I get a lot of my material by watching Facebook comings and goings. I am more of a voyeur with it, usually sharing funny or thoughtful posts of others, and occasionally commenting of them. Sometimes my particular brand of wit is not appreciated by the masses for I reserve it for smaller groups that appreciate it.
One of the things people do each November is to post about things for which they are thankful, one each day leading up to Thanksgiving. It appears to be a "woman thing" as I rarely see a man participating in the endeavor. They all seem to start out the same, thanking God for their blessings, then their families, and then their great friends. It is always interesting, and somewhat amusing, to read the posts after about the 3rd of November. Many just post a variation of the earlier posts but some get real creative. For some it seems to turn into a contest of who can be the most thankful. I'm not sure how posting a litany of things you are thankful for means anything but if it puts people in an "attitude of gratitude" I guess it serves its purpose.
Gratitude, or thankfulness, seems to be an action falling on hard times. I a time where we are spoiled with the comforts and conveniences beyond the dreams of our parents we take it all for granted. Worse yet, we complain because it's not better! I see people, sitting at their computer, complaining that their lives aren't perfect, don't have every conceivable convenience at their fingertips, We are like the child who makes a Christmas gift list that would bust the family budget and pouts because they don't get EVERYTHING on the list! I have a hard time finding people that appreciate what they have and demonstrate that appreciation in a meaningful way.
And before you start in with the pot/kettle accusation I readily admit I am guilty as well. I am not as good about thanking people as I should be and especially in thanking God. I pray but it is usually asking for something such as comfort and healing for the sick. I work on it but my guess is that I am still a disappointment to the Big Guy....
Being thankful is really not about words. It is about actions. The old saying that "actions speak louder than words" is very true in regards to gratitude. For the mere mortals in your life it is about recognizing what they mean to you. Not only telling them but showing them! A simple conversation in which you listen twice as much as you talk is a way of demonstrating your appreciation of the value they bring into your life. Random acts of kindness have the same effect. Being in a thankful state of mind is contagious and is usually paid back in spades! If you think about it there are many people that make your daily life special, from family to co-workers and friends. And they do it all year, every year! Make note of these contributions and be grateful for them!
Moving past the mortals, we are woefully lacking in showing our thankfulness to God. He who provides us with the air we breathe, our very lives, talents and being, we probably show less appreciation to Him than to the mortals. The goal of society these days seems to be to marginalize God's contribution to our lives to the point of irrelevance. We are so arrogant to think WE are responsible for our existence and do our best to ignore God's contributions.
So how do you show appreciation to God? I have read some eloquent prayers, each one a literary masterpiece. And yet, in my opinion, they are hollow and empty if not followed up by action. Thankfulness is an action! You demonstrate it by following the teachings of God as laid out in the Bible, serving God AND your fellow man. Leading a spiritual life and avoiding the trappings of sin, all while recognizing that we are sinners and are bound to come up short. But the effort is required nonetheless. Because God has provided us with our lives and our beings and asks us to share our blessings with others. Opportunities abound in our daily lives to show gratitude through service. You just have to open your eyes!
So I guess this is my thankfulness message. It is being sent to you because you are my friend or family and I really don't get to see any of you enough. We have shared a life and you have enhanced mine more than you can imagine! I look forward to the next opportunity to show you.
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