Published November 4, 2013 by in
When the calendar turns to November, lives take notice. Texas winter is coming, Thanksgiving is around the corner, and Christmas will be coming soon! Family gatherings are being planned and calendars fill up quickly with dates to be remembered and tasks to be done. It is an exciting time of the year and it is not just the children who are getting excited! It is also a time with we count our blessings and bask in the glow of gratitude…
J. Ellsworth Kalas, a United Methodist pastor for 40 years and a part of the faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary since 1993, wrote a book entitled: I Bought a House on Gratitude Street. I like the idea that the book title implies: gratitude should be an attitude that permeates our whole life, not simply a time of year to be remembered. His first chapter makes several great points.
- essentially everything we have is a gift;
- gratitude is a matter of maturity and learned humility;
- gratitude that is not expressed is meaningless;
- gratitude is a way of life; and
- we need God as the recipient of our gratitude
I particularly appreciated the way he ended the first chapter. The final paragraph started with this sentence: “I have come to realize that while love is wonderful, gratitude has a place all by itself, because “gratitude is love with a memory.” What a great thought!
I want to share this thought for you to remember and say to yourself throughout this season. Start each day of your life with this thought and its action response. “Love has a memory and gratitude is my response!”
Thanksgiving blessings,
Doug