10 Things I am Thankful for Today

Living with a thankful attitude is good for health.  Melinda Beck writes in the Health Journal Section of the  Wall Street Journal, "It turns out, giving thanks is good for your health.  A growing body of research suggests that maintaining an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being."

Here are 10 things I am thankful for as I live the grateful life today.

1.  I am thankful to be alive to live, love and serve at age 64.
2.  I am thankful to be husband to love and share life with my wife Bonnie.
3.  I am thankful to be loving father, grand father, and great grand father to six children, 17 grandchildren and six great rand children.
4.  I am thankful for the privilege to love my living parents.  My father is 87 and my mother is 81.
5.  I am thankful for the privilege to love my siblings (one brother and three sisters), nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles.
6.  I am thankful for the privilege to love the spiritual community of church family and close friends.
7.  I am thankful for nice home to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, and a car.
8.  I am thankful for gifts and skills that serve my and my family's interests and others.
9.  I am thankful for a lifetime's accomplishments in education, service appointments, travel, and publications.
10.  I am thankful for the many loving and beautiful people it is my privilege to know and love locally and globally.

I am thankful to be living the grateful life.

Oscar Crawford

How to Live Your Purpose the Keenan Actkins Way

Pastor Keen Actkins

Live life on purpose when you honor God; love your family, work to develop personally and professionally.  That is my pastor, the Rev. Keenan Actkins’ way.  Today is his birthday and I want to introduce him to you.

Keenan Actkins is a multi – talented husband and father, preacher and pastor, musician, sports writer and producer.  He lives in Mesa, Arizona with his wife, Taylor.  They have a daughter, Lyrik and son, Keenan II.  Pastor Actkins is currently completing an undergraduate degree.  God, Family, Church and Education are primary priorities for this 30 year old the third generation minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He founded the House of Prayer Christian Center in Mesa, Arizona in 2013.

From Maryland to Arizona

Keenan’s family comes from Baltimore, Maryland.  They are Ravens fans for sure.  Keenan remembers his mother getting lost driving through Baltimore when he was a small boy.  He reports he knew exactly what to do whenever his mother got lost.  He became a time traveler.  He would simply go to sleep to pass the time.  He knew he would be home when he woke up.

His mother Altoria Houney is an educated professional woman ordained to ministry.  Keenan’s relationship with his mother has been significantly affirming and empowering.  They are yet close emotionally and geographically.  Keenan, his mother, and Sister Tezhina all moved together from Maryland to Arizona.  Each has families of their own but all live within 100 yards of each other. 

Multiple Talents

Big Daddie Sports is Keenan and Co – Host L. B. Jenkins’s coverage of all things NFL.  See an episode   Visit YouTube for Pastor Keenan’s Sunday Morning Sermons.  The Value of Authentic Experience  What Happens When the Parameters Change    Missing the Point

Read his articles.  NFL Draft 2013: Chargers Donald Butler not sold on Manti Te’O                     NBA Playoffs 2013: Durant Learning on the Job  NFL Draft 2013: AFC West Draft Grades

Spend some time with Pastor Actkins on Facebook and Twitter  

How to Live Glad to Be Alive

Oscar and Bonnie Crawford

Living the Thankful Life is the privilege to demonstrate how to live glad to be alive.  Living thankful suggests observation of activity that has already taken place has been personally and emotionally meaningful.  Appreciation followed for which a significant emotional memory remains.  Not all are pleasant.  All are meaningful leaving deep impressions imprinted in hearts and minds.

Are you glad to be alive right now?  How are you demonstrating it?

It is Monday Morning, April 29, 2013 just before 7 A.M.  I breathe on my own.  I move on my own.  I am awake for more than an hour.  I have seen my Bonnie’s early morning smile and heard her voice.  I am thankful to be alive.  

Yesterday, we shared worship’s moment of intense intimacy with our community of faith, the House of Prayer Christian Center.  You want to share this experience.  It will do your spirit, soul and body good. I am thankful to be alive.

Bonnie and I cooked dinner for friends last night.  I heated an 18-inch cast iron skillet, poured in a few teaspoons of soy sauce.  Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon were next in.  Oven temperature was 350 degrees for the first 20 minutes. 

Skillet comes out of oven just long enough to top with mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs.  It all goes back into the oven for a final 10 minutes at 400 degrees.  After ten minutes, turn oven off and leave in oven for another 10 minutes with oven door open.  It should have a beautiful brown top.

We added mashed potatoes.  There was also salad of tomatoes with cucumbers and onion in oil and vinegar.  I am thankful to be alive. 

The word glad has the connotation of being so happy you are almost giddy, joyfully laughing and smiling over your experience of the moment.  Glad has many first cousins synonyms.  Among them are blissful, delighted, happy, joyful, pleased, satisfied, or thankful.

Are you glad to be alive right now?  How are you demonstrating it?

If this blog post spoke to you, you might also like this:  Just  Glad to Be Alive, a Glimpse into the Life of Father Fred Fury

Pastor Keenan Actkins and House of Prayer Christian Center Announces Living the Grateful Life Blog

Grateful means to be warmly or deeply appreciative of  kindness or benefits received.

Living the Grateful Life is the practice of the community of the House of Prayer Christian Center (HOPCC) in Mesa, Arizona.  Living the Grateful Life is also the title of HOPCC's recent publication.

HOPCC members share personal stories of gratitude for the presence of God in their lives during good times and not so good times.  Continuing moments of gratitude will be shared here.

Micha Goudeau, Editor

Micha Goudeau, Editor of Living the Grateful Life had this to say, "The goal of our shared stores is to demonstrate the love of Christ through sharing our experiences and how we actively work to "live the grateful life.  HOPCC's prayer is that you experience the love of God as you read and share our stories."

 Get Living the Grateful Life for your Kindle, Kindle App or Kindle Cloud Reader.

Pastor Keenan Actkins

 Keenan Actkins is the Founder and Pastor of the House of Prayer Christian Center.