretty much all children have to work with (shoot, most adults still struggle with that too!)  I'll make a short list but this will surely grow, morph and change over the coming weeks . .. month . . year.

1. Giving back.  Part of Thanksgiving is giving back to others.  Some areas of service that I see are possibly going to volunteer at Kids Kitchen once or twice; packing Shoeboxes at Christmas time; donating needed items to an animal shelter; saving some money to send to our favorite missionary.
2. Chores.  I'm one of those "it is easier if I do it myself" people so I haven't been really good at following through with the chore idea.  I'm not ever sure if "chore" is the right word - more like doing responsibilities with joy.
3. Bible lessons.  Our normal school day has lost its Bible focus.  I want to pull back into this and teach about Joyfulness and Thanksgiving and help the boys  hide Gods Word in their heart even more.
4. My own study.  Books, scripture study, memorization - all ways to change my mindset daily.
5. Letting Go of Stuff.  More to come on this later.

This is just a little glimpse of where I'm heading with this topic this year.