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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.
with grateful hearts
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At Thanksgiving we all focus on all the things we have that we should be thankful for. And of course that's a good thing because we do have so much. I certainly need periodic reminders of just how much, and I need to regularly ask myself if I express gratitude or if I sound like I'm constantly complaining. Ouch. But wait - most of the things that inspire gratitude during these couple of days are things we have or enjoy throughout the year. So are we grateful all the time? Do we live with grateful hearts all year?
I've been reading a book with just this title - Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass - that explores the different ways we experience gratitude, and what it means to be grateful. One of the first realizations I had while reading is that it's harder to define 'grateful' than one might think. If it's a feeling, how do you describe it and do you have any control over when you experience it? Or is it an action or mindset? Perhaps the old advice of having an "attitude of gratitude" is especially helpful and accurate the more I consider these questions.
To me, being grateful is recognizing that every good thing is a gift in some way. Having a grateful heart means being generous and making the most of all those gifts. Not hoarding these many gifts for myself but appreciating them, using them wisely, sharing them. All the time.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ~James 1:17
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3 comments:
How is it rightly defined,
giving thanks and praise?
Is it an act, daily refined,
or does it infuse our days
as a kind of marination,
a soak in grace sublime?
Is it focused activation,
or how we spend our time?
I am no theologian,
and do not know squat;
though just a rugger hooligan,
I will tell you what:
give thanks as activity,
and attitude will come to be.
I'm glad you mentioned that it can be difficult to define "grateful." I felt a little foolish this morning when that was my exact sentiment. I'm glad I'm not alone in that.
Amie, FMF #10
yes, every good thing is a gift...and even that which we often classify as "bad" can be a thing for which to give thanks, as it often causes us to press further into the Giver. Chales Spurgeon once said "I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me against the Rock of ages."
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