Find something to give thanks for every day
“And God saw that it was good.”
— Genesis 1:18 (NIV)
The Thanksgiving holiday is quickly approaching. The month of November is a great time for brushing up our skills to be thankful.
No matter how good we think we’re doing, we’ve still got further to stretch and grow. Being thankful starts at the beginning of each day.
Regardless of our body aches and pains, or hurtful circumstances, there is at least one thing we can start the day being thankful for. I can think of many … the senses we possess such as vision, hearing, taste, touch and smell. If we have good friends or family, we can be grateful for their concern and help.
The fact that God loves us when no one else does goes beyond our comprehension, but he does. And the truth that there is always hope for a new start each day.
Even when it starts out the same old way, we can change it by saying “thank you.” Webster’s dictionary defines grateful as “appreciative, thankful.”
Gratitude is an attribute of God. God made the first declaration of gratitude himself after creation when he declared, “It was good.” We become more intimately acquainted with him by imitating his character or his ways of being and doing.
I can see many ways gratitude deepens our appreciation for God and life. It helps us overcome depression. When we are grateful to someone else, we are showing gratitude to God.
When I keep this in mind, it helps me to let others know I appreciate them. We don’t need to stop with God, friends and family. We should let store clerks, bosses, co-workers, teachers and others know that we are grateful for them in our life.
We can begin by giving a simple “thank you.” Write a note or give a small token of appreciation. Whatever way we choose, get into a spirit of gratitude.
Let’s get creative in our quest for it. It may open the door to new friendships and a whole new way of life.
Ÿ Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. You can contact her by email at ">Annetteebudzban@aol.com