I am endlessly amazed at the callous lack of gratitude we Americans can muster. I believe my amazement comes from my own realization of what a fool I am and yet still how much I have - just by being blessed to be born in this country. I mean - I can screw up any good thing that God decides to send my way. Really I can. I can offend friends, bust a new weed-wacker in a day and teach my kids a bad habit in a month. I seem to be endlessly on my knees asking Him forgiveness. I don’t deserve anything. Thank God He is merciful!

Anyhow - that’s what makes me so grateful to have the simplest things in this life; the ability to see the summer skies just before sundown, the joy of holding my granddaughter, the sweet smell of a rain-swept valley in southwest Pennsylvania in June. Nice things. Precious things. Things bought for us by those who came before us and things granted us by a God who was honored by the prayers, faith and sacrifices of so many through the generations of the history of our nation.

When I run my hand through the dew covered grass of my front lawn in the morning I am grateful. Grateful to my good heavenly Father to grant me another day on my land, grateful to the men and women who gave their lives to make it possible for me to own a home, grateful to the men and women of the military, police fire and rescue who carry on the tradition of freedom for me today, grateful to my government and my community leaders who work for my comfort and grateful to my friends and family who come to share the blessings of my life.

There is so much we have to be grateful for, so much to be thankful for. And yet night after night the news spews out our discontents. Day after day our newspapers dredge out the evil, the sad, the depressing and the controversial. And then, from one radio program to the next, we nurture our outraged ungrateful souls on the tripe of every argument we can muster. And in our feeble attempt to heal our miseries, we placate our self-blighted souls with endless hours of entertainment or comical pursuits of self-help illusions. I cannot imagine being God and watching all this. His glorious creation being wasted on — nothing.

What can we add to ourselves by worrying about one thing? What great power do we have to change the world? But consider - how powerful gratitude is! Yes! Just being grateful all the time. Think about it.

One day a month ago I entered a large trendy restaurant on the south side of Pittsburgh for lunch. On my way in I decided to just express extreme gratitude to everyone while I was there. The waitress came to the table stiff, solemn and obviously disconnected. I smiled and thanked her profusely for her service through the entire meal. By the time we finished the waitress was laughing with me and offering me her own gratitude. And that by just being grateful. And yes, I gave her a big grateful tip.

Be grateful. Thank God for all good things. Thank your employer for giving you an opportunity. Thank your family for loving you. Thank your friends for just being part of your life and sticking with you. Thank a local police officer for being passionate about watching over your community. Thank your local grocery cashier for taking care of you at the checkout.

See the difference of a grateful heart and one day you will end your time here on this earth without regrets.