Full Heart: Part 3
I mentioned in the first blog on our tangled emotions that gratitude is important…and I would like to underline that statement. It has been proven by hospital studies that Gratitude heals. And if that’s not enough it sweetens relationships, because nothing is more winsome than to be with someone with a grateful interior. Grateful people are more attractive, more fun, more sought out, and speak in ways that lift our hearts. And they are the best at receiving gifts…their enthusiasm often ignites ours.
I recently invested in two chalkboards for my home as a way to remind myself to keep bright thoughts and an applauding heart, because I need to be spurred on. On the boards I post reasons to be thankful, as well as rotating those with joyful Scripture verses, and quotes worthy of my consideration.
For one week I posted “Joyful Noises,” which included; laughter, church bells, singing, bird songs, my doorbell, a friend’s voice, children playing, whispers of the Holy Spirit, etc. What sounds in your life circle bless you?
For fun and motivation I post quotes like, “Never eat more than you can lift.” Miss Piggy also, “For peace of mind we need to resign as General Manager of the universe!” Anon. and “Life is too short to sleep on low thread-count sheets.” Leah Stussy
What about this one by James Michener, “I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” Or Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
I can forget how significant words can be inside a human heart. I adore my husband of 48 + years…but sometimes my words and tone do not sound as if I do. So any inspiration that keeps me conveying my thankfulness is a good thing.
Les and I find at this stage of our aging-aching lives gratitude must be purposed and practiced lest we slip into a ground-swell of grumbling.
Join me in improving our health, our relationships, and our gratitude quotient. Let’s lift our countenance and sweeten our conversations by setting our thoughts on the good, the true, and the lovely things God has given us fresh from his generous hand. Sunsets…sunflowers…scarlet tangers…summer symphonies…
Do you have a gratitude tip? Please share.
I try to make sure that I thank people a lot, even for things that we wouldn’t consider as them going out of their way to do. I like to thank people for doing their job, and my husband for being who he is. Sometimes I worry that I’ve worn out “thank you” to the people around me, but then I realize how little some people may hear it. 😀
Hi Patsy~ I’m someone but noone famous~ I’m a pastors wife in So cal & come see you at Women of Faith whenever you at the Honda center! I recently got to meet Lisa Harper at a conferance her & my hubby both were a part of… I was pretty star struck~ love her (and the rest of you). ANYHOOOOO~ thanks for these posts! I SOOOOOO needed them~ what wisdom you have for the rest of us out there! I especially needed the get moving~ not letting sadness sit! Thanks! I did that today & feel better already!!!
Blessings to you!
Tammy
Oh yeah~ gratitude tip… one of my favorite things is to send smail mail cards thanking the people in my life for the little everyday things~ standing with me, prayers, or specific gifts… snail mail is so rare and when it comes it lifts everyone’s day! As a PW I try to send snail mail cards to the volunteers who serve at our church and the feedback I get is AMAZING!
Tammy
I love, love, love Michener’s quote!
I find that a grateful spirit for me also depends on a rested spirit–as simple as getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and clearing out clutter. Also in simply sitting outside and soaking in His creation keeps my heart and mind focused on things above.
My husband of nearly forty years and I often remind each other that we are rich people. Not in terms of monetary wealth but in terms of how God has blessed us with family, friends and a wonderful Christian fellowship. Then, we take time to enumerate the many blessings He has given. It lifts us both up.
Another thing I enjoy doing as I work in my husband’s office is to thank every military man who comes into our practice for his service to our country. They are always surprised when I say this…but I am grateful for their sacrifice on our behalf. We need to tell people how much we appreciate them.
Thank you for another beautiful post Patsy. You are a blessing…love the ways you suggest that we can have a more grateful heart! Blessings!
I try to make it a habit not to let my feet touch the floor, in the morning, before I’ve thanked God for the gift of the day and the potential it brings.
So true Patsy! Some of my sounds in my surroundings are the birds singing, my parakeet trying to out sing them, soft music, sound of the turtle dove I hear at night, giggles, and some good ol’ southern gospel music!
As I prayed in December for the new year coming up, I was given the word “celebrate” as my word for the year and so every day on my facebook page, I write about something I am celebrating that day. It changes things in my heart and also the way I think! I also use my iPhone to send me scripture messages to direct my thoughts for the day.
Great thoughts and thank you for sharing them.
patsy, you have such a beautiful way with words. i am so thankful for you!:)
oh and i love the sound of children sleeping!
Your writings make me so thankful to be able to see and read. I can not imagine how difficult and sad it would be not to have sight and the ability to read such beauty. Thank You Patsy. Are you going to put all of these blogs in a book? I would love to use them as my devotional for my christian yoga class. Thank you again..
Blessings,
Marilyn Nash
Love ur post Patsy!
We step out in gratitude, choose the glass-half-full gratitude n then the feelings follow catching up n surpassing our steps:))
Have you read Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts? If not, I’m bringing you a copy…. It’s all about how we need a posture of gratitude. You’ll love it.
I was going to mention Ann’s book as well. Life changing.
Sometimes it’s hard to show gratitude because it’s hard to receive blessings. I think for me that happens when “junk” has gotten stuffed under the layers or emotions have gotten all tangled up. My friend always reminds me that: we walk by faith not by feelings; and that the enemy can’t use anything that’s not already there. A common teaching in Elijah House is that you don’t have to “feel” what God is asking you to do you just have to start by being obedient; the feelings will follow.