Captivating Fall and Growing a Heart of Thankfulness

Fall is here is So Cal and our neighborhood leaves and the trees in front of our church are beautiful. The feeling of thankfulness is abundant and my goal to ingrain a thankful heart into my children is a mission I dont take lightly. Back when I taught preschool, each Fall we took a "Fall Walk." A wonderful time of giving thanks to God, observing the changing leaves, singing songs and collecting some nature. I have done this each year with Cayden, but this year, as he is older and understanding the world more, we truly enjoyed this time. Last week, the boys and I journeyed out for about an hour walking around our neighborhood saying hi to neighbors as we do, stopping to chat, sang songs and talked about God. I was reminded of this verse,

⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

 and with all 

your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today 

are to be on your 

hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when

 you sit at home

 and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when

 you get up. 

~Deut. 6:5-7

As Cayden and Camden held fall colored leaves, pine cones and the like, the importance of cultivating a 

thankful heart is HUGE. We sang, "Its good to the give thanks to the Lord," "Autumn leaves are falling down,

" and "Praise Him, Praise Him all you little children."

We held hands. It was sweet. I love our daily walks, but this one is particular stands out in significance. I

 prayed before we left for our walk that God would fill our hearts with a desire to thank Him in all we would 

see that day. And He never ceases to fail us. Eyes lit up as we observed leaves, acorns and as we sang. God

 is so good to give us these moments with our precious gifts, our children.

We came home, washed up and sat down with fall scrapbook papers, glue and scissors and our bowl filled 

with autumn blessings. The apple designed paper was chosen and as Cayden cut leaves and squeezed the 

glue and positioned each blessing just so, I was so thankful. So thankful for the simple things God gives us

 such as a little acorn for the squirrles. Oh how He loves even the tiny animals in our world.

Thank you God for loving us even with all of our blemishes.

Cayden's list of thankfulness  was this, "our house, me, Camden, Jesus, shows, Daddy,
Mommy, Pop Packages,
 trains" All things in his world that are so important and vital to him. Precious
 thankfulness
 from a three year old. I love seeing through his eyes of wonder and love for life.

Camden was thrilled to hold a simple leaf, a tiny pine cone. He is thankful too.
And his eyes
 light up just the same.

Let us not grow weary of teaching our children of thankfulness. Let us talk about our
thankfulness
 out loud daily.
"Thank you God for this cup of cold water." "Thank you God for a plumber who
can come fix the bathroom sink." I think its so important to live out loud for our children
so they may see and
know what being thankful to Him looks like.


Let us not become weary in doing good, for at 
the proper time 
we will reap 
a harvest if we do not give up. ~Gal. 6:9


Thank you God for these moments.

"Thank Him, Thank Him, all ye little children, God is love. God is love."

(P.S. blogger is acting up I think, so this post is posting funky...sorry!)