Practicing Gratitude - October Challenge
Happy October! Fall has officially settled into southern Pennsylvania. Days are shorter, Leaves are changing, and cool temperatures make wearing sweaters a welcome treat.
In keeping with our theme this year at Home in the Hollow, we are celebrating the first Friday of the month with a new challenge. For October, I would like us to focus on gratitude.
This time of year, gratitude or thankfulness can almost become cliché. It seems like every social media post, every Bible study theme, and every plaid pillow is dripping with “thankfulness.” But I want to dive deeper. I want to spend time thinking about what thankfulness really is. And I want to practice it daily.
Let’s start with the basics - what is gratitude? Oxford Languages describes it as “The quality being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” I really like this definition. I think it highlights the fact that a grateful person is not only thankful for what they’ve been given but they are ready to turn that gratefulness into something good for others.
It’s one thing for me to be grateful for the things I have. It's another thing for me to recognize how blessed I am, and then pass that blessing on. I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of person I want to be!
Here are a few of the things that made it onto my gratitude list and ways I’m hoping to pass on the blessings:
1. I’m thankful for: Extra time spent with my hubby this week How to share it: Spend an evening with Grandma because she no longer has Pap
2. I’m thankful for: An old car that passed inspection How to share it: Send a little money to my friend currently having car troubles 3. I’m thankful for: Hot meals
How to share it: Make something for my family going through kitchen renovations
I’ve attached a handmade printout at the link below to help us practice gratitude this month. I would love for you to join me in filling out one slip of paper each day until Thanksgiving. When you’ve filled out your square for the day, cut it out and place it in a jar or small box. On Thanksgiving Day let’s open our jars and look back at all the blessings we were given over the past 7 weeks and think about how we might be able to pour blessings into the lives of others.
Leave a comment and let me know if you’re planning to participate.
Thanks for reading,
Abby
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