“...give thanks in all circumstances” 1st Thessalonians 5:18
Yesterday I shared about my not being thankful for creamed corn. That is for sure. No creamed corn for me - pass the corn on the cob though.
In contrast to the story about creamed corn is the story of PF Flyers. Those shoes had a promise to help kids “run faster and jump higher.” I needed a pair of those and I wanted a pair - I thought the PF Flyers would change my life. I dreamed of having them on and winning races and jumping contests. I was slow and could not jump very high. I desperately wanted a pair of these shoes.
The truth is I never did get a pair- but I did get some sort of off brand shoe that I believed were just as good. When I tried them on the shoe salesman said, go ahead and run to the other end of the store - I know you’ll like them. I loved them. I felt faster. I have no idea whether they actually made any difference in my speed - but those few moments, my enthusiasm and level of gratitude was high. My mom knew it, my brother knew it, the shoe salesman knew it - each one knew that I believed a miracle happened.
A miracle had happened, and I will never forget it - there was a change in my attitude. It was an attitude of expressive and excessive gratitude. Sometimes we fail to be sharing gratefulness. It is very contagiousness. I remember clearly that my enthusiasm and expression of thankfulness had an impact on my mom and the salesman. There was no doubt I was grateful and they heard it and saw it and shared in it as well.
You might be thinking, what about my brother? He wanted a pair of those shoes and believed they would help him as well. My mom purchased a pair for him as well.
An attitude of gratitude is contagious and multiplies a work in the lives of others.
