3 BE GRATEFUL

Everyone around the table stuffed their mouths with the tasty meal. But at the end, no one said “Thanks.”

The wife and mother had worked hard to prepare the evening meal for her family. I was a guest at the table. Everyone seemed to love one another. Everyone enjoyed the meal and appeared happy. But an attitude of gratitude was lacking.

Perhaps everyone simply expected a good meal to be prepared. Perhaps they now took for granted what was given to them out of love. But no matter how common, routine or expected love is, it’s always a gift for which we give thanks.

Every mate loves to hear a thank-you, even if that expression of love has been repeated hundreds of time. Gratitude never gets old or wears out.

“But my spouse should know how I feel,” protests the hurried mate. Knowing how one feels and hearing it expressed are two totally different things. “Out of the heart the mouth speaks.” So if gratitude is in your heart, say it. And if it’s not, pray that God changes you and gives you a heart of thanksgiving instead of a heart of expectation.

Try this: Sit down facing one another. Let the husband go first. For one minute, the husband thanks God out loud for all that he appreciates about his wife. Then the wife thanks God out loud for one minute for her husband. Do these one-minute thanksgiving prayers together often!

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thess. 5:18–19