Real Gratitude

"Thanks! Thank you. I really appreciate it. Thank you very much. It was really nice of you. Thank you so much. I want you to know how much I appreciate it. I am so grateful... There are many ways to say it... It's a good thing that there are so many ways to say thank you, because words of thanks are some of the most important that ever come through our lips. Three-year-olds should say it. Eighty-three year olds should say it. I should say it. You should say it. We should say it to people we live with, to casual acquaintances, to lifelong friends, and to people that we never expect to see again..." -Bethany Notgrass

Have you ever thought about how much we say it? You know that your mom never HAD TO pay to get you piano lessons. Your sister never HAD TO give you back your watch. Your great aunt never HAD TO send you that package... But yet, they do it anyway.God never HAD TO give you anything. Yet, he does.We are all sinners and we don't deserve all the things we have, but yet he gives them to us anyway.

"And what about accomplishments? We've been able to do cool things because (reaching around as far as necessary to pat ourselves on the back) we have worked hard or sacrificed, right? Well, sorry; wrong. That is definitely not the whole story. We can't forget the other people who are behind what we have been able to do. What about the mom who gave up the comforts to pay for piano lessons, and is not the one being applauded? What about the person who first showed you what it means to serve? Is she forgotten when someone compliments you on your wonderful attitude?..."-Bethany Notgrass

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Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would you send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade

Would you send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely you can see that we are thirsty and afraid

But maybe not, not today
Maybe you'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If you never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight

Wrap us upAnd warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time

.Or maybe not, not today
Maybe you'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to you
With gratitude
A lesson learned in how to hunger after you
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight

Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond our wildest dreams
In abundance or in need

And if you never grant us peace
But Jesus, would you please...


(Note: This was posted on 4gratitude awhile back, only I've made a few changes)