"Gratitude is a powerful resource that can make us happier, healthier, more optimistic and more productive.  Research tells us that an "attitude of gratitude" is a good health choice. Being more grateful more often makes us happier and more optimistic."

Every year since our youngest daughter, now 33, was in early grade school, breakfast with "daddy" at the Waffle House on Thanksgiving morning has been a tradition. 

One year, after "feasting" at Waffle House, they were very excited about how great the service was and how friendly every person, from cook to server was. They were constantly checked on to make sure they were happy and had enough food and drink refills.

They brought home this card that their server, Melinda, had written and it touched their hearts and mine too so I wanted to share it this week along with the message about thankfulness.

Melinda along with every server and cook there had every reason to be grumpy working on Thanksgiving and not home with their families. BUT they chose not to be! 

These are the lessons we hide in our hearts to take with us though our lives.

Being thankful is so simple, yet so easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of our busy and getting busier lives. Before the holiday season starts, I thought this would be a great reminder to help us all understand the blessings we have in our lives. 

Here are 4 ways to start being more thankful today:

1. Be thankful for the little things such as the sun shining and giving us warmth, the lovely blanket of stars that twinkle so brightly, the smell of good food cooking, a great tv show...and on and on.

2. The good around you can inspire you to be thankful such as the note above. Another example we have in our community is a coffee house called A Cup of Commonwealth here in Lexington with their priority in their business to pay it forward. They have a wall of handwritten notes, each representing a prepaid cup of coffee that a previous customer has paid for. Each note is different and offers a free cup to a firefighter, a homeless person, a nurse, a policeman or any number of people. You simply have to find yourself on the wall and redeem the note for a free coffee if you are in need and don't have the money. How wonderful! They recently started a new business called The Chocolate Holler and they offer the same opportunity for a person to pay if forward! 

3. Be thankful for the world around you, God's creation in all of its glory. I love the summer green on the trees and often marvel that they look perfectly glorious against a blue sky and the autumn colors...even more glorious! One of my favorite coffee table books are the ones that show the earth from space, making everything on earth look like an abstract painting. It makes us and our problems shrink when we see the grandeur of it all.

4. Write and speak your thankfulness. Be thankful even for challenging times as those are the times we grow. Write notes of thankfulness, both snail mail and email. I am working on being more aware of those around me who may need a pat on the back or a kind word spoken. It takes effort...but it will make someone's day, I promise!

Now, I want to take the time to thank each of you for your friendship and for being part of our "family." We appreciate each of you more than you know.