Tag-Archive for » gratitude «

25
Nov
Gratitude In the Right Direction

1104975_branchI sometimes wonder if our gratitude is headed in the right direction. Thanksgiving Day encourages gratefulness; the majority of which is directed towards friends, family, or some unnamed source. People express what they are thankful for, but neglect to point that thankfulness in the right direction.

“I’m thankful for my family,” sounds great, but who are you thankful to?  God rarely is on the receiving end of the thanks giving that occurs.

I like greeting cards, both the reading and the sending. I seldom shop at Target without including a side trip down the card aisle to glance at some of the humorous cards; my laughter eruptions startle anyone standing nearby and embarrass me in the process.

The other day I sifted through the sentimental cards. They focused on thankfulness for family, friends, or the season. A few cards, placed in the religious section, offered a simple prayer. You can learn a lot about our society by reading greeting cards. It seems that God is noticeably absent for Thanksgiving, at least in the card section of Target.

Compare this lack of God in Thanksgiving to the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation on November 1, 1777 by Samuel Adams: “It is therefore recommended . . . to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor.”

George Washington said this in his first Presidential Proclamation on October 3, 1789: “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.”

We won’t find these types of sentiments in the card section of Target! Modern society needs a healthy dose of praise to the “divine benefactor,” our ”Almighty God,” on this day of proclaiming thanks.

I’m curious—what have you observed about people expressing thanks during this season? How much of it has focused on God and how much has been directed towards others?

Have a Christ focused Thanksgiving, Susan Gaddis

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Category: Lent, Thanksgiving, worship  Tags: , , , , , , ,
18
Nov
When Appreciation Isn’t On the Agenda

1059429_pensive_homeless_portraiture_iiThanksgiving is that time of year when we focus on gratitude, but giving thanks and experiencing appreciation are not necessarily on the same serving dish.

Ever had a rough year—one where the negative events and emotional drama of life is best left unstated and forgotten? Welcome to Jeremiah’s life.

Jeremiah was a prophet. In Kingdom terms, he was a successful prophet—that is, he sacrificed everything and had nothing to show for it in his generation.

Jeremiah was born during the reign of one of the most horrible kings in history. The people he served rejected him. His prophecies were burned by the king. His own brothers attacked him. A fellow priest put Jeremiah into the stocks, and the city officials threw him into a deep cistern. His reputation was that of an emotional mess—the “Weeping Prophet.”

I have yet to read a Christian’s job description that states, “Expect to be appreciated, validated, and thanked for your labors.” It just isn’t in the contract. Scripture emphasizes our role of giving thanks, not receiving it.

Jeremiah died, unknown and unappreciated; yet, we are still reading his words and learning from his prophecies 2,600 years later. This prophet had a bigger picture then just the dreams of this life. He fulfilled the call of God in his generation because he knew the call was one that carried on over into eternity future.

An old story is told of Henry C. Morrison who became sick after serving forty years in Africa and had to return home to America. There was a great crowd gathered as the mighty ocean liner docked in New York Harbor. Morrison watched as President Teddy Roosevelt received a grand welcome-home party after his African safari.

Fighting resentment, Henry turned in discouragement to God. “I have come back home after all this time and service to the church and there is no one, not even one person to welcome me home.”

Then a still, small voice whispered in Morrison’s ear, “You’re not home yet, Henry.”

We are not home yet, friends.

Only when we are truly home will we hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

  • How important is appreciation to you?
  • Can you live without it?
  • Does our culture help or hinder an attitude of gratitude? Why?

Join the conversation in the comment section below.

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Category: Relationships, Thanksgiving  Tags: , , , , ,
16
Nov
5 Ways to Encourage Gratitude Moments
Adelaide Ayers

Adelaide Ayers

Although this time of year lends itself to gratitude moments, I still find it necessary to encourage thankfulness in myself and in my family. Here are five ways to enrich your Thanksgiving season.

1.  Create a gratitude basket.Every year before Thanksgiving dinner Tom asks the folks gathered for prayer to share one thing for which they are thankful. The answers are usually slow in coming and are much the same year after year. Not that we aren’t thankful for many of the same blessings every year, but I have the feeling that not much thought has gone into the comments. The aromas of the meal are interfering.

This year I placed a wire basket in the dining room. Next to it I added a pen and some cards I created with my scrapbooking supplies. Each of our children, and anyone who stops by to visit, is encouraged to write down something they are thankful for and place it in the basket. This is an ongoing activity until Thanksgiving when Tom will read the cards before dinner. Part of the fun will be guessing who wrote each comment. Then we can thank the Lord of Blessing.

2.  Show gratitude for the servants in your life. Thank someone for their service to you throughout the year. Send the people who make your life a little more meaningful a note of appreciation–the person who styles your hair, the nice clerk who always bags your groceries, the greeter at church who always remembers your name. Even better, send a copy of your note to their supervisor!

3.  Gratitude with a smile and a visit. Use the season to plan and prepare a gift basket for an elderly person in town who might not have family nearby. Include an extended visit when you deliver the gift basket. Take your kids. You’ll be delighted at how much older folks enjoy visiting with children. It puts “life” back into their day.

4. Start a gratitude journal. This is an unique way to compile a record of your family’s growth in gratitude. During the month of November and throughout the year, ask each person at dinner what they are grateful for that day. Write their comments in a journal.

You can also create a gratitude journal on your own. Recently I found my gratitude journal from 20 years ago. I had forgotten so many of the blessings written there. What fun to read them again and remember the circumstances where the holy touched my journey.

5.  Basic gratitude: call your mom and dad. Both my folks are gone now. I wish I had phoned them more often and thanked them for the wonderful memories they created for me. Although I had a great relationship with each of my parents, talking with them and sending little cards weekly, I don’t think I honored them as much as I could have. Random phone calls of appreciation are one way to honor your parents.

What do you do to encourage gratitude moments in your life and in the life of your family? Click on “comment” below and share your thoughts with us.

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Category: Mission, Relationships, Thanksgiving  Tags: , , , , ,