Sometimes it is hard to be thankful.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife broke her ankle, and we have chosen to be thankful in spite of difficult circumstances. But that exercise in gratitude has got me thinking, and looking for more reasons to be thankful.

As I watched my kids this week, I’ve discovered several new reasons to be thankful from their lives.

Unless we seek out new and more reasons for gratitude, we will slide into a rut of thinking we have nothing to be thankful for. I know, because I’ve been there.

My kids have taught me a lot about being thankful over the past few weeks. Last month, my wife had several of our kids with her, running some errands. My oldest daughter and I were on our own for dinner that night, so we went out for Mexican.

My daughter is fifteen. She realizes that, with the size our family is, money can be tight. As we sat there, she asked me if we could really afford to eat out that night. I almost cried. All of a sudden, in that moment, I saw my daughter as a mature adult, and not as a kid any longer. She was so conscientious and considerate of our circumstances that she wanted to make sure before she ordered a meal that might cost too much.

Right then, I realized I had even more to be thankful for than I knew. My daughter will be fine as she finishes school in the next couple of years and moves on into the next phase of her life. I am thankful for that.

My son has really stepped up and helped out a lot since my wife’s accident on the stairs. He has done dishes, washed laundry, cleaned rooms, changed diapers, and just generally helped out around the house. I am thankful for that.

My younger son had an accident earlier in the fall where his foot was injured pretty badly. He runs around the house with no trace of a limp. I am thankful for that.

My two youngest kids share a room together. Once they are both asleep, I slip in and listen to them breathe. I am thankful for that.

Another of my daughters is displaying a very confident side, paired with a very compassionate side. I am thankful for that.

My family lives in a region of the country that is extremely colorful at this time of year. I am thankful for that.

And my list could go on and on. Each and every day, I look for a new reason to be thankful, one that I haven’t yet realized. Sometimes that can be difficult. But most of the time, it is easier than I thought it would be.

As we approach the season for thankfulness, my challenge to you is to find new reasons to be thankful. Write them down. Share them with your kids. Ask them to find new reasons as well. And then rejoice together in all those reasons you’ve found.

Be thankful, Dad!

Be deliberate, Dad!

What is one reason you can think of to be thankful right now? You can leave your thoughts in the comments by clicking here.