Last week the topic of my talk was: “What do you want from 2026?”…This week: In 2026 I am going to Iive a life of ongoing gratitude.
In Afrikaans is dit: Ek leef 2026 dankvinderig.
Ephesians 5:20 – “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Most of you know my saying “an attitude of gratitude”. What it does is when you are intentionally looking for the good in life, you see things you have never seen before.
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
So what is the opposite or alternative?
Dit is waar my nuwe afrikaanse woord inkom. Die teenoorgestelde is “foutvinderig” – ons soek net fout met alles!? So kom ons wees dankvinderig – soek na dinge om oor dankbaar te wees! Ons moet meermale al die goeie dinge raaksien wat ander mense doen. Ons moet meermale sien hoe die Here sy kinders sonder ‘n bohaai gebruik om klein dingetjies vir ander te doen en dan vir Hom dankie te sê. Kom ons sien die goeie in ander mense raak, hulle goeie bedoelinge…kom ons KIES om nie mense af te breek nie, sleg te laat voel nie…
There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance…and gratitude (dankvinderig)is the best antidote for arrogance. The more you look around and see and realise how lucky you are… and the many things you have to be grateful for…the more likely you are to be nice to the people around you and live a life of gratitude and thanksgiving.
Nou, dis baie makliker om dankbaar of dankvinderig te wees wanneer dit goed gaan met jou…jy wen al die kompetisies, jy maak die A-span, jy kry die onderskydings, jy kry die boyfriend of girlfriend…jy is die gesonde ene, jy het die “latest en die greatest” foon. Dit gaan goed met ons skool op die oomblik. Julle gaan netnou hoor van al ons prestasies. Dis baie maklik om op die oomblik dankbaar te wees.
Life is like a roller-coaster…you are either up or you are down. If you are the one who are struggling, you can pray and possibly do something about it. Maybe even change the way you look at things and it may get you out of the rut. If you are in a good space, then count your blessings. It is YOUR job to be part of the support structure because you are SO grateful for all the good things in your life. As HERMIES, let’s live a life of being grateful, being there for each other…and if you can’t be there for each other, at least chose not to break people down and say or do negative things towards them. Choose to see the good in people, because everybody has some good in them.
In 2026, en ons begin met hierdie eerste week in Februarie, wees eerder dankvinderig as foutvinderig. Jy mag maar realisties wees, maar moet asb nie daai een wees wat altyd oor alles kerm nie. Onhou, nie foutvinderig nie maar DANKVINDERIG.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to live an intentional life of gratitude in 2026. For some of us it might be easy and for others more difficult. Help us to be there for each other and to support everyone going through a tough time.
Help ons om 2026 dankvinderig aan te durf, om op te hou om fout te find, om deel van die oplossing te wees en nie deel van die probleem nie.
Dankie vir die wonderlike skool en dat U ons hier met ‘n doel geplaas het. Laat U wil geskied.
AMEN