I am guilty, I confess that often I overlook the gift of gratitude.“Where are the avocados?” I asked my husband as we emptied the bags we got from the market  on the kitchen counter.” I  knew there was something I forgot,” he said. Forgot? He knows life isn’t life for me without my green, delicious friends in my salads.

As a gentle complaint was about to slip out of my mouth, I stopped. I changed the way I was thinking. Instead, as I put items away, I gather thoughts of gratitude—thank you God for this fruit. Thank you for my bread. Thank you for these vegetables...

Then the doorbell interrupted me. “Hey!” I said to the neighbor as I opened the door.”She placed a heavy plastic bag in my hands. “Here are more avocados from our tree. They’re all yours.”

A smile came to my heart.  Of course, how can I forget? The secret to a lovely life is simple, pure gratitude. If you haven’t mastered it, here are five ways gratitude can impact your day:

• Changes the focus.
• Calls upon the power of God to take over.
• Cancels the negative.
• Creates a new perspective.
• Covers frustration.

For Jesus, gratitude is important. Do you remember when He healed ten men who had leprosy? “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” (Luke 17:16-17)

Follower of Jesus—be that "10th Leper." Christ said that it's by His Father's good pleasure that He gives us the Kingdom, (Luke 12:32) and that all things are for our sakes (2 Corinthians 4:15) so that thanksgiving will result in God's glory. As you embrace the five steps above, God will show you how He's been at work in your life, and joy will be the result!