Thankful!

We are nearing Thanksgiving and it is not uncommon for people to start talking about what makes them grateful. Why is it that we only do this once a year? All year long we grumble about the troubles in our lives. Why me? How much longer? When will this end? Do these questions sound familiar? What if we started everyday thanking God for the good gifts He has given us? James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." I can't tell you how many times I hear people say, "God is testing me in this trial." They say,"God took him/her because He needed another angel." This is hogwash. God sent His son to give us life and life more abundant. The enemy came to kill, steal and destroy. God does not "take", He "receives". God does not lead you into the valley of the shadow of death, He walks with you in the valleys. God does not throw you into the fire, He stands with you while you are in it and when you come out you don't even smell of smoke. A grateful heart may not change our circumstances but it does change our perspective. We have so much to be thankful for and it far out weighs the trials in our lives. Our perspective has to change. Be grateful 365 days a year not just Pre-Thanksgiving. If you're reading this, you can see. If you're reading this, someone invested in your education. If you are reading this, you have breath in your lungs and tomorrow is a new day. Give God thanks! This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.