Peace and Gratitude

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

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As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow here are some thoughts on thankfulness. There are two really important words in this short verse from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, peace and thankful.  A focus on both of those words will help calm down the worry.   Gratitude is powerful and not only does it do wonders for our own troubled heart, but it’s also a beautiful gift to everyone else.  Here is an interesting thing I learned about being thankful. Recent MRI studies have mapped the gratitude circuitry in the brain, which activates a sense of reward, fairness, and decision-making—all aspects that help facilitate survival.  In case you might be looking for ways to ramp up the gratitude here are a few tips to help you sprinkle a little more thankfulness in your day.
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*Make it a habit at least once a day to say out-loud three things you are grateful for.

*End your day by jotting down a few things from the day that you are thankful for.  I often tell the story of how my mom had a practice of doing exactly this very thing.  It was her belief that if the last thing on your mind before sleep was something you were thankful for instead of something you were worried about, you’d sleep better and wake up more positive.

*Tell at least two people a day thank you!  Make it specific if you really want to brighten someone’s day and spread a little joy.  

*Make sure your thank-yous outnumber your complaints.*Check your perspective, if you’re having trouble thinking of something to be grateful for, check out the situation of those around you and that might help you see your situation through a different lens.

*Volunteer…Jesus wasn’t kidding with the whole “serve others” thing.  Turns out, it’s a great boost for our gratitude and our happiness.

*Notice and appreciate the little things. I was in the middle of a train-wreck of a day not long ago and a little boy with Downs Syndrome walked up to me in the store and gave me a carnation.  He said, “You look like you need something pretty and a hug.”  In that one split second my attitude completely changed.  

*Be with the people you love.  Make sure you surround yourself with people who lift you up, make you laugh and bring you joy.

*Find some gratitude scriptures you can call on when you’re feeling a little worried and wilted.  God’s word is always true and always meant to bring good.

We worship freely, we have all we need to eat, we have shelter, we have transportation and people who care about us.  Those things alone make us some of the richest people in the world.  I don’t know about you, but I think I should sit down and make a list of those and the hundred other things I probably take for granted and add them to my gratitude list.  Sounds like a great way to chase the blues away.

A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time working on your gratitude list and then find a few great scripture verses about gratitude you can use when the worry gets heavy on your heart.​

Blessings on your day!