A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE

I love humor & that is what this blog will usually contain.  From time to time though, I will take a moment to be a little more serious.  Today I’d like to take a look at gratitude.  I believe there are so many blessings we each have that are easy to take for granted.  I'm talking about a variety of things from family, friends, health & our lifestyles.  Certain things become such a part of who we are & part of our everyday lives, that we forget how lucky we are to have them.  However, if we woke up tomorrow without one of them, our appreciation for them would definitely grow.   

A few years ago, I realized that I was heavy on prayer requests with God, but a little light on the gratitude.   I decided to make a change.  I now keep my nighttime prayers contained to statements of gratitude.  Prayer requests can take place in the morning & throughout the day, but my nighttime prayers are reserved for thanks only.   

Each evening, I thank God for at least 5 specific things from that day that I'm grateful for. It can range from being thankful to being able to drive a car that day to being thankful that I have the ability to speak, see, hear etc.   When I get started on this pattern, I’m amazed & overwhelmed at how many blessings each day contains. 

As of this writing, I’m dealing with my third cancer which happens to be stage 4.   I choose not to focus on that though, because I am truly humbled each day by my blessings.  There are so many things that I know I'm privileged to have each day that others do without.  I feel blessed & unworthy.  The list is endless and I hope to never take any of these blessings for granted.   We all have problems, some more severe than others.  I'm in no way implying that someone should always be ‘up’ during difficult circumstances, but the ‘gratitude only’ prayers at night have helped me through tough times & so I thought it may help someone else too.   It keeps things in perspective for me and reminds me daily that whatever I may be going through, there’s someone, somewhere that is dealing with worse circumstances than I am.   That may not be the best theological outlook, but it seems to help me.  It keeps me aware daily of how many blessings I have to be thankful for.  

I thought I’d list some of the ‘everyday’ things that make my gratitude list in case you decide to start this nightly routine for yourself.   It's a few things that may be easy to take for granted everyday, but the absence of them would definitely affect our lives.  The list is endless, but here is a start.

DAILY GRATITUDES:

If you are able to have a glass of water whenever you want...be thankful, for there are those who cannot. 

If you make it home from an errand, from school, from a trip, from work...be thankful, for are those who do not. 

If you were able to eat a meal today...be thankful, for there are those who were not. 

If you go to bed at night with little to minimal pain....be thankful, for there are those who do not. 

If you sleep at night in a bed, in a home...be thankful, for there are those who do not. 

If you know where your family members are and that they are safe...be thankful, for there are those who do not. 

If you are able to walk to your bed, see it, use your hands to pull back the covers...be thankful, for there are those who cannot. 

If you can read a Bible whenever you wish.....be thankful, for there are those who cannot

If you know God...be thankful, for there are those who do not.

Until next time......