Every Time You Think You Got it Bad...Be Grateful

I saw a post on a Facebook page today that billed Thursday as Thankful Thursday or in the techno world #thankfulthursday So, I have decided to reciprocate that idea here on my blog. Now, each Thursday, will be known as the Southern Man's Thankful Thursday. Also, since I seem to have to pair every post with a song, I've got one for Thankful Thursday too! One could call it the Southern Man's Thankful Thursday Song or you could just call it by it's actual name, "Be Grateful." The song is performed by the group The Farm and the lyrics are as follows:

(Verse)
The other day I called myself complaining
Now my boss has got me working over time
Then the stranger who was sitting there beside me
Said, I spent all day in the unemployment line
Are there open shifts, are they hiring on
I'll work any hours even all night long
If you could put a good word in for me

(Chorus)
Every time you think you got it bad
You can find someone who's got it worse
All the things you take for granted now
They started out as blessings first
If you got someone who loves you
And a steady job that puts food on the table
If you're strong and able
Man , be grateful

(Verse)
We complain about how much it's gonna cost us
To feel our 20 something thousand dollars cars
And living in the land of milk and honey
It's so easy to forget how lucky we are
We can work hard and buy a patch of dirt
And on Sunday morning we can go to church
And pray for those who don't have it as good as you

(Chorus x2)
Everytime you think you got it bad
You can find someone who's got it worse
All the things you take for granted now
They started out as blessings first
If you got someone who loves you
And a steady job that puts food on the table
If you're strong and able
Man , be grateful


This song is very powerful. It forces you to examine yourself, which is often times the reason why we just aren't as grateful as we should be- we are too caught up in ourselves and not caught up in ourselves enough all at the same time. Huh? How's that possible? Allow me to explain.


First in order to be grateful or thankful, we must reflect on what has taken place in ourselves. I guarantee you if you look back on your lives and the good times, you will be reminded of how truly blessed you are. From having a loving family and friends, to academic or athletic accomplishments to being blesses through medical problems to being fortunate enough to live in a country where resources are not only abundant, but better than most of the world.


Secondly, in order to be thankful we must look at the present. Look around you. Do you have a job? A lot of people don't. Do you have good health? A lot of people don't. Do you drive a car that doesn't require work everyday to get it running? Some people don't. Can you buy, not only the things you need but also the things you want? A lot of people can't. Can you put food on your table? Some people can't. Last, but certainly not least, do you have someone who loves you? Some people don't.

Finally, in order to be thankful we must look to the future and continue with the notion that we will continue to be just as blessed as we've always been. Sometimes that is hard to do, but I believe it can be done. After all, we've been blessed so much in the past; why should we expect anything different in the future? The future holds a lot sometimes, often times the best things. I certainly feel that way at the moment. Jobs come and jobs go. You may have a better job in the future. Health comes and health goes. You may have better health in the future. Cars come and cars go. You may have a better car in the future. Things come and things go. You may be able to have better things in the future. Especially with me, food comes and food goes. Haha! you may have more and better food in the future. Most importantly, people come and people go. You may have some very special important people in your future.

You see, being grateful requires work. Work requires effort. Many people don't won't to put for the effort to make things work. Right now, at this moment, I'm doing my best to put forth the effort and make things work because I see great things ahead and I'm grateful for what is behind.

So, from this point forward, Thursdays will be known here as the Southern Man's Thankful Thursdays. After all, one of the true measures of a man is revealed in how grateful he is. What are you grateful for? That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from this small town southern man! 

Here's a link to The Farm's "Be Grateful":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoUVODtrVKU