A pre-Thanksgiving reminder from “Fresh Heart For a New Day – Volume 2  from November 25

gratitude…

the positive state of being grateful;

an overwhelming feeling of appreciation and thankfulness,

and the desire to return kindness to others.

Don’t go through Thanksgiving …

without expressing any!

Praise is the recognition of who God is; thanksgiving is the recognition of the blessings, relationships and gifts He adds to our lives.

We know where the good things in our lives come from. In 1674 Thomas Ken penned the words to a song sung in many churches today and known by just about all of us: Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” This mirrors the words of James when he said, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father …” James 1:17 NLT

There is no such thing as a ‘generic’ Thanksgiving. It’s not a holiday … it’s a attitude of a heart so filled with gratitude that it needs more than one day a year to express itself. And express itself it must.

When we are thankful for something, we must be thankful to Someone. Ultimately, as James reminds us, it all starts with God’s love. But his gifts often come through the lives and kindnesses of others.

• Good parents are a gift from God, but they labored for many years to become good at it … thank them.
• Freedom is a marvelous gift from God, but keeping it requires the dedication of those in the armed forces … thank them.
• Faithful friends are some of God’s best gifts, but being your good friend took some work on their part … thank them.
• Your church is one of God’s priceless gifts in your life, but many work hard to make it a reality every Sunday … thank then.

You can trace all the good things in your life back to God, but don’t forget His many delivery systems that brought them to you.

Keep an eye out for blessings in your life. Start with the obvious, but begin to notice the little things that make your life better. Include them in your ‘thanksgiving list.’ And if you’re truly thankful, look for ways to respond to God’s ‘blessing distributors.

Use words to say thank you. Use deeds of service to express what’s in your heart. Use random acts of kindness to show the extent of your gratitude.

BUT BEWARE! Unexpressed thanks can turn into apathy, coupled with a bit of narcissism and eventually a sense of entitlement. The truth is, nobody owes us kindness. The gifts flowing into our lives are expressions of God’s love given to us through the love of people around us. Let them know they are making your life better!