"My praise is in direct relation
to the thankfulness in my heart. And my thankfulness in all things needs to
be in equal measure.
I think we're sometimes stuck
on the rush. We're stuck needing something to hit us over the head and scream "something
good just happened!" for us to really stop and take notice. But the
reality is, when I stop in my moments and give praise to God, my heart feels
the same when I am thanking Him for something big that someone has blessed me
with, as it does when I'm thanking Him for the sparrow that landed on my
feeder.
Because both are results of His
eye being on me as much as it is on that sparrow. God has given me loving and
attentive people in my life who provided me with so much. He has given me
the birds that sing to me in the morning and fly around to remind me that life
exists beyond these walls.
He lets the thunder roll and reminds
me of His magnitude. He gives me the ability to walk to the kitchen and reminds
me I will always have the strength I need when I need it. Some of His gifts
smack me upside the head and others I need to keep my eyes open to see. But in
the end, all are gifts. And all deserve my whole heart thanks. Every one of them
deserves my praise.
So, on the days when things are
supremely difficult and the pain takes all my energy, my eyes have to remain
alert to see the blessings. Then there are days when His goodness is obvious
and hits me upside the head like I've just had a V-8. And at the end of both of
those days, when I think over the hours and my blessings and I stop to thank
Him for all of it, do you know what the difference between them is?
Absolutely nothing.
Because in the end, love is
love. Gift is gift. God is God and He is good. All the time.
And that's why I praise Him
through all of it, with the same amount of thanks in my heart. Because, whether
obvious or subtle, He is always there with gifts. You just have to be
sure you're paying attention." ~Sara Frankl
Give yourself the gift of Joy by ordering your book today...Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts.