BLOG - ARCHIVES

Blog

Be Thankful

“Seeds of discouragement cannot take root in a grateful heart.” ~ Joel Osteen

GROWING UP we all took things for granted – our education, our teachers, our parents. It wasn’t until I ventured out on my own that I began to appreciate the things around me. I realized that the world didn’t owe me anything. In fact, I quickly understood that the things I had been given in life were not rights, but privileges.

WE ALL NEED to be more thankful for what we have in our lives. Too many times, we focus on what others have that we don’t. Too many times, we focus on what’s wrong with our lives rather than what’s right. And too many times, we don’t know how lucky we are until something – or someone – is gone. I believe this poem, called Be Thankful, written by an unknown author, illustrates the importance of living a grateful life, and the wonderful lessons that ultimately come as a result.

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

IT’S EASY to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. What are you thankful for today?

“The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than those who nevertheless set aside a day of thanksgiving.”
~ H. U. Westermayer

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy