Merry Christmas!

I want to thank all of my viewers of my blog! May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy, blessed, and beneficial 2013!

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving!

A day to be full of gratitude; appreciating all that one has in their life. Appreciating everything from health to family, house to job, and there will likely be "things" involved in that list somewhere.

Most will be enjoying a meal that is bigger than can be consumed in one setting. Others will be eating a meal with several people that are not their family but they enjoy their company. However, there are those people who will be sitting down to the meal this year who will be saddened because they have lost a loved one whom they miss celebrating this holiday with - maybe a first, but not limited to a first.

Whoever you are eating your meal with, this is a holiday about gratitude, which brings us to this week's quote...

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie

The other day at my Bible Class at a local nursing home, we all shared some various memories we have had around Thanksgiving. Along with that, we shared things we are thankful for in our life. Then we discussed how saying and hearing things we are thankful for kind of lifts our mood. Even when we are listening to others share their expressions of gratitude, we are still lifted.

Now it's your turn...How has the quote been applicable to you?

Gratitude in Life

Appreciation, gratitude, and thankfulness are often things we think about when it comes to Thanksgiving. That is a time of the year when those words are very present in society. Now that we are a few months past November, maybe it is a good time for review. Reviewing will help remind us to be thankful more often.

As we think about having more gratitude or being more thankful, here is this week's quote...

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie

When you appreciate life more the problems of life seem to dissipate some. I went through a time when I didn't like my name, but then something clicked and I liked being different. It made the past much better. It brought peace to my present. It also allowed me to greatly appreciate the future. It caused me to look at myself a bit differently and to appreciate that difference.

I know we all go through situations in life where we are challenged to see ourselves as thankful for what has happened. It may not make much sense or bring peace. On top of that, there is not room for a vision.

If you are in that position, I hope there is a time when you can see the quote come to life for you. Even if it is not in the area you are stuck on but in an area in which you are not so stuck. An area that causes you to see a silver lining, which may encourage you to keep going in life.

Now it's your turn...What positives from your life do you see in the quote? Or what challenges?

Turning the Negative to the Positve

Have you ever noticed in yourself or others that when a rough day comes and something positive comes in to it, it radically changes the outlook on your day? If you haven't experienced it you are missing out. I have had such an experience and it really enhanced my day. I would presume if you do or did, it would enhance your day, too.

When your day is filled with bad news, bad luck, stress or negativism, to lift your head up to see the outcome of the future is super challenging. However, just one positive thing can make all the difference. Sometimes, for me, it is coming home to a beautiful wife and kids, receiving their "welcome" is a real mood lifter.

Speaking of things that lift the mood, here is this week's quote...

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. ~ William Arthur Ward

To be stuck looking at all the negative things in life will leave you very frustrated. It will seem as nothing is going right, when in fact there are many things to leave you with a smile.

Focus on the negative, and that will be what you're seeing. Look for the silver lining portions of your day that may pop up suddenly and a whole new "day" may come out of it!

Are you focused on your burdens or your blessings? Being thankful, or showing gratitude for your blessings may make the day seem like a much better day! Try it sometime!

Now it's your turn...How does gratitude transform your days?

Praying With Thanks - Daniel 6:10-11

What were some of the basic phrases in the last prayer you said? "Be with me..." "Guide, guard, and direct us...", "Give him (the minister) a ready recollection of the things he's studied...", "Forgive us of our sins...", "Heal those on the prayer list...", "May we take this in a manner pleasing to you/thee..."??? Any of those phrases did you say or hear at your church assembly on Sunday? Did you hear many "thanks" in the prayers? How often were the "thanks" phrases outnumbered by the "help us" phrases?

The story of Daniel in the Lion's Den has an important part that I usually looked past this part of the text from verse 10..."Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God,... (NIV). Daniel was praying with thanksgiving. Daniel didn't ask for God to rescue, but to be appreciative! As we think about that concept from the lesson, here are some applications to choose from to use...

1. Thanksgiving traditions tend to be very deep. We tend to make the same foods and eat with the same people each year. Our family has a tradition of saying something that we appreciate about each other...try saying something you appreciate about each other and making that a new tradition. If your family meal is really big, have each person say something about someone else not in their own household.
   
2. Take time this week to say a prayer of thanks...just of thanks...nothing else. Say it, no matter how short or long. Focusing on "thanks" takes our mind off of other things.
3. Tell someone "thanks" for something they have done to make an impact in your life.
4. Use Thanksgiving to be thankful for the things you have in Christ!

May we never forget the fact that we are able to have our sins forgiven, which should make us eternally thankful!

What are some of your family's traditions...I'd love to hear them.

Grateful to God...

Thanking Those Who Lit You Up

It is not a pleasant experience to get into your shower to find out that your hot water heater is not working. I have experienced such a thing. Usually, because the pilot light has gone out. However, once the pilot light has been re-lit, the hot water heater can warm up the water to a shower-taking temperature. It is such a relief to feel the heated water, once again!

People that have had their "pilot light" put out and have turned cold are usually not pleasant to be around. They have lost their "spark" and do not have much ambition. However, once you have that light re-lit by someone, you greatly appreciate what they did for you. That brings us to this week's quote...

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ~ Albert Schweitzer

Have you had your light go out lately? In the past? Whenever it was, who was it that helped to re-light your fire? Was it someone you know or not? Someone you hear on the radio? A movie you watched? Someone in your family?

Regardless, why not thank them for helping you through your time in a "valley"? Even if it is someone you have never met, try to find a way to say "thank you" for what they did to help relight the fire within you? They would greatly appreciate it, no matter who they are!

Reach out and "thank" someone!

Reaching Out...

E-mail Encouragement: Give Someone a Compliment!

It is easy for you to give gratitude? Some people find it difficult and others find it easier. Each side could probably come up with various reasons of why. However, it is a shame that the "bad" things are usually brought out more often than the good things. In other words, if you've ever filled out a "comment card", the bad comments will typically get the attention first because that place of business will want to fix those problem areas. Whereas, the positive comments are probably just presumed because that is they way they SHOULD run their business. Compliments and statements of gratitude should be more important than negative comments. If you have a comment of gratitude, tell that person, don't keep it to yourself. Which brings us to this week's quote of encouragement...

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~ G.B. Stern

I like to live by this for personal reasons. Too often we don't mention good things people do, but focus on the bad. Usually the ones making the bad comments are few, but make it out to seem like they are the majority. We tend to remember the complaints we heard longer than the compliments. However, if the compliments outnumbered the complaints, it may change...so - give a compliment or two or three or four or more!!!

Have a great rest of your week! May God reward you richly!

Serving Him ~