The day that many set out to be extra honed-in on thankfulness and blessings and gratitude for a month in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday. Some find this annoying and redundant in it's repetitiveness on social media feeds but I, personally, LOVE IT. I think there is something so very powerful about being intentionally grateful--especially on those days when you really have to dig for it. How uplifting is it to read all the "I'm thankful for" posts every day and realize that, "hey, I'm really thankful for that too!" If November wasn't such a dreary, chilly month (NW style) I would wish for it to be November year round...
In the past, I have done the daily Facebook "gratitude" post but this year, I'm gonna switch it up a bit.
Lately it seems I have been having more and more conversations with my preschool-aged kiddos about how good comes from "bad." About how happy comes from sad and beauty from the ugly. I know it seems like something that has more depth than a three or five year old mind can comprehend, but, you guys, they get it. The don't always get it when it's their own life (I still struggle with finding good in some of the hard days) but they get the concept. I don't give them enough credit.
So, what we have done for this month is come up with a "bad" thing for each day of November up until Thanksgiving. Sounds fun, right?! I can only imagine your anticipation for the daily post.
But wait, there's more.
Together, as a collaborative blogging team, we (me, Kai & Sunny) have brainstormed the "good" that shows up after--and sometimes during, the "bad."
Because throughout the month of November we are so very good at being thankful for all the good and all the beautiful and all the happy. But we often overlook the trials and tears and sometimes raw heartache that transforms us. We forget those hard parts, they are often too painful to revisit.
But we miss something when we shove those moments deep into our archives. We miss the story. We miss the journey. We miss how our Great Author walked with us--or is there walking WITH us through the dark valley and is guiding or has guided us to the light. Back into His light.
Over the next several days you will have not only my stories and words, but also the preschool version of the daily dark that scares and frustrates and hurts--and how it gives way to light.
Even when it's something like a puddle under your favorite swing or your ice-cream cone on the sidewalk.
Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
down the path of peace.
Luke 1: 78-79 (MSG)
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