“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” -Psalm 69:30

We have a lot to be thankful for, don’t we? We have people that we love, we have the privilege of living in a free land, and we have a powerful God. A thankful spirit is at the core of happy living. This is why those before us have left so many traditions, both religiously and culturally, to bring us into a constant and consistent pattern of thankfulness. If you were raised in a christian home, for example, it is likely you prayed before every meal giving thanks. Sometimes we pray, “Bless this food to our bodies.” But the best kind of prayer is “Thank you, God, for this meal!” This prayer recognizes that there might be others who don’t have food. It recognizes that tomorrow, “that person could be me.” We should be thankful for where we are and what we have, right now. Gratitude is the heartbeat of happiness. So be grateful and be glad!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am thankful for you. I am thankful for the love and dignity I’ve received through knowing you. Thank you for all that I am, all that I have , and where I’ll be going.

REFLECTION: Think about what you’re thankful for. Let people in your life know that they you are thankful for them.