This Thanksgiving, let’s not just teach our children to be thankful, let’s teach them Who to thank.

1. Crown of Thanks. Cut different shapes and colors of leaves out of colored paper. Write on the leaves what you want to thank God for. Tape on the wall, up around the ceiling. Circle the room with a crown of thanks to the Lord this.

2. Be Thankful Finger Play.

Lord, I have two hands, 10 fingers that can I wiggle
Lord, I’m thankful for jello, yellow jello that I can jiggle

(hold up your hands, wiggle your little finger on your left hand first.
wiggle wiggle – First, I’m thank for_________
Keep your hands up high, wiggle your ring finger next on your left hand
wiggle wiggle – Second I’m thankful for ________
(Keep going with all ten fingers, until you are all the way to your little finger on your right hand.)

Lord, I’m thankful for 10 things, but there’s so many more.
But most of all I’m thankful for Jesus, It’s Him that I adore

3. Thank You Reflection. Keep Post-its in the shape of a turkey or leaf near the bathroom mirror, family members and visitors can write down what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving week and post-it on the bathroom mirror.

4. Thank you List. What we are thankful list, instead of what we want. Do you usually have a ongoing grocery list on your refrigerator, where family members can write down a grocery item that is missing from the cupboards or refrigerator? How about keeping a list of what you are thankful for, this Thanksgiving? Keep a running list of what you are thankful for, that you do have this Thanksgiving.

5. Thankful Cake. On the dessert table this year at Thanksgiving consider including a Thankful Cake. Write on the top of the Thankful Cake in the middle “We are thankful for,,,” Then, write different things that people are thankful for on top of the Thankful Cake, before serving.

6. Thank the Lord Around the World. Thank the Lord in different languages. Write or record thank you in many different languages around the world. Before the Thanksgiving family prayer at the table, you could play the recording, as you thank God for loving the whole world and giving his only begotten son for the world, that whosoever believes in Him, might not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

7. Hymn Sing. Why not continue or start a Thanksgiving tradition of singing together? Sing several hymns or praise songs together before or after your Thanksgiving meal.

8. Thank You Video. You can make a video throughout the morning of Thanksgiving Day, interviewing family members with the question, “What are you most thankful to the Lord for this Thanksgiving?” Show the video before or after Thanksgiving Dinner. Most point and shoot digital cameras come with a video camera function which can serve this purpose well. That the family might know that we are not only thankful this Thanksgiving, but that we know who to thank – To God be the Glory.

Your dinner consists of leftovers taken off everyone else’s plates.

You can change a toddler’s diaper while he is doing cartwheels.

You add baby formula to the mashed potatoes to avoid going to the store for another gallon of milk.

You spend your birthday money on a kit to remove your own ear wax.

You have to get up at 3:00 Am to take a hot bath and actually enjoy talking to the floating plastic penguins your daughter left.

You celebrate finding the last clean diaper like most people celebrate finding a winning lottery ticket.

You aren’t happy when your husband cleans out the car because you’ve now lost everything you own.

You do get a night out at a fine restaurant you still try and order spaghettios with meatballs.

You are happy if someone makes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for you.

You once lived on your couch for 24 hours without getting up.

You call your husband, dad, because, well, everyone else in the house does…

Your kids bounce, off the ceilings, instead of off the walls.

Your flip flops are both lefties and you can still chase your child down the driveway in less than 3.5 seconds.

You hear your daughter say, “When I grow up, I want to be a mother, only I’ll think I’ll still comb my hair.”

During the Great Depression, everyone HAD to use their ingenuity to create gifts conveying their heartfelt love. Here’s some ideas to get you thinking now, during the Great Recession. You could even make a couple of these homemade gifts for each person on your list.

1.  Know a child learning Spanish?  Save several sizes of clean tin cans with unique labels in Spanish, with any jagged points bent safely down.  Fill with slightly used pens, sharpened pencils, paintbrushes, markers, and dried flowers. These make great decorative storage for your el esponol student’s desk or dresser top.

2. Write a letter to your child, niece, or nephew telling them how excited you were before they were born, about their upcoming birth. You could even frame the letter, for a gift, showing your anticipated love.

3. Print out your favorite Bible verse as a small poster. Add a label at the bottom that reads, “Mom’s Legacy Bible Verse” or “Dad’s Legacy Bible Verse.” Others, including your children, love to know what’s on your heart and in your head. Share yourself with them at this level and they will cherish your gift.

4. Give a gift of a picture of you and the gift recipient. Write at the bottom of the frame, “You are Loved.” It could be Grandpa/Grandson, Mom/Dad/You, Daughter/Mother.

5. “I love you all year long.” Write a letter about the year just ending. Make it twelve paragraphs long for each month. Tell the person just how much they meant to you each month of 2008, including a special memory from each month and a canister of homemade granola (granola takes a long time to eat)!

6. “What I’m going to Change, to Love you More.”  Write a card to those on your list, with something that you intend to change/improve, with God’s help, about yourself, in your life this year. Make it something that will make you an easier person to live with. (Now, that will be a welcomed surprise gift to the recipient, a gift that keeps on giving all year!)

7. Shine everyone’s shoes for Christmas morning. Under the tree, have everyone’s shoes lined up looking brand new. It’s an act of service that will be appreciated.  Or, give another act of service, such as car detailing. “Borrow” someone’s car a day or two before Christmas and detail it for them by hand for a Christmas morning surprise.

8. Give a gift of your professional services. Maybe you are a teacher and could offer to tutor. Maybe you are an accountant and could offer tax services as a gift.  How about a plumber, carpenter, or electrician for some home repair services? Perhaps you are a great writer and could help a family member with an updated resume.
Perhaps, you have nice handwriting and can address envelopes as a gift.

9. Regift books you have already read. Wrapping it up beautifully, adding a small letter, detailing why this book was special to you and why you want to bless them by sharing it.

10. Give each person on your list, a souvenir of your life or heirloom. Give them something of your’s, that they would enjoy having. Clean it up, fix it up, and wrap it up.

photo credit: Mr. T in DC

2. The childbirth coach promised the contractions wouldn’t hurt any more than holding an ice cube in her hand. She’s never been able to take ice in her tea, since then.

3. Rather than playing soothing music in the birthing room, her husband listened to ESPN Classics rerun of the 1987 Super Bowl.

4. The doctor decided to play an additional nine holes and ordered the Pictosin drip turned down to one drip per hour.

5. Her husband took a picture of her facial expressions, during hard labor and used it for their family Christmas letter.

6. The hospital mistakenly delivered a taco supreme with Tabasco sauce, instead of clear broth and ice chips for lunch.

7. The florist tied five dozen helium balloons to the end of the bed, causing it to rise at a 45 degree angle for over an hour.

8. The nurse mistakenly wrote the name of the prescription on the birth certificate — making her the proud mother of a girl named Tylenol 3.

9. Your husband promised the entire delivery room staff a sit down Thanksgiving dinner the day after you arrive home.

10. She overheard her husband in the hallway saying, “I don’t know what the big deal is about labor…I think she’s being overly dramatic…”

1) Apologize quickly and sincerely as soon as you realize that you’ve wronged someone (particularly your parents and siblings).

2) Never feel sorry for yourself (self-pity is another form of pride).

3) Stay in control of your emotions.

4) Never burn bridges behind you, in relationships.

5) Nothing is ever gained by quitting.

6) Remember, there are more people counting on you than you realize.

7) Don’t forget that God is at work, even when you can’t see it. God is working right now, in ways you don’t know about.

Love your family!

9) Meet every day with prayer, praise, and God’s Word.

10) Stay connected to the hearts of your family (particularly in a time of testing). To solve a problem with another person, soften your own heart first.

11) Listen to those who love you, before making a life-changing decision.

12) A good name is more valuable than great wealth.

2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.”

By Bob and Cheryl Moeller.  Bob and Cheryl, married for 30 years, are parents of 6 (and one-son-in-law), and Co-founders of For Better For Worse For Keeps Ministries, connecting 2 hearts for a lifetime.  Cheryl is a comedian and speaker for mom’s group and blogs at Momlaughs.

2. Mom and dad are doing full-out cannon ball dives into the community swimming pool — that is, until they ask you to leave.

3. Bedtime is now 7:30 sharp — in the morning.

4. You roasted s’mores with the kids over an open fire last night — that is after the marshmallow catches fire on your stovetop.

5. You make truckloads of lemonade for dinner — using the water from the fire hydrant.

6. You call your friends and tell them you’re calling from seaside at Martha’s “Grape” Vineyard — actually you’re sitting in a 2 foot plastic wading pool, after your son smears grape jelly all over his face.

7. You contact Carnival Cruise Line on-line and ask if they will sell your family one way tickets.

8. You tell your husband you’re having “shrimp on the barbie” for supper — actually its your way of telling your husband that your five-year-old daughter left her favorite doll on the gas grille.

9. You call your favorite baby-sitter and insist tonight they read a story and make macaroni and cheese — for you.

10. Mom finally takes a nap — but doesn’t notice, under the sprinkler.

…if you peel your kids’ grapes.
…if you do your kids’ laundry, even before they wear their clean clothes.
…if you are way more interested in planning your eight-year-old’s birthday party, than your eight-year-old is.
…if you have to limit yourself to only vacuuming 30x a day.
…if you dilute your kids’ soda pop, worried the bubbles will frighten them.
…if you bake totally organic bread, with absolutely no crust.
…if you have each kid, each day, in over 500 activities.
…if you start to teach your daughter classical french, and the doctor asks if you mind waiting, until he cuts the umbilical cord.
…if you lay awake sobbing that your four-year-old won’t get into Harvard, because they lost the coloring contest at Wendy’s Restaurant.
…if you think your two-year-old doesn’t have potential to be an Olympic ice skater, because they don’t twirl properly, in the balls at MacDonalds.
…if you peel your kids’ hot dogs.
…if you urge your kid to run for president and the contractions are still five minutes apart.
…if you hire an oil painter to do a portrait, of your baby’s ultrasound.

Chicago Homeschool Expo is new and affordable! Kids are free!

Mommies Magazine Columnist, Cheryl Moeller, will be featured in several workshops at the Chicago Homeschool Expo, Schaumburg Convention Center, Schaumburg, IL.
The Expo will be August 7-8, with pre-conference workshops on the 6th. Check out the website
at www.chicagohomeschoolexpo.com
to view all the workshops and exhibits, that will be your’s to choose from, for one price. Thursday’s workshops, are offered at a separate price.

One word could sum up this expo – affordable. Kids are free and there will be tons to see, learn, and do.

See you there.