As if we don’t already have enough to do, am I right? A challenge? That’s right. Once a year, I offer up a challenge. I’m going to invite you all to join me in a Thanksgiving Challenge. It comes from Dynamic Catholic and it is their Holy Moment Bucket List.
For the next 30 days, until we hit Christmas, I am challenging you to pick a few items on this list, or if you’re really up for it, pick all 30, one a day, and make a difference in the lives of others in gratitude for what you already have.
We don’t spend enough time in thanksgiving mode. We move from Halloween and candy to buying gifts for Christmas. Let’s take some time to be thankful and grateful for what we have and for those whom God has placed in our lives and to share some Holy Moments with others.
Action Steps
Author Matthew Kelly, from Dynamic Catholic, calls these items I’m about to share, Holy Moments. So for the next 30 days, here are 30 Holy Moments you can create for others that will allow you to share your gratitude and have the best month of your life in preparation for the birth of Christ:
- Send a handwritten letter to someone you care about, telling them how much they mean to you.
- Write down the story of your life, reflecting on your blessings, difficulties, and incredible plan of God.
- Leave an encouraging note on a stranger’s windshield.
- Invite someone lonely over for dinner.
- Send flowers to someone to let them know they matter.
- Ask someone you admire to recommend a life-changing book, then read it.
- Practice generosity by leaving a 50% tip.
- Spend an hour in silence: even better, an hour of adoration in a Catholic Church.
- Apologize to someone and expect nothing in return.
- Tell someone important that you love them, in a way that they will remember forever.
- Tell the truth, no matter how convenient it would be to lie.
- Give someone a book that changed your life.
- Pray for the person having the hardest day of their life today and then send them a text of love and encouragement.
- Donate 10 items to charity, including 5 things you’d rather keep for yourself.
- Go outside, look at the stars and marvel at the beauty of nature.
- Create something new- a writing piece, art, woodwork, jewelry, music, dance, scrapbook, anything you feel moved to make.
- Go for a drive and blast your favorite song, immersing yourself in the present moment.
- Email your supervisor something amazing your coworker did.
- Make the world a more beautiful place by picking up litter, planting a tree, or donating to a public park.
- Write down your dreams for the next month, year and decade.
- Bring a card, soup, or thoughtful gift to someone who is sick.
- Do something you loved as a child that you haven’t done in a long time.
- Surprise someone with a care package.
- Make a list of things that scare you. Pick one and whether it’s running 3 miles or going to the movies alone, show courage and DO IT.
- Donate as much as you financially can to a cause that you believe will change the world.
- Make food and give it to someone who is struggling to find their next meal.
- Make a pilgrimage, whether that means a local church, a shrine or a sacred place across the world.
- Choose a day to just celebrate life-get a cake, decorate and invite your friends and family.
- Create a holy moment of your own choosing.
Gratitude
Being grateful for all that we have and then helping others and sharing our gratitude with them is a great way to live life. We need more of that in a world that just seems to be focused on themselves and what they can get. I hope you will join me in a Thanksgiving challenge. It’s a great way to prepare during Advent for Christmas. Drop me a line or two on how you are participating and what holy moments you are creating. I’d love to hear your stories.
God bless. I appreciate you.–Barb