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{ the best kept secret of the proverbs 31 woman }

Friends, as we launch into the holiday season, I want to share a word of encouragement from my Proverbs 31 devotional book. Take a look at Proverbs 31:15 in the Amplified version, which differs from the NIV I’ve read from for many years:

She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And assigns tasks to her maids.

There is something in the original language that the Amplified version picks up and elaborates on in that last line.  God included something in the text to show us that we are not to do it all alone. We are not responsible for everything!

This holiday season, I believe God wants us to ask for help and delegate. I believe that He wants us to let others help with the planning and preparation. And then perhaps we will experience the peace and joy that He intended.

 

{ 5 ways to cultivate gratitude this month }

Last week I shared some simple activities you can do on your own or with your family to create a whole month of thanksgiving, rather than just one day! You can find the ideas in detail here: 5 ways to cultivate gratitude

 

{ holiday planning guide }

If you’re looking for some help in getting the Thanksgiving & Christmas plans rolling without all the stress, my holiday planning guide is still available as a free download! It includes prayer and journaling prompts, tips for setting priorities, and a sample planning schedule.

 

Blessings to you,

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Cultivating gratitude can be challenging at times, especially during the holidays. If you’d like to practice thankfulness at home during the month of November, I have some ideas for you to try!

Gratitude Banner – This is the activity that my family is doing this year. I created a stringed banner with 15 double-sided pennants. Each day in November, we will all write something we’re grateful for on one pennant. The front sides of all the pennants will be written on November 1-15th, then we’ll turn it around and write on the back sides November 16-30th. Creating the banner was fairly easy, but there are inexpensive pennant garlands to order on Amazon!

Thankful Box– We did this several years ago and it was a hit with the family! Use a basket, or cover a shoebox with paper and decorate it with fall stickers or shapes. Prepare a stack of little pieces of paper (or purchase a pack of autumn die-cut paper shapes from Amazon) for everyone to write things they are thankful for each day and drop them in the box or the basket. Open the box or basket on Thanksgiving Day and read them aloud! 

Dinner Conversation Starters– Use this list of conversation starters around the breakfast or dinner table each day of November! If you like, you can print the list and cut it into strips to place in a basket and pull one out each day. The second page of the list has prompts for younger children.

Gratitude Journal – Use this list of journal prompts to write about things you are grateful for every day of November.  This can be done individually or as a family in a communal journal. This is great for homeschooling families to use as a language arts activity for the month! 

Colored Candy Thanksgiving Activity – We have used this activity on Thanksgiving a few times. Buy a bag of multi-colored candy (m-n-m’s work best) and pour them into a brown paper bag. Print the image below and attach it to the bag. As you pass it around the table, each person pulls a candy from the bag. Depending on the color, the person follows the prompt and shares something they are thankful for. 

May your November be full of gratitude leading up to Thanksgiving!

 

blessings,

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>>> new series on social media

I want to invite you to join me on Instagram or Facebook, where I’m currently sharing weekly tips on “How to Create More Connections with God”. When we feel connected to God, it puts everything else in our lives in perspective, don’t you agree? I want to encourage you to find many ways to feel linked to Him throughout the day.

The first tip is about combining spiritual activities with things you’re already doing. Check it out here:

How to Create More Connections with God, part 1 on Instagram

How to Create More Connections with God, part 1 on Facebook

The second tip is to use the timer on your phone to keep you connected to the Lord. You’ll find it here:

How to Create More Connections with God, part 2 on Instagram

How to Create More Connections with God, part 2 on Facebook

More tips will be coming over the next several weeks! Let me know which ones really work for you.

>>> holiday planning guide

I recently created a Holiday Planning Guide that came out of my own quest for peace and joy during the season! Last year, I was so overwhelmed and didn’t really enjoy the holidays.

If you are looking for some inspiration and help to approach the next couple of months differently, then this is for you! There are prayer and journal prompts, a sample planning schedule, and helpful tips.

As a subscriber, you can download it for free here:  Holiday Planning Guide

Blessings,