November 5, 2010
I am working on growing a thankful spirit. November seems like a perfect opportunity to do so. I have been concentrating on one thing every day that I am thankful for. I meditate in my mind why I am thankful and I practice and attitude of praise. My goal is to have a thankful spirit as second nature by the end of the month.
Doesn't it feel great when our normal, everyday routine is interrupted by someone who is grateful for something we have done and takes time to "sing our praises"? When that does happen to me, it fills me up. It encourages me. It satisfies something deep in my soul. It creates in me a spirit of giving. I feel content and pleased. My self-esteem grows by leaps and bounds. I feel useful. I feel productive. And I feel humble.
When we take the time to "sing someone's praises", we are not only doing great things for them, but, we are cultivating something great in our own lives, too. By recognizing the good in our lives and acknowledging it publicly, we are focusing on positive things. We are not setting our eyes on things that have not gone smoothly, or flat out badly. We choose to overlook the bumps and potholes along the way and focus on the flowers and the rainbows! This, my friend, has an enormous impact on the quality of your life!
Our Heavenly Father is ... well, I cannot even think of what words I can use that are fitting to describe how awesome and wonderful He is! I am speechless to describe how grateful I am. Doesn't He deserve our praises and thanks? Constantly? Who am I to whine and complain about things that seem inconvenient or inadequate to me? How dare I look past everything I have been given, as well as everything I have been spared from to feel sorry for myself that I don't have more? What am I entitled to? Everything I have has been given to me by the GRACE of God, not because I deserve any of it! We should keep thanks and praise on our lips to our God all the time. It is pleasing to Him, as it is to us. And, He is the One who truly deserves it!
"I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17
"I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your miracles." Psalm 26:7
"Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms and praises." Psalm 95:2
"And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20
(Please go down to the playlist and click the //pause button and come back here and click the >play button.)
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