Day 2 -- Thirty Days of Gratitude in Home

You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink. ~G.K. Chesterton

Today, I began a list of 1,000 things for which I am grateful. I hope to complete it by December 1st. Take the 1,000 by December 1st challenge with me, if you like.

Have you ever thought about the fact that ingratitude is one of the sins that Paul warns will make these last days terrible? 2 Timothy 3. That's sobering to me, as I can easily focus on problems rather than blessings. Yet, ingratitude springs from ugly soil -- selfishness and pride -- and yields such piercing thorns -- faithlessness, futile thinking, complaining, lack of positive influence, and the like. Romans 1:18-25, 2 Timothy 3:1-5

As I repent of ingratitude, I remember that God has shown me immeasurable mercy. His mercy is my teacher. I have too often been sinful. I have too often been ungrateful. I have too often been ungrateful to God, while, at the same time, have been crushed that some person has failed to show appreciation to me.

Yet, Jesus teaches us "Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked." Luke 6:36

I am eternally grateful that this is how God loves me!

Enjoy!