Stories on Inspiration, Love and Life Lessons
You Have Life Be Thankful
Develop An Attitude of Thankfulness as A Way of Living!
If every moment is sacred, and If you are amazed and in awe most of the time when you find yourself breathing and not crazy, then you are in a state of constant thankfulness, worship and humility. Bernice Johnson Reagon
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. Meister Eckhart
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that thankfulness is indeed a virtue. William Bennett
I am aiming for the sky with this story. I am asking you to join me on a quest. A daily and personal quest possibly involving your every moment, every breath, and every conscious thought.
God the Creator gave you life. Now picture your life through thankfulness, gratitude and gratefulness.
I live my life as an act of dedication and devotion to God the Father, the Creator of the entire universe. His loving creations include you, dear one.
Meditate on this profound revelation for a moment. God designed and created you with His divine love. There is, never was and never will be anybody remotely like you. You have been granted the freedom to make your life as you choose.
Now, do you feel all this and so much more is reason enough to develop a lifestyle designed around thankfulness? I am not even hinting that life is perfect. Though at times this would be nice, yes?
Wherever you are. Please take a moment and look around you. No matter how difficult and demanding your life may be. Can you find one small thing to be truly thankful for?
I am going to suggest something. Your ability to open your laptop, click on the internet, log in to Medium.com and read my story. By the way, thank you! You choose to read this.
Now, consider what a gift and a blessing this simple act is. You were granted the gifts of education and literacy. You can now read and understand my story written to inspire and motivate you. I hope and pray that you do not take these gifts for granted. Perhaps a silent few words of thanks for these gifts, these abilities.
Now, can you pause a while? Is there a little something right there to be thankful for? Now a few silent words of thankfulness, gratitude and gratefulness.
Here is an article on: “How to Live a Life of Thankfulness” by Skip Prichard
“A Way of Life”
Can you sense a change in how you are feeling? You have given yourself a moment of happiness.
Now I am not going to play make-believe and say that life is going to be a bed of roses. Simply because you choose a life of thankfulness.
I have found that even in times of chronic illness I have things and people to be thankful for.
A friend popped into my hospital room with the most unexpected and glorious bunch of flowers. Did my cancer miraculously heal? Unfortunately no. But for just a few moments the pain was forgotten. I found words of thanks and we shared moments of love.
Losing a loved one is the most dreadful trauma a person has to endure. But even in this bottomless pit love can be shared. Tender words were spoken by my child to renew my faith in life and love. My tears were shared and my hand tenderly held. I found the trembling words of thanks when the time was right.
There are times in your life when you have felt that all is lost. But these feelings too will pass. The sun will again shine. The birds will sing welcoming a brand new day. It will not happen overnight. but life will shine for you again. When life lightens for you once more, speak silent words of thanks.
If the only thing you have to be thankful for is life. Then this in itself is sufficient. Reminding you to be thankful.
Walk through a garden, you may glimpse a beautiful butterfly as it passes expressing the glory of nature. Whisper your thanks silently and with the deepest of love.
Have you felt drawn to happy people? Have you perhaps envied their luck? They too have suffered loss and heartache. These are tragedies common to all. The difference for this gentlefolk is their way of life.
Maybe they have adopted a life depicting a radiant spirit of thankfulness. This attitude of gratefulness fills their hearts and souls and overflows to all those they meet.
Here is a story by a fellow Medium author:
“5 Reasons Why Saying ‘Thank You’ Is So Important for Everyone”
by Prakash Joshi Pax
“People feel appreciated and loved.”
I choose to be grateful for my life. I am rich! I just don’t have a lot of money in my savings account.
Believing that what I do have must be used to serve God the Father by helping others less fortunate than myself. I come alive when I find simple ways to make the lives of other people a little easier and happier.
Would I change my life for someone else’s? No, not in a heartbeat! I am a child of God my Heavenly Father, and He loves me. What I have is sufficient. Jesus when He was on earth had only one piece of clothing. Why should I crave for more?
Yes, my aging body at times aches and complains. But, I am closer to living with God in the Heavenly realms. In the meantime, I will smell the roses and hear the birds singing. I am eternally thankful.
Trouble may place you in a deep valley of despair or pain. At this time do you remember the beautiful snowcapped mountain peak of happier times? The times in your life of utmost joy and love.
Remembering and recalling these happier times will help you traverse your deep valley of despair. You have within you the capacity to conquer. You have climbed out of despair before. You will again.
The sun will glint on the snowcapped mountain peak of happiness for you. Life again will be worth words of thankfulness. You are thankful, you are blessed and you are loved.
Now, this epic quest. This lifetime journey of thankfulness has created in you a happier and more satisfying life.
You may not be ready yet to shout your joy and gratefulness from the rooftops. But you are ready to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in your everyday life.
For me as a dedicated follower of my Lord Jesus Christ each morning I wake with a prayer of thanks. Thanking God for a good night’s sleep and waking refreshed. Ready to do whatever He wills. At the close of each day, I list the things He has given me and offer Him thanks.
Life is not perfect. My health is not what it used to be. But I have two amazing gifts. The ability to create original oil paintings and to paint images with words.
Am I thankful? I thank God, in Jesus’ name, thank you!
Now when you first open your eyes in the morning. What are your very first thoughts? Are they thoughts of thankfulness? At the close of each day do you take the time to list the people and things to be thankful for?
You can only think of one thing at a time. Trust me! When you are speaking words of gratefulness, toxic and hurtful words find no place in your life.
Can you imagine your life where all your thoughts are happy thoughts? Great, yes? This won’t happen all the time. But it does get easier. It’s like playing the piano. The more practice you put into it. The more perfection you display.
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This article was also published in Vocal Media.
