BECOMING MORE THANKFUL
Thanksgiving is next week, but I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family yesterday. We had too much food, laughed at silly things, and all dressed up in our Christmas pajamas and took a photo. It is easy to be thankful for days like these, but it is the other 364 days that I want to talk about.
Years ago, my preacher did a sermon on being thankful. That sermon has stayed with me, and I try to remember what he said and put his suggestions into practice. This is a habit that I would love to say has taken root in my soul, but unfortunately, I have not been successful. I am once again making the effort, and I thought you might want to go on the journey with me.
My preacher simply said, “What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked the Lord for last night?” That is such a scary thought. I like to think of myself as a thankful person, but I am fully aware that I do not thank the Lord for EVERYTHING I am thankful for.
Family. This one is easy for most of us. We are all thankful for our family, including those annoying relatives you only have to see occasionally. No names mentioned please.
Health. This is another area that is easy for most of us. We are thankful for the health we have and the health of our family and friends. That doesn’t mean that sickness isn’t in our lives, but we need to remember to be thankful for the health we do have. I spend a great deal of time asking the Lord to heal people I know who are fighting diseases, but I don’t think I have ever thanked Him for the days He has given them. I don’t think I have ever said, “Thank You, Lord, for giving my friend another day on this earth.”
Friends. Yes, I am very thankful for my friends. I am thankful for those “old” friends from my past that I only talk to on FaceBook, and I am thankful for those friends that I see or talk to often. I am thankful for all the “new” friends I make daily through the blog. It is amazing how you can get to know someone from the comments and posts you see on the blog, FaceBook, and Instagram.
Church. I remember to thank the Lord for my preacher and church family. I admit that this is not on my list nightly, and that is a scary thought. What would this world be like without churches? Where could Christians go to talk and sing praises? How would non-Christians hear the word of God?
Work. When we lived in Grundy, it was a very depressed area. That makes one very thankful for the ability to earn a living. The coal fields have been hit very hard, and those who still have jobs are thankful. The businesses in this area are having to adjust to the dwindling economy and paychecks of those in the county. We are VERY thankful for every day we are blessed with a business.
Technology. Think of what your life would be like without technology. No electricity, no cars, no microwave, no dishwasher, no Internet, no television, no computers, the list can go on and on forever. We are blessed, and there is so much to be thankful for. I never say a prayer of thankfulness for those scientists working hard for cures to diseases. I never say a prayer of thankfulness for those brilliant minds who are inventing technology that I couldn’t even begin to comprehend.
Government. I am always praying for the guidance of those in power and those who have the duty of keeping our government running. I may not always agree with the policies of the person in power, but I am thankful for all that our system allows for its people. The government runs things like healthcare, prisons, schools, post offices, libraries, highways, etc. I think you see how important the government is to our everyday lives.
And the most important thing we need to be thankful for is that the Lord made the ultimate sacrifice when He sent His son to earth to live and die for our sins. Do you thank Him for this nightly? What if that hadn’t happened? Where would we be? What hope would we have?
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
There is so much to be thankful for on a daily basis. I am thankful for the little fur baby sitting beside me, watching me as I type. There are so many things that you can’t imagine life being the same without. When you lay your head down tonight, please remember to praise the Lord and tell Him how thankful you are.
To GOD Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
Great inspirational message. I called a few elderly friends yesterday who are unable to get out and remembered to thank the Lord for them and their friendship last night.
Tania you are indeed a blessing to all who read your posts. Thank you for reminding us how to be thankful for the big and little things God has provided for us to serve Him in the best way possible. Happy Thanksgiving!
thank you for the reminder of how much we truly have to be thankful for and not take it all for granted . beautiful message and so appropriate every day.
Thank you for reminding me how much I have to be thankful for. We take so many things in our lives for granted. I will try to remember to always thank the Lord for all that I have.
Thank you for this post. I am really in the dark. When I pray, I don’t think to thank Him for every little thing. But at the end of my prayers, Most of the time, I do Thank my God for everything. Thank you for this reminder.
So glad you had a Wonderful Thanksgiving visit with your family. I hope your daughters puppy is going to be okay. Have a Great Holiday!!🦃❤️
Wonderful post!! I needed this reminder!
Thank you for your jolly little blog that greets me every day. We have so much to be thankful for and I appreciate this reminder.
Thank you for this great post! There are so many things to be thankful for every day that I sometimes just take for granted. Some days life is so hectic and I forget to thank the Lord for all my blessings.
We have so many things to be thankful for and should thanks God for the little ones as well as the big ones! Thanks for your Sunday lessons!!
That is such a beautiful message and one I hope to remember each day. You have great wisdom.
I normally start my prayers with thank you. Good post about being thankful every day not just Thanksgiving.
During Covid, I thanked God every day for another day of good health. Now that the danger has passed, I admit I have not always been as thankful as I could. Thanks for the reminder to get back on the thankful train!!
It is good to give thanks! And there’s hidden gifts. The more you give thanks, the more you notice of your blessings to give thanks for. And who can be in a negative mood while you are thankful? Giving thanks keeps you focused on the positive…and keeps you in a happy frame of mind.
This was a great message for me. I do try to count my blessings but I’ve not actually thought about them in such detail. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your Sunday posts and for sharing your faith. Thank you for reminding us to be thankful, not just this week, but every day.
Bless you Tania, for your great word to us all today.
May we be more and more thankful as each day comes.
One more day on earth to do HIS will.
For some of us the day is approaching we will be in the very
presence of our Lord and Saviour. I am looking forward to
that day.
Keep, preaching and telling us all how blessed we truly are!
What a beautiful post. Gratitude to the Lord is so very important because we would have nothing if not for Him.
I pray that I will make a point to remember to be thankful every night be for I Sleep and in the morning when I awake to meet a new gift of a day. Amen
In addition to everything you listed, I also thank God that I was raised a Christian in this country with all of its advantages; and for the ability and opportunity to work. How blessed we are!
Tania thank you so much for this reminder your faith is the reason I started following your blog My church has been doing thanks living all month Psalms 23 we all have a lot to be thankful for and some times it’s a hallelujah from my heart to God
Praise God from Whom All Blessings flow!
Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to everyone 🦃
Beautiful message! ❤️ I try to remind myself that I’m not necessarily entitled to all of the blessings I enjoy. Only when we lose something do we really appreciate it!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! thanks for the reminder to be thankful for much!
I enjoyed reading your blog. I don’t take the time to pray about some of the things mentioned. I try to talk to the Lord in the morning & evening. It is good if I can have a conversation during the day. I feel closer to Him. We are truly blessed!
Your such a thoughtful person, Thank You for all of these reminders of what to be thankful for!
Feeling thankful for YOU today, Tania. Thanks for another great post!
At first I thought that if I woke up with only the things I thanked the Lord for I would be grateful, but then I read the rest of your message, and you opened my eyes. There is so much more that I need to be thankful for
Thank you for this beautiful message.
Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours family!
Thank you for the ah ha moment of your pastors words. This season is a reminder to give thanks in so many ways.
Blessings to you and yours.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving.
Thankful for posts such as yours to put things into perspective. My pastor also spoke about being thankful in all things today.
Have a blessed day!
I am thankful for my Lord and Savior. I’m also thankful that I found you and your blog. Thank you for the reminder of being thankful for all that you listed.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Very nice reminder for all of us. Happy Thanksgiving!
Amen Amen. I’m also very Thankful for so much. I could go on and on.. Grateful for life and God and Family And new friends. I’m Blessed wish everyone a blessed Sunday and Thanksgiving.. Thank you Jesus.
Charlotte S.
Thanks for the reminder of thanksgiving each night to end our day. Blessings always
Very thankful for this message today. Perfect prayer outline as we begin this week of Thanksgiving, and to guide our daily prayers throughout the year. Alway a good reminder.
Amen sister.
Have a blessed day also!! Glad you had a good time with your family.
Thank you for reminding us.
I am grateful for your presence in my life too!
Beth
This is so true! Enjoy your posts..
Have a Good Thanksgiving?
We celebrated a month earlier-in Canada.
Tania, another great Sunday post! Happy Thanksgiving! I do read these every Sunday and I look forward to reading them every week.
Beautiful message!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for all you share with me! Especially the Bible verses! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!
I have so many things to be grateful for. My faith is the biggest one!
Tania, thank you for this important reminder! I can’t wait to see a picture of you and your family in your Christmas pj’s. I’m going up in the attic today to pull out my Christmas tops and pj’s from previous years to start wearing. Have a blessed day!
I love your post today. What a great reminder. I enjoy your blog. It is nice to find a place with fashion and products that are more in line with the way I want to live my life.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and God Bless!
Wow, that was an eye opener, thank you for this reminder. We need to Choose, to remember, that we would not have anything without GOD..
Praise the Lord and thank him for the mercy and GLORY!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!
Thankful, Mindful, and Grateful!
Truth! Being thankful should be a habit – it can get away from us even though we know that we are blessed, in the big and (what we deem as) small. Every good and perfect gift is from Him, even the ability for me to be sitting here enjoying my coffee as the sun comes up. Thank you for reminding us to speak thankfulness on the daily. He is worthy and He is good! 💛🧡
Thank you for your wonderful message! It’s a good reminder that we need to be thankful at all times, not just the Thanksgiving season.
Your words are so well put! I am thankful for them and needed to be reminded to be thankful in ALL the areas you mentioned and so much more. GOD IS SO GOOD!!
Tania,
Thank you for your post. I so needed this post. This last week I have been anything but thankful. Thank you for reminding me there are so many things to be thankful for. I repent for not thanking God daily for everything that he has done for me and gives me. Have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
It is easy to let things going on around us bring us down. Taking a few minutes to find things you are thankful for can change your attitude.
Thank you for this reminder. So many things to be thankful for and all the blessings the Lord has given me. I certainly count you as one of them….I read your blog every morning and especially look forward to Sunday’s little sermonette. Thank you, Tania and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Thank you, Violet. I appreciate your kind words.
thank you for reminding me to be thankful for so many things in my life.
kathy
Thank you, Tania. I have so much to be thankful for but I don’t always remember to thank the Lord for all he has blessed me with. Thanks for the reminder and Happy Thanksgiving!
A very impactful message during this special season! Thank you Tania!
Thank you for this post & the reminder to be thankful for our many blessings! I am thankful I came across your fashion blog on Pinterest, you are touching people with your faith! ✝️
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving, Tanya. Thank you for a beautiful message. I am thankful for you and the positivity you radiate through your blog and of course all the great fashion tips! You’re right- you do feel like you get to know someone you “see” everyday on a blog. What a great idea to do the family picture in XMAS pjs.! Fun. Blessings to you and yours.
I am thankful for all those things above – and for your Sunday posts. Of course, love the daily fashion posts too.
Thanks! I needed to be reminded of this.
Thank you for this very timely reminder. If everyone practiced being thankful, the world’s problems would be very nearly solved. You have inspired me to make a greater effort to be more thankful.
Amen! Happy Thanksgiving!
Great post! Thanks for all you do!
Tania, you have given me SO much to think about this morning. Thank you so much for the reminder. And guess what! I am thankful for YOU!!
I arise at 4:00 am and the first thing I do is grab my coffee and read your blog. What a great way to start my day!!
Thanks, Karen. I love hearing that I’m a small part of your morning. 🥰
Thank you for this wonderful post! I have had to be very intentional about my thankfulness and gratefulness lately. It has been extremely hard as i lost my husband of 39 years in a freak accident a few months ago. My daughters and i know this Thanksgiving is going to be difficult but we have been telling each other that we are blessed and we are to have each other for support along with friends and a loving God.
I’m so sorry, Cathy! I can’t imagine the pain of losing a spouse. Thanksgiving will be tough, but hopefully you and your daughters will find things to be thankful for. You were married for a lot of years, I bet you have a lot of wonderful memories.
Wow,wow! thank you for this reminder. I feel like I’m a thankful and prayerful person but how that hit me hard. this just emphasizes the need to slow down and really remember what is important this season.
Missy, as I was saying my prayers last night I was trying to think of everything I’m thankful for. In the middle of the night, I would wake up and continue in with my list. It is endless.
Amen!!!
What a wonderful word from your pastor. So simple and yet so very insightful. As I lay my head down at night I do thank the Lord for His many blessings and try and start my day the same way but after reading what your pastor said there are many little things I take for granted and forget to thank the Lord for.
Great thoughts! There is actually quite a bit of research that shows that practicing gratitude has health benefits to you that spill over onto your loved ones as well!
I’m very thankful for a lot & you. Happy Holidays.
What a beautiful post & reminder of things we take for granted. I’m thankful for your Sunday words of wisdom. Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours. 💕🙏💕
Thank you for sharing this — most people (including me) need to thank the Lord for our many blessings. Today is a great day to start!
what a wonderful message. Thank you for sharing
I hope you have a blessed day!
Sincerely
Kay
Tania, I am thankful for YOU and this encouraging reminder. Thank you for all of your wonderful posts and bright blogs that make me smile. You are a light in my day.
About five years ago my husband started writing down everything he was thankful for right before bedtime. He still does it to this day. (Even if the day was hard and didn’t go well he would still thank God for something. (Like, I am thankful this day is over! 😊)
May God bless you abundantly!
Leslie
That is a wonderful habit. We can be thankful for the same thing each day, it doesn’t always have to be something different.
Beautiful post Tania! Thank you for the reminder! 🙏🏻
Tania, Great reminder for all of us. I too, am thankful for the things you mentioned. I pray for those things and those less fortunate than me. I am thankful for my faith. Where would I be without that? Enjoy your day!
Thank YOU for the reminder to be thankful for ALL of the things, not just “the usuals” and WOW, what a statement/question from your pastor. Makes you REALLY think doesn’t it?
It does! The list is endless for things I’m thankful for.
Beautiful reminder Tania. Thank YOU so much.
Great post!
Very well said. So thankful for so many things, even things we take for granted. Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family 💕
I wish I would remember to be thankful everyday. This was a wonderful reminder to do that! Thank you
Thankful for you!!
Thank you Tanya for that reminder! I so look forward to your posts each day and I love that you use the platform you have to speak Gods truth! Have a wonderful day….
Blessings
Linda
That was a very powerful message, and one I needed to heat! Thank you!