30 Days of Intentional, Active Gratitude

In years past, I've used the month of November to count my blessings.  Each day, I've listed one thing I'm grateful for and tried to focus on all the blessings in my life.  But this year I want to do something a little different.  Don't get me wrong, counting your blessings is a wonderful thing, but this year I want to bump it up a notch.  I don't just want to count my blessings, I want to share my gratitude.  I want to be intentional in this season of busy.  I want to live life with eyes wide open.  I want to see others living and laughing and those who need a little love.  I don't just want to wake up to say "Today I'm thankful for a kitchen full of food" and then go about my day and miss the people who go hungry, or worse, not even try to extend my gratitude to them.  I don't want to say "I'm thankful for friends and family who love me" and then never take the extra step to actually tell them how much they mean to me.  I want to be intentional and active with my gratitude. 

To kick start this off, I'll be spending the next week writing 30 Thank You cards to Veterans I know. These men and women not only have completed their branch's rigorous training program but have stood by, both stateside and abroad, ready and willing to fight for our country's freedom.  They have dedicated as least 4 years of their life to this country, they have completed hundreds of training scenarios, have wondered what the future holds, they have moved their family around the country. They have gone to war (some multiple times, some for multiple years), earned Purple hearts and a Bronze star, they have missed the birth of their children, one friend of mine had his wedding day over the phone, another lost 3 limbs, others know what it's like to be so use to bullets flying about- they just fall asleep to the sound of gunshots. They have come home to be thanked, and others spit on.  Some had a parade upon Homecoming and others came home to a country who hated them. Some went years without anyone shaking their hand and telling them that their service meant something, that it was worth it.   But all of them, no matter when or how or where they served, know the pride that comes from being in the United States Military.  Once a year, our country sets a day aside to say thank you.  So that's what I do.  I send a card and say thank you.  It's a small gesture but from what I've been told, it makes a pretty big impact.

So here's to a month of passing on the gratitude! Let's see who we can bless today.