I remember one afternoon the tour guide said, "Now we'll show you the wealthy part of town, where the millionaires live." We were we in for a shock! As we drove through a very nice residential area, our guide pointed the houses out to us. He commented on how beautiful the "gardens" were. (In the United States, we call it front lawn, yard or grounds.)

Actually, compared to our country, those gardens were very small. In fact, the neighborhood resembled a very modest middle class neighborhood from back home. And yet, this was the wealthy area. These were million dollar homes.

Our tour guide also told us about the taxes he paid. His take home pay was around forty percent of what he earned! That's because the government provides so many services. And yet, in telling us about some of those services, especially medical, it didn't seem very appealing to me.

Visiting Italy and a number of other countries has given me a much deeper gratitude for living in the United States. I have always been thankful to live here, but seeing so many other places deepened that gratitude immensely. Then, it began to dawn on me just how ungrateful so many people are who live here in the USA.

Honestly speaking, in this country, even our slums are better than what many other countries have to offer. What we call "poor" so many other countries would call "very well off." So many Americans just do not realize how good we have it here.

And because so many people in the United States have developed a "something for nothing" mentality and believe that they are "entitled" to have every thing given to them, they have little appreciation for what they have. As they continue to expect others to give them more and more, their gratitude for what they do have becomes less and less.

Now here is a great key: having an attitude of gratitude, or appreciating what you have and being thankful, will actually bring more into your life. This has nothing to do with settling for how things are but everything to do with increasing what you do have.

When you are unthankful for what you have, you are admitting that you have lack. Your mind's focus stays on what you don't have. All you can see is what is missing. And sadly, many people see no way of getting any increase so they expect someone else to give it to them.

On the other hand, if you will consciously look at what you do have, and be thankful for it, you are admitting that you have something! Therefore you mind's focus is not on lack, it is on having.

So, you think, "What difference does it make if I focus on lack, or focus on what I have?" You think that, "My thoughts certainly can't change my circumstances, can they?" Yes, they can!

God created our minds. He gave us the freedom to think whatever thoughts we choose to think. At this very moment, if you want to, you can think about an elephant jumping off a diving board into a swimming pool! You can think about whatever you want to think about!

But, the way God designed our minds is that which you consistently focus your mind on is what you will bring into your life. And if you will just stop for a moment and consider, you will see how true it is.

I'll bet that you know people who are consistently negative, always looking at and talking about how bad everything is in their life. Have they been like that for some time now? Yes! Has there been any change? No! Will there be any change for them? Not until they change their thinking!

Perhaps you know of others who are very positive and motivated. Is their life a disaster? No. It seems like good things just "come to them!" Do you think that they are just "lucky?" A lot of people think that they are!

The Bible says that as you think is your heart, so are you! You are a product of your own thoughts that you have built into your heart. And since you have freedom to think whatever you choose to think, you can change what is in your heart.

This is the little know secret about "gratitude!" Do you now see how being thankful for what you have right now is so powerful for your life? (Not to mention giving God the appreciation He so deserves!) Putting your focus on what He has blessed you with will bring more of His blessings into your life.

All Christians can and should receive blessings and abundance from a loving God who has promised just that. And for those who are so blessed to live in the United States, how can they get to such a point that they are looking to and expecting their government to supply what they are lacking?

Recognize, appreciate, and be thankful for everything that you have at this moment! Be grateful to God for all that you have, and continue to look to Him to supply all that you need!