Thanksliving

You can find the best-kept secret to a satisfying life in two words- "Thank you." Strange as it seems, focusing on giving something sets you up to get something. Give thanks and get fulfilled in so many ways. However, I'm not just talking about dumping words of gratitude on an already jammed verbal thoroughfare. No, it's more than thanksgiving. The real secret is in "Thanksliving." 

Thanksliving is life with an aptitude and attitude of appreciation. A life in which, if you're doing a little bit of thinking, you're doing a whole lot of thanking! 

Life is what you call it! We often call disappointing and painful situations failures. However, when you THINK about it, is there ever a time when failure is not a product of our own labeling? It's the name we put on it that makes it a complete failure or not. Otherwise, there is only growing and learning. Neither of which bares any resemblance of failure. 

Even things that break your heart can fix how you see things.

My friend would often say, "Even a broken watch is right twice a day." Now that's the kind of thinking that produces "Thanksliving"! You can be "thinkful" that it's a broken watch or "thankful" it's correct occasionally. 

Thanksliving plays a vital role in what I call "emotional economics." Economics involves producing, distributing, and consuming goods or services. So, emotional economics by way of Thanksliving contributes to our well-being by producing and distributing consumables that can never be consumed if gratitude remains. That is incredibly healthy and sustainable economics! 

A life of "Thank you" is appropriate in any situation, and it is a better response than most of the things we tend to say and certainly better than what we often think. 

When in doubt, let Thanksliving out! 

She said your shirt is an odd color
Thank you! I said, credit to my mother
The horn honked with an explicit 
Thank you! I said and swerved to miss it

The waitress brought coke instead of tea
Thank you I said, and she made it free
The line was long, and I was so weary
Thank you, I said, and to the sundae was added a cherry

Two simple words that work every time 
When they're part of your life and not just a line
Thank you, words meant for giving 
Lived in a life of Thanksliving

Say thank you more! 

In the history of humankind, no one has ever said it or heard it spoken too much. If there's ever a time when you don't know what to say, "thank you" will work almost every time. You can win a lot of arguments about how good a person you are by how good you are at Thanksliving. 

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT