Monday, November 29, 2010

thankfulness

Herewith some of my thoughts on being thankful...
Americans have just celebrated 'Thanksgiving', as believers we need to be celebrating 'thanksgiving' continually. Eph 5:20 says; "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
When we think about it, we have so much to be grateful for, so much to thank God for.

I used to love throwing 'pity parties' but they are not the best parties especially for those who have to live with you or work with you. At a pity party you dont hear the words thank you or I'm grateful, you dont hear any laughter and the from the centre of the party the future always looks bleak.
Once the pity party was over and I was through feeling sorry for myself, I realised that with all the energy I expended in the 'woe is me' mode, it did not move me foward one inch!
So what am I trying to say? I have realised lately that I have a lot to be thankful for, that when I expend my energy on developing an 'attitude of grattitude' I move forward in life, the more I give thanks to God, the more I see to be thankful for!
I am faced with some big challenges in the new year, but I am surrounded by a loving family, great friends and a God who says he would never leave me, I am grateful for these things! I am grateful that God has spared me and given me the life to face another day.
I don't want to wait till I am old to live my life to the full, I want to make the most of every opportunity today and in that to be thankful.
I have met some people through the course of my life that had so little but were so thankful, it never used to make sense to me but I have begun to realise that the people with thankful hearts are also the people with the most joyful hearts...
I learnt from those people that we did not have to have a lot to be thankful, we just have to be thankful for what we have.
"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"... let that be our motto for the new year, let's develop an attitude of grattitude and let's not give an ear to those who would invite you to a pity party, stay where the laughter is, stay where the words thank you are heard, stay where the future is in God's hands.
May God give you eyes to see what you can be thankful for in this life and may you cultivate a thankful heart on a daily basis that will become contageous and have a postive affect on those around you!

1 comment:

Pam said...

Hi Derek. I relate to what you are saying. The beautiful people at Concordia taught me about gratitude. I trust you are both well and congrats on your anniversary. Much love Pam