A Season of Gratitude
11/28/2019
From Resource UMC
"Gratitude is at the heart of the Christian faith," says the Rev. Kent Millard, president of United Theological Seminary. While every day should be a day of thanksgiving to God, the seven weeks encompassing the Thanksgiving (U.S.), Advent and Christmas seasons call for a special outpouring of gratitude.
A calendar of suggestions for daily acts of gratitude and kindness appeared in the in the November 2019 issue of InFocus magazine for local church leaders. Download the calendar to print a copy or use the text version below. Most of the activities can either be done alone or with family or friends. Some require a bit of planning, so you may want to look ahead a few days, or make arrangements to do it few days later.
WEEK 1
Sunday, Nov. 24, United Methodist Student Day: Put a gratitude jar in the kitchen with scraps of paper. Encourage people daily to write down things for which they are grateful. Read them on Epiphany (Jan. 6).
Monday, Nov. 25: Smile and greet everyone you see throughout the day. Ask how they are – then LISTEN to what they say.
Tuesday, Nov. 26: Hand write and mail a note to someone you admire or appreciate in your life.
Wednesday, Nov. 27: Volunteer to read to nursing home residents.
Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day (U.S.): Read Psalm 100 to begin your time of everyone sharing blessings of the past year.
Friday, Nov. 29: Spend an hour taking a prayer walk through a natural area. Thank God for the earth and offer blessings for all of creation.
Saturday, Nov. 30: As a family, rake a neighbor's leaves.
WEEK 2
Sunday, Dec. 1, 1st Sunday of Advent (World AIDS Day): Take good magazines and leave in the hospital waiting room.
Monday, Dec. 2: During Advent, commit to placing only positive messages on social media. Consider tweeting or posting a photo of something for which you are grateful each day.
Tuesday, Dec. 3, #GivingTuesday-Make a donation in gratitude to your church or another United Methodist-related institution or ministry as a Christmas gift in honor of someone.
Wednesday, Dec. 4: Leave sticky notes on various cars in store parking lots or on bathroom stalls in rest areas or public restrooms with simple messages of gratitude or kindness.
Thursday, Dec. 5: Share a favorite book with someone...and encourage them to pass it on.
Friday, Dec. 6: Offer to babysit for free to give young parents a night out.
Saturday, Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day: Send a note to any WWII veterans in your town thanking them for their service. If you don't know any of the vets, thank their survivors or descendants.
WEEK 3
Sunday, Dec. 8, 2nd Sunday in Advent: Visit a neighbor you have not seen for a while. Offer to help them with something, pray for them or invite them to join you for dinner.
Monday, Dec. 9: Look for (and find) people who are doing a good job at a less-than-glamorous task and thank them for their good work. Let their managers know as well.
Tuesday, Dec. 10: Let the person behind you at the grocery store cut in line.
Wednesday, Dec. 11: Take flowers or a nice plant to the church secretary.
Thursday, Dec. 12: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 silently or with your family. Talk about blessings you find in difficulties you are facing.
Friday, Dec. 13: Make a casserole or dinner to be placed in your church freezer for anyone who needs it.
Saturday, Dec. 14: Tape a $5 bill to a jug of milk in the grocery store.
WEEK 4
Sunday, Dec. 15, 3rd Sunday in Advent: Make handcrafted greeting cards with a personal message to show the recipients they are a special enough to be sent something made by you.
Monday, Dec. 16: Thank God for quenching your thirst – be it with a drink or companionship, inspiration or spiritual guidance.
Tuesday, Dec. 17: Phone a friend or relative. Tell them "I was thinking of you so thought I'd call."
Wednesday, Dec. 18: Write a personal note of thanks or encouragement to your local church clergy.
Thursday, Dec. 19: Visit a local non-profit to learn about their work and thank them for serving.
Friday, Dec. 20: Take or ship a friend in need of comfort a meal or treat.
Saturday, Dec. 21: Be grateful for silence when you can grab a quiet time and say a simple prayer.
WEEK 5
Sunday, Dec. 22: Tell someone why you appreciate them.
Monday, Dec. 23: Pay the toll or the drive-thru coffee or meal of someone behind you. Ask the cashier to give the recipient a note with a gratitude or kindness message. Thank the cashier.
Tuesday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve: Make eye contact with each family member or close friend sharing the day with you. Tell them three reasons you are thankful for them.
Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day: Start your Christmas morning by reading Luke 2 and having each person share what the gift of Jesus Christ means to them. Thank God for the gift of Jesus.
Thursday, Dec. 26: Carry hand-written thank you cards that might include a gift card through a public area. Give to any military personnel you encounter.
Friday, Dec. 27: Take a picture for a tourist or a local family on an outing.
Saturday, Dec. 28: Smile and hold doors open for people wherever you go; say "hello" to a stranger.
WEEK 6
Sunday, Dec. 29: Sit out on your porch or front stoop, or just look out the window, and pray for each person who drives by.
Monday, Dec. 30: Help a family member accomplish something on their to-do list.
Tuesday, Dec. 31, New Year's Eve: Ask a teacher at your church or child's school what school supplies their students most need. Buy some for them.
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, New Year's Day: Start a gratitude journal to increase your awareness of the blessings in your life.
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020: Compliment a co-worker or classmate on something you respect about him or her.
Friday, Jan. 3, 2020: Purchase $5 gift cards for a nearby inexpensive restaurant, and share them with people you see who are homeless or otherwise in need.
Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020: Collect canned goods for a local food bank. (What they received in the weeks before Christmas is already gone.)
WEEK 7
Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020: Begin the practice of having every family member at the dinner table share something he/she is grateful for that day.
Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, Day of the Epiphany: Begin reading the slips of paper in your gratitude jar (Nov. 24). Plan how you will continue to express gratitude for God's blessings every day.
