I would love to see if there is a study done for the month of November on people’s attitudes and joy. This is month that so many people make daily thankful post and I definitely know from experience that choosing thankfulness can change your whole lookout on life. My bigger question would be – does anyone see a difference in their outlook and connect the two and then continue it?

Anyway I had a major lesson on thankfulness back in the year 2001. Jerry and I were celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary. He was an engineer at Saturn and had to travel to Detroit for work. We decided to pack up the kids and go with him. Gabi was three and Caleb was just 8 mths old, I stayed at the hotel with them during the day while Jerry was at work. On the day of our anniversary we had plans that Jerry canceled because he was too tired. I already dealt with so much insecurity and to feel rejection….. on our anniversary was just too painful. I went to the sitting room with Caleb to feed him, Gabi and Jerry were asleep in the bedroom. I was furious. I remember feeling the hot, angry, heat in my ears thinking, this is like a cartoon character. I thought to myself “I would sign the divorce papers right now if they were in front of me”

Rejection, hurt, and bitterness can causes you to think and do irrational things. I was so willing to jump on board with what my hurt was suggesting I do.

While feeding Caleb I heard the Lord gently speak to my heart “Just be thankful” I was like -Dude. I have NOTHING to be thankful for.

“Just be thankful”

Ugh……thinking….thinking…….“NOPE, I got nothing Lord.” I was in such a hole of emotions that I was not thankful for my family, my home, food in my belly, etc.

“Just be thankful”

…………..Ok. Fine……….Ummmmmmm…….”I am thankful that he has nice legs”………”I am thankful that he looks good in jeans”….

I literally could only think of those two pathetic things to be thankful for.

BUT the moment I opened my mouth and was obedient to what the Lord asked me to do was the moment that I forgot all the hurt and rejection I was feeling. I was sooo overcome with thankfulness that I was then able to name 25+ things I was thankful for about my spouse. I was in tears because I was so thankful.

I learned two major, life change lessons that day.

1. God is looking for obedience not perfection. I had the worst answer to God’s request. I had scraped the ground for any crumbs that might resemble obedience but it was enough to show I was trying. God honors that. He sees that. He loves that.

2. Having an attitude of thankfulness changes everything. Choose it daily because it works. I have done this now on a weekly, daily, minute by minute basic and it has always changed my heart from pain to joy. It doesn’t mean I am all like- it’s fine you were a punk but I am choosing joy….so we cool. – It means I am choosing joy to keep my heart in check and I 100% trust that the Lord will deal with you and your heart.

So for the month of November and December 2019 and January through December 2020 and forever more daily practice having an attitude of thankfulness because –Attitude changes everything-