• Home
  • About Women With Intention
  • FAQs
  • Contact Me

Women With Intention

For women seeking purpose, simplicity, and balance in life.

  • Intentional Living
    • Goals
    • Self-Care
      • Self-Care Calendars
    • Time Management
    • Living Your Best Life
      • Putting Yourself First (Self-Care)
      • 31 Days Of Intentional Living
      • Smart Choices (Fitness & Diet)
  • Homemaking
    • Decluttering, Organizing & Simplifying
      • 31 Days Of Decuttering In December
    • Intentional In The Kitchen
      • Meal Planning
        • Meal Plan Monday
        • Meal Planning Master List
      • Canning & Preserving Food
      • Freezer Cooking
      • Recipes
    • Holidays & Special Occasions
    • Seasonal Fun
    • Home Management
  • Saving Money
    • Budgeting
    • 14 Day No Spend Challenge
    • Grocery Shopping
    • Income Producing Ideas
    • Store Deals
    • Do It Yourself Projects
  • Relationships
    • Christian Living & Biblical Womanhood
    • Family Fun
    • Marriage
    • Mentoring
    • Parenting
  • Resources
    • 31 Day Challenges
    • Building A Stockpile
    • Master Meal Planning Lists
    • Printables
    • Blog Party Directory
    • Self-Care Calendars
    • My Reading List
    • Things I Love

The Secret Of Contentment Is Being Thankful With What You Have

November 25, 2013 by Jenny Leave a Comment

secret

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching!  November is the time of year when many are awakened from the haze of life’s chaos, and consciously become aware of “being thankful.”  Now don’t get me wrong, I am all about being thankful for what I have, but I truly believe the key to being content and happy in life is being thankful for what you already have ALL.THE.TIME.  Not just in November, not just when you are sitting around the table with a big, fat turkey in the center of it, not only on the good days, but each day throughout the year.

We live in a culture that is consumed with everything.  The so-called happiest people are those who have the newest cell phone, biggest house, fanciest car, nicest clothing, the most “stuff,” and beautiful children.  Discontentment is abundant and contentment has almost disappeared.

When we compare ourselves to everyone else around us whether it is in what we have, what we do for a living, if our children are great athletes, or body size we are losing our joy and thankfulness and creating discontentment.

I’m going to let you in a secret.  The secret is when we are truly thankful, we are more content. When we are thankful for what we have and are content using it to bless others, the contentment turns into joy! Here are some ideas on how to turn Thanksgiving into a day where the focus isn’t the turkey, football, and Black Friday shopping.  The focus is on on the joy of being truly thankful for what we have and using that thankfulness to bless others!

  • Send someone a handwritten note expressing your gratitude for something that they’ve done for you.
  • Take meals to shut-ins.
  • Volunteer to help serve a meal at the Salvation Army, Knights of Columbus, etc instead of cooking a big meal at your own home.
  • Create a Thankful Tree.  Decorate a tree and make leaves out of construction paper (or download free clip art and decorate) and write one thing each member of the family is thankful for on each leaf.  It truly will be a beautiful tree when you read all of the wonderful blessings your family has when you are finished!
  • Think of widows or others who don’t have family near by and invite them to share a meal with your own family.
  • When you sit down to eat have a pretty piece of paper on each plate and a pencil where each person can write down something they are thankful for and share the answers around the table.  Even very young children can participate in this!
  • Have everyone bring something to make a package to send to soldiers overseas.  Kids can contribute with drawings and letters!
  • Compile items to take to an animal shelter.
  • Collect items for a local food pantry and take them as a family

A few other ways to bless others around the holidays are:

  • Instead of buying a gift on Black Friday, sponsor a child from Compassion International!  My family sponsors a little boy named Luis from Honduras and my goal is to eventually be able to sponsor 5 children each year (the same amount I “sponsor” at my home!)
  • Pack Operation Christmas Child boxes for needy children
  • Find a local charity to donate new toys, toiletries, clothing, (Our church does a clothing drive in October for hats, gloves, underwear, etc for families in need.  These are easy to find on clearance throughout the year!) and other items on their wish list
  • Sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home and have your kids take them some special drawings or art pieces

Your Challenge:  Find something to do this week of Thanksgiving to bless someone else as a family.  I’d love to hear what that activity was and if it blessed your family as well!

Filed Under: Holidays, & Special Occasions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I’m Jenny!

I'm a wife, a mom of 6 and daughter of the King. I love my chocolate, cute cloth diapers, DIY and self-improvement projects, and curling up with a great book!

I'm excited to have you join me on my journey of saving money, living the good life while balancing family, relationships and homemaking! Learn more about me and this site here!

Would You Like More Tips & Tricks To Live YOUR Live With Intention?

Subscribe By Email!

* indicates required
 photo 9e35b669-0746-4500-97cd-440272ae0979_zps8ac4d98e.jpg Each month, I post a FREE monthly self-care calendar. I hope to help you all live with purpose is by loving yourself enough to take time for self care! As parents, it is our job to prepare our children to leave the home when they are grown. Here are the life skills I feel are essential to know.  photo 31 Days of Purpose 300 button_zpsj2vb9hrn.png Are you snowed in and looking for something fun and tasty? Snow ice cream might be just want you need! Here are 3 snow ice cream recipes! Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • 5 Daily Sanity Saving Tips To Help You Escape Survival Mode
  • April 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • March 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • February 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • What I’m Into…January 2017 Edition
Pied-a-terre Loft Furniture

Archives

  • March 2018
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
shareasale.com Blogorama - The Blog Directory

**This site contains affiliate links. See the disclosures page for additional information. Copyright © 2013-2018 Women With Intention

Pages

  • 31 Day Challenges & Series
  • About Women With Intention
  • Blog Party Directory
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure Policy
  • FAQs
  • Master Meal Planning Lists
  • Self-Care Calendars

Family Blogs
top blog directory

Home & Garden Blogs - Blog Rankings

Copyright © 2025 · Lifestyle Pro Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in