Attitude of Gratitude

It is the day after Thanksgiving…..Thanksgiving 2012, as they say, is “in the books”.  The day is over.  The kitchen is cleaned up.  The newspapers that were strewn all over the floor are in the garbage…the coupons are saved and ready for shopping.  The refrigerator is full of leftovers and my tummy is full too!  It is the morning after and I am still in my jammies….the same jammies I was in ALL DAY on Thanksgiving!!  Seriously!  I stayed in my jammies all day!!  A dream come true!!

Reflecting on the season of thankfulness….I am reminded that being thankful is NEVER over.  Having an attitude of gratitude must be foundational to our lives.  We all know that.  This is nothing new….we KNOW we are to be thankful always!  After all Thessalonians says, “In everything give thanks.” 

I love hearing/reading/writing the things that people/I are/am thankful for.  Typically those lists that we are thankful for includes the “good stuff” like family, God, friends, homes, freedom, etc.  But what about the hard stuff?  Are we thankful “in” them?  Do they ever appear on our lists?

This journey of life takes us along beautiful green drives and mountain top extravaganzas and ocean beach sunsets that take our breath away.  It is easy to be thankful and awed at the power of our God during those “paths” of life we travel.

But what about the paths in this journey of life where we have to make a U-turn or there is a detour?  What about the rocky roads that cause damage?  What about the long dark tunnels where we wonder if there will ever be any light?  What about the speed bumps that we refuse to slow down and go over without causing damage but we rev up our proverbial engines and forge ahead and the speed bump causes damage instead of slowing us down?

What do we do when the road of life takes us to places that are not beautiful or scenic or pleasant?  What if your Thanksgiving day was not great?  What if it was depressing for you or full of conflict?  Is our attitude of gratitude evident?  We must still give thanks in those places as well. 

Why not pick up that list you are thankful for and add to it the things you are thankful for in the hard times?  Ponder, think, focus on what you can be thankful for when times are tough.  Put it on paper.  Look at it.  Be transformed by it!!  Be thankful!  "Having a foundation of gratitude is a foundation that circumstances can not shake."

I am thankful for you!