giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
— Ephesians 5:20 (CBS)
Happy Mother’s Day to all women because you are a mother to someone whether it be your child, niece/nephew, someone you’ve taken under your wings or a pet.
As I remember my mother, who took others besides me under her wings, I am grateful for the example she set for me as a loving and Godly woman and also for the things she taught me. One of the major things she taught me was to have a grateful heart. Because my mother was physically unable to have more children, I was raised as an only child and could have been very self centered and spoiled. However, she taught me to be grateful for the things I had and was given. Sharing what I had was a must under her watch. I was not to withhold anything from my friends, not a favorite doll or toy, nothing.
I am so appreciative of that because in today’s society, there are not a lot of grateful hearts. Mostly, we hear complaints about what a person doesn’t have and how they’ve been taken advantage of, etc. Even when we do something nice for someone, lots of times, we get no response.
Perhaps you have children or grandchildren or friends who seem very ungrateful for what you do for them. Let me encourage you to realize that a grateful heart does not come natural to most people. It is a learned trait – something that needs to be taught as well as demonstrated.
If you have the opportunity, even now, I encourage you to remind your child or grandchild to send a thank you note for a gift or a thank you text or perhaps a phone call to say thank you. It’s not too late to encourage them to be grateful for what other people do and to express it. Also demonstrate what it looks like in your life by acknowledging what they do for you. Be an example and follow through by reminding them in a kind way how they feel when someone appreciates them.
Don’t look at what you don’t have, but be thankful for what you do have. It’s easy to see the “I wish I had”, instead of the “I’m thankful for what I do have”. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see things for which to be grateful everyday. Your life will have more peace and joy if you begin to make it a habit.
You are greatly loved and appreciated!
“Life without Christ is but an illusion.”
You Chose Your Way