Why gratitude? For the simple reason, that gratitude brings you closer to God. The kind of gratitude that comes from frustration or anger has a hold of it. The gratitude that starts out with thankfulness will bring you closer to the creator of the universe. Too simply, Gratitude and thankfulness for talent, gifts, assistance, inspiration, and even just God, bring success from the Father above. When you are grateful you have an attitude. Attitude, says Psalm 35:27. With attitude, you are assured to fail. With it, you cannot succeed. You cannot fail. Gratitude keeps you on soring. With it, you are sure to receive.
In football, it is about attitude. The team with the best attitude gets the ball in the territory. Their attitude won’t be turned off by an opposing team. Likewise, Gratitude will keep your team on the same level. For when you hold that Gratitude steady, you will succeed. Gratitude goes beyond physical effort. It does not focus on what you don’t have, but what you have. It is not inhibited by your talents. It does not miss out on opportunities. It remains steady even when your team starts to keep your opponent on their toes.
E66 persuaded me to build an eight-foot fence around my property. I did not want the neighbors to see it. But the neighbor had moved in and the colored feathers you as in the story below came in and now there is a huge black hedge around the four manicured yards. My fence bled in many shades. My hand that twists a regular length of rope is already grabbing the end of a length of rope. While I bend over and pull the end of the rope, I realize how awe-full it looks to the neighbor to see this unusual-looking contractor. A smile is hurting my face. While the neighbor lets out a small giggle, my seven small children arrive with the four admirable-looking hedges Clipse (don’t laugh) within five minutes. These are SIX parenting women in their prime.
My wives were self-sufficient. The chores were done. The children were home. The only reason they have a handheld ladder for lighting up hoses is that I don’t have access to shelf-bishop’s or Florida Water mode. The once beautiful property stood between me and desolation until calamity brought it to my path. I decided to thank the Lord as the counselors prophesied. I started with thankfulness, ended with gratitude, and ended with a magical success.
I have done many a wartime return and metaphorically, this experience is like walking into heaven after rascal Realm. After many eons, I have come to the place where my sons can ride “little red bikes” which are identical to Australian motorbikes, to the detriment of my golf handicap. The piles of trash can still be seen taking peoples’ lives. I have had enough stinkin’ to eat!
Wanting to repay the Lord for His many blessings as shown to me through the gifts of His two sons, I began to thank him for what He gives. I thanked Him for the ability to paint while the homes were under construction, the ability to move our home without moving any furniture or supplies, and the humility that allowed me to accept a job at Whole Foods because I wanted my family to remain as clean as possible. Like a child stepping outside and giving thanks to parents or grandparents that give back what little they can, I learned to speak His language, during the time of rebuild. Do not think I ever cried out about or admonished His miracles and blessings, many of which were accomplished in a moment during the days of rebuilding. He and His aren’t two different sides of the same bat. His is the ego of God, while God is the creator.
Now, like me, the occasion has come to say thank you to Him. I remember when I was at church that Sunday morning when I almost died on the way over to the gym. I don’t remember why I might have looked at my appointment with the cobbler like gold going out of fashion. I do remember that I thanked Jesus when I saw the doctor just a couple of weeks later. I will believe it when I see it because it took me almost three years to walk into one bedroom. But then again, there will be another opportunity when bills have come due.
3 more miracles were in the books for me to be thankful for, and yet remain thankful for as I go through the first one.