Cultivating Thankfulness

LORD, THANK YOU
--author unknown
Submitted by Renee in Missouri

  Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat.

  Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.

  And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no beds.

  My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mess, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory; they are so convenient.

  Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; it has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals.

  Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today; it has baked so many things over the years.

  Thank you, Lord, for that tall grass that needs mowing, the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard.

  Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says You have richly blessed me. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully. Amen!

    P.S.

  Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.

  Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.

  Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, thank you, Lord, that I have strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.

  Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short--my children are so loud--thank you, Lord, for each one. There are many who are lonely.

  Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines and the at times not balanced, thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.

  Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous, thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.

  Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, Lord, for life.

Verses and Quotes on Thankfulness

Bees sip honey from flowers and hum their thanks when they leave. The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him.
--Rabindranath Tagore from "Stray Birds"

In everything give thanks.
--I Thessalonians 5:18

"I have not always found it easy to practice this duty; this I confess to my shame. When suffering extreme pain some time ago, a brother in Christ said to me, 'Have you thanked God for this?' I replied that I desired to be patient, and would be thankful to recover. 'But,' he said, 'in everything give thanks, not after it is over, but while you are still in it, and perhaps when you are enabled to give thanks for the severe pain, it will cease.' I believe that there was much force in that good advice."
--Charles H. Spurgeon
(NOTE: Spurgeon authored the most exhaustive sermon series in history while living with the physical discomfort of gout that persisted most of his life.)