The Gratitude Book for Thanksgiving Dinner!

The Gratitude Book

Thinking of ideas to make Thanksgiving even more special this year???

Here is an idea!

This Thanksgiving, I will be asking friends and family, form the youngest to the eldest to write in a book what he or she is thankful for.  I am going to make this a family tradition and will have it available for people to read every year. 

I thought about this idea as every year i have that never going away struggle I have expreinced with family and friends to encourage and motivate them to share their thoughts of gratitude at the dinner table.  Many times people do not want to or just have not even thought about that.  As a matter of fact, more often than anything else, we think and say what we need, want and do not have than the gratefulness for having what we have.  Think to yourself, when was the last time you were happy, content or grateful for what you have?  It is hard to go there.

The media bombards us with materialism and pressure to keep up with what is new and what everyone else has.  But imagine if a television commercial offered a different point of view.  How about a television commercial that that reminded you and everyone to say thank you, or to go take care of what you have or to restore something that needs restoration?  That would be just weird right?  But it is not!  Take a moment and look around you and see the abundance that you have and be thankful!  Can you make a list of 10 things you are grateful for and we why?  Try it and see how it works out for you.  Then try this with your children… give them this tradition to remember, to take notice and be thankful.  Who knows you may be surprised by what your children say.

 “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step towards achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”
– Brian Tracy, Author and Motivational Speaker

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
- Marcus Tullius Cicero

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy. -
 Ralph H. Blum

Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.
- Seneca

Nothing is more effective than sincere, accurate praise, and nothing is more lame than a cookie-cutter compliment.
- Bill Walsh

Two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give.
- Edwin Arlington Robinson

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”

- William A. Ward

“If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.”
– Gerald Good

No More Broken Promises for me!

Promises

“Why Dad!? You promised!  You said!”

Yuck! I hate these words.

How do I get into these situations? In my past experiences I would make promises, committing myself to things that in the passion filled moment it seems so possible and so right! Then really kicks in and I realized that I had very little control over what I was promising!

Sometimes when we are with our children we are relaxed and in the moment of a discussion we want to please our children.  As Fathers we want our children to know that we love them. We want to make sure they have what they need and if possible what they want.  We must pay attention to what we say in these discussions because we are committing ourselves to living to a certain standard.  Yes a standard.  When we commit to things with our children we are giving them our word and a lesson on the value of keeping one's word.  

We cannot take things lightly and just pretend as if they will forget. 

They Do Not!

Even if they do not say anything to you it doe snot mean that they forgot... they remember!

Check out the following web site with a great article about this topic.  It made me think about how I need to pay attention and live what I said I would do for my child.  Click Here

When Does Child Support Really End?

Paying Child Support is not only an obligation

it is a fatherly thing to do!

Be proud and make sure that you child or children have what they need.  Do not deprive your kids from what they need.  Make sure thatthey know that Dad is there when they need something.  It may totaly stink to give away your hard earne money to your "EX" but trust that when you children are grown and reflect on what you did they will respect you and include you in their lives.  Paying Child Support is the hopnorable thing to do.

Paying Child Support ends and be ready and aware when you need to stop.  Click on the link and see when you can stop paying child support in your state. Click Here

The Unreal Expectations on Fathers...

“Men have burdens as well as privileges in our society. So often, we emphasize the privileges and overlook the burdens.  When we have such an unbalanced view, we fail to understand the needs and circumstances of a male, whether he is a child or grown man.  Perhaps so many men have not succeeded in their marriage because the expectations of them have been so high and often contradictory. Married men are often expected to have such qualities as being the capable provider, aggressive competitor, wise father, sensitive and gentle lover, fearless protector, cool and controlled negotiator under pressure, and being emotionally expressive.” - Goldberg 1976