Thankfulness and Gratitude

(Week 5 of our 5-week devotional series)

Kristin Gibbons put this week’s blog entry together to remind us to be thankful and grateful. What are some of the things in your life that you are grateful for? Is there a song or a person that reminds you to give thanks to God? Do you ever give thanks in creative ways (poetry, song, dance, etc.)?

Here’s Kristin’s entry. Enjoy.

“As stewards of God we must be truly appreciative of the things we receive. One has said that, “ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good.”…A beautiful legend tells the story of two angels that were sent forth throughout the land, each given a basket, one to gather up requests and the other thanksgivings. The angel of requests came back with her basket running over full. The angel of thanksgivings came back with her basket practically empty. So it is in life. It seems that all have requests to make, but few of us think to return and give thanks.”
-Heber Q. Hale

GRATITUDE
Words and Music by Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would You send some rain?

'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again

And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade

Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?

Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down

Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid

But maybe not, not today

Maybe You'll provide in other ways

And if that's the case. . .

-

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You

With gratitude

For lessons learned in how to thirst for You

How to bless the very sun that warms our face

If You never send us rain

-

Daily bread, give us daily bread

Bless our bodies, keep our children fed

Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight

Wrap us up and warm us through

Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs

Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time

Or maybe not, not today

Maybe You'll provide in other ways

And if that's the case. . .

-

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You

With gratitude

A lesson learned to hunger after You

That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead

And if we never taste that bread

-

Oh, the differences that often are between

What we want and what we really need

-

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace

Move our hearts to hear a single beat

Between alibis and enemies tonight

Or maybe not, not today

Peace might be another world away

And if that's the case. . .

-

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You

With gratitude

For lessons learned in how to trust in You

That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream

In abundance or in need

-

And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please. . .

Want to hear Nichole Nordeman sing the song? Just scroll down to the bottom of this post for a video.

THE HEALING POWER OF GRATITUDE

Studies have shown that love-related qualities, like gratitude, actually make us physically healthier. Here are just a few things having a grateful heart will do:

1. Focusing on the things you’re grateful for just 15 minutes a day will significantly increase your body’s natural antibodies.
2. Naturally grateful people are more focused mentally and measurable less vulnerable to clinical depression.
3. A grateful state of mind is associated with healthier blood pressure and heart rate.
4. Gratitude strengthens caregivers, who tend to be healthier and more capable than less grateful ones.
5. Recipients of donated organs who have the most grateful attitudes heal faster.

Stephen Post, PhD, author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People.



A Simple Daily Prayer…

Lord, Thank you for this brand new day. Give me guidance and inspire me to make it the very best. Amen.



WHAT DOES GRATITUDE DO?

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
- Melody Beattie

If…

“If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed; one-third of the world does not have access to even one. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than a million who will not survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of five million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.”
Source: unknown

SHOWING GRATITUDE

1. Start and end each day with a thankful prayer and a grateful heart.
2. When you have noticed a blessing, e-mail or leave a message telling the person of how they were a blessing. Thank God as you dial the phone or type on the computer for the blessing and the person with whom you share it.
3. Do an act of kindness and support for one of the pastors. Pray for them.
4. Tell one other church member why you are grateful for your congregation.

- From Disciples Home Missions 2005