The Day After Thanksgiving...

And just like that, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. 
Today marks the unofficial official start of the Christmas season, and before I start with all the Christmas-themed posts I wanted to take a moment to talk about (you guessed it) being thankful. 



Every year we dedicate a day to thankfulness; sometimes people even spend the entire month of November dedicated to it. 
We spend more time with our family, we post long "thankful" posts, and we often realize just how much we really are thankful for the things in life we normally take for granted.



And then Thanksgiving's over. 
We go about our normal lives once more, and slowly but surely we start to take the things we're thankful for for granted again. 



I'm not bashing anybody at all; I'm very guilty of this myself. 
I tend to take things in my life for granted, only truly being thankful for them at this time of year (if that). 
But I'm realizing that thankfulness is not something to only be expressed one season out of the year. 
Thanksgiving is a lifestyle, not a holiday. 



Now that the parade is over, the leftovers are lessening, and the extended family has gone home until Christmas, I want to challenge myself to make Thanksgiving my lifestyle. 



That schoolwork that has me stressed out? I'm thankful I'm able to get an education, and to get to be homeschooled at that! 


Those times my family and I don't exactly get along? I'm thankful I have four crazy people to love who love me in return, and are there for me no matter what. 


When I don't want to get out of bed in the morning? I'm thankful I'm alive to experience another beautiful day.


And those times I wrestle to go spend time with God?...
My gosh, I'm thankful that I'm able to have a relationship with my Creator.


The list could go on and on, but I don't want it to ever end. 
Thankfulness is a lifestyle; one I'm trying very hard to establish in myself. 



Will you join me? 


Now that you don't HAVE to be thankful... 


what are you thankful for today?