Why be thankful?

In a few days I will hit the half century mark. There are at least a couple of ways to approach such a birthday. (1) The "I can't believe I'm this old" Approach. This approach doesn't work well for me. It's a hard sell for me to say, "I can't believe I'm 50" while my joints ache, my bifocals are resting on my nose and my bald head is shining. So I go with Approach #2. It's the " I can't believe I'm 50" approach. Sounds the same as #1, but you miss the tone of my statement with this e-communication. It is a statement of amazement rather than questioning. I am amazed that God has given me life. Not only has God given me life, but He has chosen to bless me with 50 years of life. From my earliest memory, I have known Him. From my earliest memory, I have heard about His love. From my childhood, He has given me a love of His Truth and a desire to serve Him. Why? The God of the universe loves me? Yes, when I consider God's gift of life, there is no question. God loves me. My "Thanksgiving" begins here. But, it doesn't end here. It cannot end here. If I am truly grateful, then my gratitude must spill over into all my days and ways. Thanksgiving is powerful. Gratitude is a catalyst for love. It is a precursor for giving. It is a vaccination against selfishness. It destroys pride. It transforms us into a living story where God is the main character. It will illuminate every valley and dark place without fail because when we are giving thanks to God we are speaking to God and when we are speaking to God we are reminded that God is with us. Thank you God.