I find with a lot of people there problems in life start by simply not counting or appreciating there blessings. There is a certain dynamic to the act of being thankful that I don’t think many people understand. Here is an example of what I mean. I have a house and I am watching the world news and there is a story about a group of people in Africa who are displaced because of war or drought like conditions. I look at the story and discover that many of these people have never had a place to stay in there life. The stories focus is on food. The people are living on a food consisting corn meal and some other substances that provide nutrition. I watch as the people stand in line some very weary and aged for beyond there years on earth wait for the food to be issued . The camera shows a baby who is about to die from starvation. So here I am in my air conditioned home with a refrigerator full of food watching. I say to myself wow that’s really bad but that’s half way around the world what can I do about that so I pray for the people. Then I get in my car to drive across town and as I am driving I see three or four homeless people walking down the street. I am driving in my air conditioned car and say to myself I wonder how things got so bad for these people living in America and I pray for them. That evening when I get home I turn on the news and there is a terrible accident a entire family dies I pray for them and there family. They also show a story about a child who desperately needs a transplant and I pray for the child. Then after the news a entertainment news show comes on and I listen to lives of one multi million dollar star after another. What they are driving. What they are waring. How many millions they are getting from a divorce settlement. Then I think and say to God that I am truly thankful. Now here is the next dynamic to being grateful that I don’t always think about. What God gives me he requires that I share with others. It’s a simple formula ” be thankful for you receive then give to others”. What if I gave a donation toward feeding the people in Africa? What if I gave a dollar or two to each homeless person or sent card to the relatives of the family in the accident? What if I even prayed for the troubled movie star. What if I gave thanks to God for his goodness and for the peace of mind he provides? What I just said thank you God and may I give to others as you have given to me. Do you think then I would show true gratitude?

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