Give Thanks

"What if the only things you had with you tomorrow were the things that you thanks God for today?"

This quote made me think. I realized that most of the time, my prayers focus on me. My need, my requests, my problems. In my prayers, I don't thank God very often for blessings or answered prayers.

I'm blessed with  wonderful husband. Now if I only talked to him when I had problems or only talked about my problems, I would not be in a healthy relationship.

If we are to pray without ceasing, I picture a conversational prayer going on throughout the day, in short little bites.

Prayers are to praise God (May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you).

Prayers are to thank God.
Prayers are to confess sins (Lord, have mercy on me a sinner).
Prayers are to intercede (who will stand in the gap?).

If you're thinking this sounds a bit like A.C.T.S. (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication), it is. It's just sometimes I hear group prayers that just ask, ask, ask, and ask. No where in the prayers is a thank you. No where is God praised.

James 4:1-3 We don't get our prayers answered if we ask for the wrong reason. Do we ask for our gain, our comfort or His? For His glory or ours?

But back to thanking God:
I'm thankful for:
-hubby, loving family, friends
-house, running water, electricity, heat, a/c
-enough (more than enough really) water, food, clothes
-tech to make life easier
-His love
-to live in a country where I am free to practice my faith