Tag Archives: blessing jar

Bring Back the Jar

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Thanksgiving is fast approaching, so I’m bringing back my Blessing Jar. I’ve been very stressed lately, so it is time to shift my focus back to my many blessings. I will post an earlier blog in case you’d like to join me and don’t remember what I’m talking about.

Several years ago, I was privileged to join Heart to Heart on a trip to Guatemala. We were installing water purification units and distributing deworming pills for the kids. The people were so grateful for clean water—something we take for granted in the United States. The homes we visited were small enough to fit into my bedroom, with thin corrugated steel walls and leaky roofs. Most of the kids only had one extra pair of clothes. No iPhones. No computers. And yet, they were happy. They were grateful for what they had. (Check out the book I wrote for Heart to Heart about their water purification project.)

I hope that one day my kids can go with us to serve in a third world country. I want them to experience what it’s like to live without so much excess. This could be a life-changing adventure for your family as well. I don’t know about you, but my family will need to save money for a while to get us there. In the meantime, here is a thought you can discuss with your teenagers: What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

A project for all ages, is to write down your blessings. You can do this in a journal (like my family did after reading One Thousand Gifts), or you can write them on strips of paper and put them in a jar or box. November is a natural month to do this, due to Thanksgiving, but it could also be a year-long project. Your family could read all of the blessings on New Year’s Eve.

A visual way to teach the concept to younger children could be through the book The Blessing Jar by Colleen Coble. The story is about a little girl who is having a bad morning. Her grandma takes her on an adventure where they collect small objects related to happy memories. They place these objects in a blessing jar to remind them to be thankful, chasing away the grumpy attitude. After reading the book, you could begin your own blessing jar. This activity would be extra special if you had grandparents available to join in the fun.

Positive Attitude Action Plan

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After 16 weeks of striving to develop a positive attitude, I’ve found that it still doesn’t come easily, but it is coming easier. I hope it’s easier for you to be positive as well. If you missed any of my blogs on the subject, please refer back to my website at www.TamiBrumbaugh.com.

Here is a review of the main points we practiced and my plan for keeping it going.

  1. Stop the stinking thinking. You have control over your thoughts. Catch them before they get off track and send you into a spiral. MY PLAN: When a negative thought pops into my head I realize it, grab it, and tell myself to be done with it.
  2. Replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. Count your blessings. What are you thankful for? MY PLAN: My family and I are still writing blessings on small pieces of paper and placing them into our Blessing Jar. We will read them on Thanksgiving.
  3. Accept that life isn’t fair and move on. God will help you through it. MY PLAN: I will remember that fair doesn’t mean equal, and that comparing myself to others will only make me unhappy.
  4. Get exercise. Release those endorphins. A workout or a walk outside can do wonders. MY PLAN: In addition to my regular walks and workouts, I am still doing yoga moves whenever I have a spare moment.
  5. Find a way to help others. It gets your mind off yourself. MY PLAN: I refer back to the list of 30 ways to focus on others whenever I am struggling for ideas.
  6. Stop whining and complaining. It brings others down. MY PLAN: I use the Complaint Vent Journal when I need to whine a bit.
  7. Pump in the good. Listen to positive music. Read a positive book. Talk to a positive person. Pray. MY PLAN: I’ve put the 25 songs with positive messages on my phone, and hope to add more as I stumble across them.

For those of you who have mastered all seven suggestions, God bless you. For the rest of us mere mortals, keep striving. With continual effort, we can become positive people.

Filling the Blessing Jar

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blessing jar pic

Several years ago, I was privileged to join Heart to Heart on a trip to Guatemala. We were installing water purification units and distributing deworming pills for the kids. The people PassThecup picwere so grateful for clean water—something we take for granted in the United States. The homes we visited were small enough to fit into my bedroom, with thin corrugated steel walls and leaky roofs. Most of the kids only had one extra pair of clothes. No iPhones. No computers. And yet, they were happy. They were grateful for what they had. (Check out the book I wrote for Heart to Heart about their water purification project.)

I hope that one day my kids can go with us to serve in a third world country. I want them to experience what it’s like to live without so much excess. This could be a life-changing adventure for your family as well. I don’t know about you, but my family will need to save money for a while to get us there. In the meantime, here is a thought you can discuss with your teenagers: What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

A project for all ages, is to write down your blessings. You can do this in a journal (like my family did after reading One Thousand Gifts), or you can write them on strips of paper and put them in a jar or box. This could be a year-long project. Your family could read all of the blessings on Thanksgiving or New Year’s Eve. I’m just starting this method with my own family.

A visual way to teach the concept to younger children could be through the book The Blessing Jar by Colleen Coble. The story is about a little girl who is having a bad morning. The Blessing Jar Book picHer grandma takes her on an adventure where they collect small objects related to happy memories. They place these objects in a blessing jar to remind them to be thankful, chasing away the grumpy attitude. After reading the book, you could begin your own blessing jar. This activity would be extra special if you had grandparents available to join in the fun.