Happy Thanksgiving, precious ones!    It’s liberating to dwell on God’s blessings of lovingkindness and tender mercy, isn’t it?  There is freedom in celebrating who God is, His character and His ways.  It refreshes my spirit and renews my mind to focus on what He has done for me.

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!

O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!

O my soul, bless God.

Psalm 103:1,2 (the message)

I had a thought today…  What if Thanksgiving wasn’t just a holiday to be celebrated once a year?   What if it was a way of living, a way of thinking, a way of talking and walking?    What if I filled my life with thoughts of God’s goodness?

I just finished reading a section of Ken Blanchard’s book, One-Minute Manager.  I was drawn (or was I led?) to the section on One-Minute Praising.    Did you know that a key element to improved performance and increased productivity is catching someone doing something right and praising them for it?  Here are the guidelines Blanchard gives for one minute praising:

• 1. Praise someone as close in time to the good behavior as possible. If you can’t find someone to praise everyday, then you should wonder why.
• 2. Be specific. Make it clear what it was that was performed well.
• 3. Share feelings.  Tell them how you feel about what they did.

My point is this:  What if we practiced this concept with God day in and day out?  Praise Him immediately when we experience the works of His hands.  Specifically and verbally lay out what we know to be true about our Savior.   Be honest and transparent with Him as we communicate our emotional response to His extravagant blessings.       Finally, if we can’t find something about our God to praise everyday, then we should wonder why….

A heart of gratitude not just expressed one day a year but …

a heart of gratitude expressed the entire year.

Have a Happy and Grateful Thanksgiving!

3 Responses to “A Heart of Gratitude”