“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:15-16)
I love November. Halloween is big in our house and after the rush and stress and lack of sleep from creating the perfect costumes (I tend to go overboard… I don’t want to talk about it…), November feels like a time to reset and refocus. It gets colder and the cozy blankets and sweats come out. It is the calm between Halloween and the hustle and bustle of Christmas. The whole world is focused, just for a brief moment, on gratitude. It gives me a few weeks to refocus and prepare for the greatest season of all when we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Today I am focusing my gratitude practice on people. I love this scripture because Paul takes time in the opening of his letter to express how grateful he is for the people. He wants them to know that he is thanking God for them and the good they are doing, and they are strangers to him. But he prays for them and is so grateful for them.
How often do we forget to be grateful for the people in our lives. Our children (even when they drive us nuts), our extended families, our friends, of course. But what about the person who lets us change lanes in front of them on the freeway, or the checker at our local grocery store who always has a sticker for the 2 year old. The smiling face at the front desk at the school. The teacher who takes a few minutes extra time out of her day to help our struggling child. The karate teacher who teaches with love. The girl at the drive through who makes the perfect dirty diet coke.
President Monson said, “A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it.” (“The Divine Gift of Gratitude,” General Conference, October 2010).
I challenge you today to “get around to it,” Make a list – aloud or on paper – of all the people you think of or encounter today that you are grateful for. And then share that gratitude with as many as you can. Tell your family, tell your friends and thank your God for the wonderful people you are surrounded by. I can promise you it will brighten your outlook on life and the world we live in.
Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Who are you grateful for today?
Call to Action: Participate with me in a focused, intentional, gratitude practice every day for the next 2 weeks. Please share with us in the comments here or on instagram!
