Some people ask for signs to show up in their lives to guide them on the way. One summer we were traveling on the interstate just south of Grand Forks, and a sign caught our eye…more than once.
“BE GRATEFUL” was posted close to the traffic whizzing by. I was encouraged that someone had spent money to communicate a very important message, in the middle of the summer.
Being Grateful this Holiday Season
Farmers are a very thankful lot, despite all the jokes in the press about them whining and complaining. I have met many prairie people who are grateful for their families who continue to toil and create opportunity with a thankful heart. Are you thankful for living in peace, eating well, and being deeply cherished?
I have also heard sad tales of grandparents being denied access to their grandkids, and sons who just can’t share the bounty of what their parents intended.
[Tweet “#Farmers, being grateful is hard. Learn how to be #grateful even when its hard.”]
It really comes down to making a choice, doesn’t it? We choose to bless others by our love and actions, and we intentionally verbally affirm those who fill our emotional bank account.
“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds” -Isaiah [3:10] (NIV).
Psychologists suggest that thankful people are emotionally healthy, more than those who chose to be hard of heart and tight-fisted with their appreciation.
Regardless of whether the pasture is fair or poor, and the bins are full or lacking, choose to be grateful as you plan your next move for your family and business.
Blessings to you all for a wonderful celebration of this holiday season. Remember, strong families celebrate!
What’s the one thing that you are most thankful for this year? Please share with me and our community in the comments below!
The Lord blessed us with 10 beautiful days in Nov so we could harvest our soybeans!!
My husband and I are extremely grateful! Why? Because…
The Lord has blessed us with:
* Our health! After cancer treatment undergone this past year, my husbands follow-up tests continue to come back “clean.”
* Bountiful yields which offset poor commodity prices.
* A husband who leads our family strong as filtered through God’s word.
* 2 of our sons who “married strong” and “equally yoked” this past year. One in June and the other in November. Wonderful young women have been added to our family.
* 8 healthy children and 2 healthy, beautiful grand-daughters.
* Our harvest crews were kept safe throughout the long, fall harvest.
* At the end of the year, this year, we will not be in the red. Barely! But, NOT in the red. LOL!
* I had a successful and safe recovery from knee surgery this morning.
* Jesus was born to save us from our sins!
* The beautiful sunset we saw from our backyard this evening.
* The ability to think, reason, & feel emotion.
* Elaine Froese and her amazing wisdom for farm families! ( I am especially grateful to you for your resources and Biblical wisdom. I am a new DIL to my husband’s family farm (remarriage/blending a family!) and amazingly enough, it’s not been the children who have had struggles with the new marriage but rather my husband’s parents. I have had to stand firm on establishing healthy boundary lines that were never present in the past 2 generations. IT’S. BEEN. ROUGH. So, I truly AM extremely grateful for you and that you have the guts to tackle the “pink elephant in the living” that so many farm families are willing to ignore. Bless you! Bless you! Bless you!
My list could go on, and on, and on!
Blessings to you and your family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!
~ Susan from Kansas
In the beginning of Nov, we were looking back at a very wet harvest thinking it was over with over 50% of crop standing. We had a Nov like never before to my knowledge with record high temp -a Nov we needed so desperately:) When crops are poor and diseased, conditions so unpredictable, one thing never changes…. God is good and faithful
Grateful for so many things, particularly blessed to be in Canada! The safety and security we enjoy are so much a part of our lives here that it’s easy to forget how good we have it. I’ve appreciated it almost daily for the last 16 years I’ve been here, and will continue to do so.