Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob, whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God.

—PSALM 146:5 (VOICE)

The inspirational quote, “Grateful, Thankful, Blessed,” can be found as wall art, and embroidered on dish towels, coffee cups, T–shirts, and notebook covers. It is a sweet and catchy reminder that we can show gratitude to people and receive it from others.

Unfortunately, as we enter the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we may begin to feel the stirrings of our commitment to do too many holiday activities; we scramble to find the perfect gift, and spend what feels like endless hours in the kitchen. So, how can we continue to feel grateful, thankful, and blessed during this season? Do you believe these words hold true during all seasons of your life?

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

— COLOSSIANS 3:16 (NLT)

The words grateful and thankful are often used hand–in–hand. Pastor Tim Keller once said, “It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.”

For example, someone gives you a gift. You are grateful for that person in your life, thankful for the present, and blessed because God has moved this person to care about you. The Scripture is rich with ways to live grateful, thankful, and blessed lives.

The message of Christ is that He loves us so much, He came to earth to die for our sins. He paid the ultimate price so that we could ultimately live. In return for Him taking our sin, we are to share this good news with others, and we are to love them. Rejoice in knowing that people can be forgiven and be given this gift from Jesus, if they genuinely want it. During this holiday season, we can be reminded that we have already received the greatest gift—the gift of Jesus Christ. We can turn to our loved ones and be present with them, which allows us to be grateful, thankful, and blessed.

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

— PSALM 126:3

Here are some family–friendly tips to bring you back to being grateful, thankful, and blessed during this holiday season:

Ask during a family meal: What/Who are you grateful for today?  What food are you grateful for?  Is there a place you are grateful for?

Daily reminders: On a sheet of paper, begin a daily list of what you are thankful for during the day. Remember, blessings show up in all sizes. Pay attention to the little details in your day. At the end of the day, give thanks to God for providing these blessings. Download a gratitude calendar for the month. There are many free printables available on Pinterest.

Create a Family Blessing Tree: Pinterest has many free printables or create your own. For example, on a sheet of paper, create a tree with many branches. On each branch, add the name of a family member. Be as creative as you like. Say a prayer for each family member as you add them to your tree.

Read Scripture together: The Christmas Story, found in Luke 2, is a beautiful story of how the most extraordinary gift ever given was Jesus, who came into the world. How can you be thankful for this story? Be blessed by the promises. › Luke 17: 11–19 is a parable told by Jesus about the healing of ten people who are afflicted by leprosy, but only one returns to give thanks. There is a message about being thankful in this story.

by JOANNA POLAREK