The origin of the word English word Gratitude has its roots in the Greek word Charis, which means "that which causes joy, pleasure and delight in the recipient or the observer and an appreciation for a kindness."
I'll sometimes encourage people to create a gratitude list, sometimes when they feel they have little or nothing to be thankful or hopeful for in their lives, or, when they do begin to "count their blessings" and they feel encouraged by all that their God has blessed and bestowed upon them.
If you were to ask people what they are grateful for, many would probably say their spouse, their children and grandchildren, their family, their friends, their pets, their health, their job or ministry, their faith and/or their recovery and believe it or not, for the life that they have lived, with all of the ups and downs they have experienced. If we were to inventory our lives, all of these would be very appropriate areas to be thankful for and from which we could draw upon to create a gratitude list.
So how about you? Whether it is one word or if there are multiple areas in your life that you are thankful about, or experiences that have created joy, pleasure or delight in your life, what would you list? As written in the title, what is on your gratitude list? Here's a few on mine:
I am thankful for my beautiful wife Leslie. There's not enough space to record all that I am thankful for with her. She has given us two amazing children, has been the Proverbs 31:10 - 31 woman on a daily basis in my life, and has done nothing but love, serve and tried to make our lives better with each successive day. I am thankful for the love of my life!
I have so much gratitude for "my sweetest love" Marissa. Her time on this Earth was brief at 13 years, but my sweetheart was and continues to be a joy to me as she was to others who came into her presence. She was such a thoughtful, loving and generous nurturer, whose life continues to impact many today in wonderful ways. I am thankful for the Angel she is and that one day we will all be reunited again forever.
I am thankful for "my favorite son" Gabriel. He is such a joy and delight to be with, and is a loving, kind and funny teen. I'm thankful that he has and will continue to make the world a better place because wherever he'll be, it will be brighter just because he's there!
I am thankful for my family of origin, my in-laws, the many friends (and our family pets) who welcome me on a daily basis, and who provide unconditional love, acceptance and guidance to me. They mean so much to me and I have gratitude for the rich, fun and meaningful experiences I have had in my life because of them.
I am very thankful for my home. My wife Leslie has converted every house that we have lived in into a home, by the love, peace, colors, flowers, artwork, food, warmth and of course the experiences we have had through the years. At the end of the day, it is a place of peace that I'm thankful that I can come to.
I am grateful for Jesus, who is my Higher Power. I met Him in 1977, and my life has been changed because of the love, grace, empowerment, inspiration, guidance and gifts that I have received because of knowing Him.
I am thankful for the children that we have the opportunity to impact on a daily basis in two ministries to orphans and widows in the African countries of Uganda (Pastor John) and Ethiopia (Brother Samson) and for the men, women and families that love on the children and ensure their well-being on a daily basis. Being a part of the ministries that bring life and hope to the children there brings so much joy to my heart.
I am really thankful for the values that I have in my life that I try to live by everyday. They give my life purpose, focus, meaning and they help me to treat others with respect, kindness and dignity. I'd truly be lost without them, so I am thankful for what I have chosen to live by!
I have always been thankful for the people who have opened up to me in my work and for the awesome privilege they have given to me to walk and work with them to explore areas in their lives where they want deep and meaningful change. I can't believe I get to do this daily and I am thankful that God has created the opportunities for these life encounters to occur.
I am actually thankful for the Internet, and all of the technological resources that are part of the process by which you could read these words all over the world! As I recently told Dr Ron Rife, a college professor who impacted me in my life, I am really glad to be able to reach so many people around the world through this medium. By the way, this happens to be the 100th post on these three blogs, for which I am exceedingly grateful! I never knew I had so much to say, because when I'm gone from this Earth, my hope is that I will have left something behind.
And finally, I am thankful for Ken (that's me!). I'm thankful for the experiences I have had in my life, that have made me a better person. I am humbled that God has blessed me with so many wonderful opportunities, and each day, as His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), I want to experience them and bless others in the process. My life matters!
Thanks for reading my gratitude list. I really hope that you create one for yourself as you think about your life experiences and perhaps the people involved in your life that have created joy, meaning, pleasure, happiness and well-being in your life, soul and spirit.
Thanks for visiting and please visit the other blogs written by Dr Ken McGill: Dr Ken McGill’s blog and Daily Bread for Life for additional information that could be helpful. I welcome your comments below or via email and your favorites, your retweets and your “+1’s” if you have a brief moment and find the information helpful. Again, it is my desire to provide the very best info for your consideration.
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