Thanksgiving

What if everyday we lived, we lived like that night we spend as a family around the dinner table being grateful for the things in our lives? What if we lived everyday as if we just received a $50,000 check? What if we lived like that moment we catch up with a long lost friend? What if we lived like the that day we received the phone call about our new job? What if we lived with a sense of, "thanks"...? What if....?

(Well its been two nights of this theme of gratefulness now, which means someone is trying to pass a word on to me! So naturally when I get excited about what God is teaching me I want to share it with you).

When I worked at the bank as a teller I had one customer, an elderly lady, come to my window and begin to do math along with me for her transaction. I assumed by her appearance she was in her 60's but stood corrected upon her comment saying,  "I am 98 years old and I'm still able to count." As I was taken back, I had to ask the question what was her secret? She did not hesitate to tell, "The secret is to not stress and be grateful." I cannot tell you how much impact those words had on me. She did not try to sell me something, she did not say her vitamins were the key to long living....it was simply her attitude.

Last night I received an email from my brother which talked about negativity spreading like a desease. Negativity is poison to our well being, it creates doubt and fear. It changes the mood from hopeful to helpless. Negativity takes us from strength to stress. If I tell myself I can't then I never will, but if I can tell myself I can, then I have a fighting chance. We feed off each other and a room full of negativity is a taste of a sour fruit. What is the point of baring fruit if we are going to let it go sour?!?!? Be bearers of fruit and do so in the attitude of thankfulness.

If we lived life as if everyday were thanksgiving, or received a ridiculous check or got a new job we would live life with a smile on our face. We would be so contagious that others around us will feed of our joy. If we live life simply being grateful, we can actually cure some deseases......like stress.

I have accepted a 30 day challenge to not make one single complaint. If I complain I must give the person I am complaining to or the very next person I see a dollar. The objective is to put ten sigle dollars in your wallet but not go through those ten dollars in the 30 days. Sounds simple.....in my first day of the challenge have had the opportunity to give three dollars away today, only to open my eyes to how much I actually complain in one day. I hope you can accept this challenge as I have. We can change the circumstance around us, but it starts with attitude.

My focus is attitude and my change is perspective. My practice is positive and my expression is joy.