Thanksgiving journey day 17

OK so it is hard to get deep and thoughtful at this point in the journey. There are many things I am thankful for, don't get me wrong... I have started writing about many of these things-- my jobs, insurance, home... but can't seem to make a meaningful point so I delete, delete, delete... Instead, today I am going to share with you something I read last night. First, I took this gratitude "quiz" of sorts. Check it out and test yourself. I must admit there is room for me to grow in my expression of gratitude for I scored a 64 on their scale. Some of my low points are thanking God for my difficult experiences, getting involved in carrying the load of missionaries, .and that a complaint is a symptom of an ungrateful heart. We are to be thankful in everything even for suffering according to the Bible. Ingratitude is a sin. There is another article teaching how this is a sin.


There is another compelling and helpful article on ways to express gratitude in the same magazine. There are some things listed that made me think, "Cool, I do that" and other things that really gave me some ideas. There are many things that I am compelled to do after reading this article. For instance the "Show gratitude --instead of an attitude", subheading where she suggests that when someone gets you down you find at least one thing about that person for which you can be thankful, made me think. She points out that EVERONE has at least one characteristic to admire. You know, I find she is right. I go through the people in my life who have gotten me down and there are many things about them for which I can be grateful. As a matter of fact, the number of good qualities actually outnumbers the annoying ones by a HUGE margin. Why is that? The little things that can be so annoying really are usually so small in the whole scheme of things, but they seem to overpower all of the good things a person has done. Is it because we are focusing on the wrong thing?

There are so many ways to express thanks to God and every time we express thanks to "the least of these" we are showing our gratitude for Him. I am really taking this Thanksgiving lesson to heart. I am not going to just chew it up and swallow it and fill my belly and think wow that was a great lesson. No, instead I am going to take it and use it and learn from it and grow from it. I am really trying to cultivate a thankful heart, and like number 13 on the quiz-- I am trying so hard to serve others.

I hope that you will take a few minutes to read the article linked above and here-- 19 Ways to Express Your Appreciation. It is a great starting point and I'm sure will both give you some affirmation for your expressions of gratitude as well as encourage new ways to express your thanks. I know it did both for me.