Kidz Topic: GRATITUDE
I will be sharing a variety of thoughts, scripture verses, and “sparkle” ideas
just for kids. Feel free to pass them on to your children, grandchildren, or any
other young people that God has put in your life.
KIDZ ☮ PEACE… I once
read that the biggest difference between people who are happy and people who are
not is that happy people focus on, think about, talk about, and give thanks for
what is good in their lives. Unhappy people don’t. Sound simple? It is!
1. Do you have an ATTITUDE OF
GRATITUDE? When we become “thankful” our attitude changes … Did you
know that it is impossible to have a bad attitude when we thank God in ALL
things – our joys, unexpected blessings, miracles, the small things, and even
the hardships, disappointments, and challenges?
I know it might sound a bit strange but
yes, we can find blessings in all things. Even when we are having troubled
times, we can be thankful in knowing that God is always with us and that He is
in control.
Do you know people who go through life
mad or frustrated about what they do not have? They spend all of their time
complaining and never realize how blessed they are. Sometimes It’s okay to be a
“NOT” person, but only if you consider it a true blessing (see the 4th comment
in the list below).
Here
are a few things to remember about giving thanks…
• Gratitude has to do with our heart
and not how much we have or don’t have.
• When we are happy on the outside it
is based on our circumstances, but when we have joy on the inside it is based on
our attitude.
•
God is the source of every good thing in our life, AND our strength and hope
whenever we face the “not so good” things.
• Concentrating on the “NOTS” can
enable us to see thankfulness from a different perspective (Examples: I am not
homeless, I am not blind, I am not hungry, I am not stupid, I am not alone).
2. What does God’s Word tell
us? When we go to God in prayer and read our Bible we can find words
that instruct us on how to be thankful. Check out these verses: Psalm 69:30, Colossians 4:2, Psalm 136:1, Colossians
3:15, Psalm 100:4.
3. What are you thankful
for? Here are two ideas to help you recognize all of the things that
you are thankful for.
• Gratitude List: Find
a small notebook or journal and try writing down 3 things that you are thankful
for every day. As you write them down, give thanks to God for your blessings.
• Not
Box: Find a box about the size of a school pencil box or shoebox, and
place it somewhere you will see it every day. Anytime you think of a “NOT” that
you are thankful for, write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the box.
Pick one of your “NOT” slips at night and use it as something to pray about. One
example would be: “Dear God, I am thankful that I am NOT
sick.”
Kidz Thought for the Week: God gave you a
gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?” – from
William A. Ward
Keeping you in my prayers. ’til next
week … be thankful in ALL things!
God’s Peace, Donna
