I’m sure the word “Gratitude” in some form is everywhere you look right now. With Thanksgiving literally around the corner (hello six days and counting!) not only are we busy trying to fill our refrigerators, tables and houses, but in Christian circles, there is tremendous focus on filling our hearts as well – with gratitude. While we can’t necessarily say that we are in the dire straits those of the First Thanksgiving were, we can indeed understand that we have been blessed abundantly in our knowledge of God that we have the freedom to hold His word so close to our hearts. We have gratitude in our hearts for our individual blessings, and we talk with friends about how grateful we are in our respective lives. You might even reach out to those same people and let them know how grateful you are for them, but do you ever stop to think about how you are generating gratitude in others?
I was mindlessly running through my YouTube list of “Watch Later” videos the other day and my ears perked up when I happened to hear the phrase “Generate Gratitude” from one of the many self-help videos I had cached. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t even a faith-based vlogger, but rather someone who is an image coach. His words were “Generate gratitude in your every-day life. Reframe your conversations so that even negative news is placed in a positive light. Remember that like attracts like and the words you utter will eventually come back to you via the friends you attract and surround yourself with.”
So I leave you with that this foggy Friday Morning (Ok, it’s foggy in SF today) : Generate Gratitude. Reframe the Negative. Be Intentional about what you’re spreading.
Need some extra inspiration this week? Check out our November Friday Morning’s Playlist here.
Different x Micah Tyler
A bit out of the box for my recent suggestions, Micah Tyler has an upbeat flavor that is sure to lift your spirits! His unique style of Christian pop is lighthearted when you need a switch from your Christmas tunes!
The Best Yes x Lysa TerKeurst
This book, while not new will radically change your priorities and help you to truly make the “best yes” decisions. It has helped me through several seasons and I plan to pick it up again during the holiday season while all the hurry and rush seems to bear down upon us. A quote from the book should be enough to inspire you to buy your own copy: “The decisions you make today matter. Every decision points your life in the direction you are about to travel. No decision is an isolated choice. It’s a chain of events. If you choose wisely, your future will reflect that. But if you don’t choose wisely, the decisions you make now will take you to places you don’t want to be later.”
…on to some interesting web links for the week:
Beat a Bad Mood, Naturally! (literally – this should be the only must-read on this list!)
How to Engage Your Core (when all that pumpkin pie kicks in, you’ll want this article!)
Why it’s Pivotal to Make Room for Reading (this is why you’re reading this blog, right?)
3 Questions to Ask Your Kids Every Night
Dear Broken Heart, You Will Survive
…your Body at 30 (promise, this isn’t depressing, but very informative!)
(the election may be over, but the concept still rings true) Stop Shaming Each Other