We’ve all experienced it – the time when you thoughtfully held a door open for some stranger and they walked through it without a thought, as if you were born to serve them. What didn’t happen? Sure, the smallest of expressions, a simple “Thank you”. A teeny courtesy acknowledging this small gift you gave them didn’t take place. But more importantly, underneath that rote childhood learned response, the person would have needed to be aware that another human being was offering a courtesy. Will that be your child?

Gratitude is an awareness and appreciation issue. It is the internal awareness that one’s life has been made richer by a gift – an opened door, a birthday present, a kind word, a prepared meal, someone’s time, beauty, freedoms, heritage, God’s creation. Gratitude looks upon the world with increasing awareness that it is a rich and wonderous place with lots of people who want to share goodness. Teaching a child to see the blessings of the moment, to recognize goodness in others, to experience beauty in all its forms is to ultimately elevate that child’s life into happiness, mental balance, and spiritual maturity. A grateful heart is the staircase by which you climb out of self-absorption into connectedness.

Psychology Today points out that “A materialistic culture that encourages constant wanting and sees possessions as the source of happiness is not the most fertile ground for gratitude. But it is not an insurmountable barrier to developing it. Envy and especially cynicism and narcissism are similarly thieves of gratitude. In fact, the cultivation of gratitude may be at least a partial remedy for narcissism.”

The Bible got a jump on this same insight – “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 

Teaching gratitude is one of God’s gifts to parents. Bit by bit you can see their little hearts develop as you begin to mold their character. You can show the way by practicing gratitude with your spouse speaking aloud their wonderfulness, verbalizing the blessings she/he brings to the family, acknowledging daily effort with verbalized gratitude. Also, you can demonstrate gratitude to others by thanking your server by name at a restaurant. Stop the car and appreciate nature’s glory during a beautiful sunset and thank God for this incredible gift. On birthdays have each child speak out why their birthday sibling is special. At the end of each school year have each child send a thank you note to their teacher. Further, a child can learn to forgive a transgression by listing all the great qualities of a friendship in current conflict. And importantly, expressing thanksgiving at each family meal, not out of rote, but out of a growing appreciation that your family and each member is blessed. By focusing the heart on positives, well-being grows to become the predominant attitude about life. Have Gratitude as part of your family identity.

We are so incredibly grateful for you and that you choose to read OneFamily Letters & Quotes!!

Lis and Dave

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A Special Opportunity To Help Families

We are truly grateful for all the families that have been equipped, encouraged & sustained by OneFamily.  We’ve been blessed to see marriages rejuvenated and family harmony impacted with parenting successes!

As we enter this season of giving, we’ll be sharing some of the incredible stories of families whose lives have been touched and changed this past year. These inspiring stories come from people of all walks of life—and they remind us why our mission matters.

None of this is possible without your support. As a self-funded nonprofit organization (501c3), we rely on the generous financial contributions from individual donors to drive our projects, growth, and sustainability. With your year-end tax-deductible donation, we can make a greater impact and help more families like yours.

Donate Here on the OneFamily Website
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VENMO “2025 Donation” to: @onefamilyhwl
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Via Check Payable to:
OneFamily/HeadwatersLife
6530 S Yosemite Street, Suite 310
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

December 2nd – National Day of Giving

Now through December 9th – ColoradoGives.org