December 04, 2009
Gratitude Attitude -
Foundation for Thanksgiving
A gratitude attitude is what's lacking when Thanksgiving is just Turkey Day, or Feast Day, as I've heard it referred to frequently in the media this year. But this holiday is firmly founded on the attitude of gratitude that once characterized this nation.
However, before you can truly have this attitude and begin to count your blessings, you must be humble enough to recognize you aren't responsible for all the good things in your life.
I'm not implying that you don't work hard, or that you don't have a strong work ethic. I realize you may excel in the effort you put into life as well as your accomplishments. However, if so, is it your fault? Or did your parents train you that way?
The men who founded our nation realized that they weren't ultimately responsible for what they accomplished. That is why they celebrated Thanksgiving. They wanted to thank the Sovereign God of heaven for His blessings on their lives. He is the one who gives us health, strength, and the ability to work and accomplish our goals.
In this day of political correctness, I'm saddened by the futility of our attempts at thankfulness. I read a letter this week from one of the top copywriters in our nation who thanked the Universe for the blessings God provided for him.
The universe is part of the creation...it can provide us with no blessings. But the Lord who created both it and us, He can shower us with blessings, or He can withhold those blessings and send a curse instead.
I taught Spanish for nine years in public high schools. During those years I frequently told my students...
Reality is Not Changed by What You Believe About It...
BUT...Your Actions Will Be!!!That is why it is so important to find and follow the truth. If we believe a lie, it won't make it the truth, but as we act on that lie, it will definitely harm us. Our world is full of lies today in every area of life it seems.
We're told...
Although every one of these statements appears to have some element of truth in them, appearances are deceptive.
Yet we've been told these lies so frequently and persistently, that many of us believe them!
The end result of believing lies and acting on them, is our own destruction.
How Can You Know Truth
Just because you believe everything is relative, doesn't make it so.Just because you believe you aren't responsible, won't keep you from standing before God's judgment bar.
Just because you are sincere in your beliefs, doesn't make them true, or real, or right.
We have access to the truth in our nation in a greater measure than perhaps any other nation in history. Yet instead of valuing it and being thankful for it, we have ignored it and despised it.
God's Word is Truth. You may say, "That's your opinion", but it's not, it is simple fact.
God's Word, the Bible, is absolute, eternal truth. If you want to know the truth, you can find it in the Bible.
God is truth, He is the author of truth, and He has communicated the truth we need to know to us through His Word.
God is the source of life and blessings. He loves you. He doesn't just say He loves you, He proved He loves you by sending his son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die for you.
His resurrection proved He is God which is the most important truth in all of history. It is foundational to all other truth, and it is foundational to having a gratitude attitude.
If you fail to understand and accept this truth, you'll fail to be truly thankful, because at best your thanks will be misplaced.
If you accept this truth you're gratitude attitude will be firmly founded in truth.
If you don't understand, or would like more information please read the page I've written about Spiritual Health, it goes into much greater detail. Or contact me personally.
Count Your Blessings - A Valuable Thanksgiving Exercise
We returned from a six week mission trips two days before Thanksgiving. There is nothing like traveling to make you appreciate the blessings of home. I'm thankful for:
Is this list exhaustive?
Nowhere close! But let me emphasize to whom I'm thankful for these blessings I've listed, as well as the multitude more that didn't come to my mind when I wrote this...
I'm thankful to God for these blessings. He is the one who gives them to me.
I'm thankful to others as well, to my parents, my husband, my family, my friends, Site Build It, and many others too numerous to list, but without God who gives us all things richly to enjoy, there would be no real foundation for the gratitude attitude that fills my heart this Thanksgiving.
What is more, without Him, there would be no purpose or meaning to life, or any blessings it might hold.
Counting Blessings - The Best Holiday Activity!
I hope you've made the time to count your blessings this Thanksgiving. I know of nothing better to establish a gratitude attitude that will fill you with the joy of Christmas.If you want details about our recent trip to Puerto Rico, please visit our mission web site and sign up to get our prayer letter there.
Our December prayer letter has a more detailed recap of our trip. Also if you check that site a few weeks from now we should have time to get a slide presentation of the trip on the site, along with a full web page about it.
If you want news about Effective Health Supplements, be sure to visit us online, or sign up for the blog that will keep you updated on all the latest news. I've written several new pages this past month some on menopause, and others about arthritis.
I was also excited to see that the company that hosts my website is now offering a monthly subscription rate.
If you've been thinking about starting an internet business due to the economic downturn, but couldn't afford the yearly fees, this might be a solution.
It is slightly more expensive than paying for the whole year at once, but it is less than we pay every month for our internet access, so I'm sure it would be affordable for most anyone who is interested.
You can check out all the details at by clicking on the button. Since finances are tight for so many right now, I'm really glad Site Build It has decided to offer this option.
I trust you'll all have a lovely Christmas, and a safe and profitable New Year.
To improving health by wise supplementation,
Sherilyn