Westminster’s “Orange Idea” is a monthly, family-friendly, 1-page resource to help you live out your faith at home. But what is “Orange,” you might ask?

As Julie and Matthew explained, it’s not just a colour—it’s a way of thinking: Yellow represents the light of Jesus shared by the church. Red represents the blood and bond of the family. So when you put Yellow and Red together you get…

Orange!

So an “Orange idea” is when the church helps people live out their faith in their families and homes. After all, the home is the primary place where faith is formed.

So this monthly resource will help people of different ages learn about and live out their Christian faith in tangible, practical ways.

So here’s the Orange Idea for October 2017: Share your gratitude.

In Psalm 69:30 it says this: “Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.”

Here’s where we’re going with this one:

As we get ready to sit down to our Thanksgiving turkeys and dig into another slice of pumpkin pie, we as Christians also take time to remember all of the gifts given to us by God.

So…

This Thanksgiving we invite you to write a thank you note to someone who you may not ever thank formally. Putting things down in words shows forethought, follow through, and real commitment to what we are saying. Make someone realize how grateful you really are to have them in your life by sending a thank you note, gift or card.

Here are a few helpful Tips:

1. Decide if each person in the family will write a note, or if one note will be sent from the entire family.
2. It doesn’t have to be long. But be specific. Say how your life is better as a result.
3. You can send it in the mail for that extra special surprise.
4. Here are some people you may not have thought of:
a. Mail delivery person (leave the note in your box for them)
b. Fast food delivery person
c. Friendly neighbour who always smiles and waves
d. Someone who helps at school, work or church ‘behind the scenes’
e. Shop keeper you see regularly on your Tim’s trips or at your favourite retail or grocery store.
f. Child or youth who pets your dog, always stops to talk, or offers to be helpful
g. Friend at church who keeps you in their prayers.

 

As you get closer to Thanksgiving, share your gratitude!

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The orange philosophy originates with Reggie Joiner in his helpful book Think Orange.