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Self examination is an important part of the Christian life. The believer, being a child of God, should readily seek to know if our conduct, our conversation, our witness, our attitude, conform to the life of faith we are attempting to live. Keeping short accounts with Our Lord means contemplating the choices we make, the values we hold, the concerns and thoughts which hold us captive.
In the matter of thankfulness, we are all too often guilty of neglecting to discern the personal way in which Our Lord works in our lives. Do we first of all thank Our Savior for saving us? Do we understand that He paid the cost we miserable sinners could not pay? Do we appreciate the food on our tables, the roof over our heads? Do we appreciate the kindness of family and friends in our lives? What about the casual acquaintance or the helpful stranger who assisted us in a time of need? Do we thank God for those who have prayed with us and for us, who have touched our lives with genuine Christian love? Do we recognize the hand of God in these things, and the work of the Holy Spirit in nudging and leading us day by day?
The child of God needs to strive to be a humble and grateful individual, never hesitant to thank God for His daily provisions and benefits, both spiritual and physical, borne of His love, mercy, and concern for His children. To forget to give Our Lord the glory for even small things is to live carelessly, a way of living that should be foreign to the believer.
At the same time, Christians may sometimes experience suffering, perhaps a trial, a personal tragedy, a catastrophic loss or circumstances that bring us to the edge of despair. Yet, the worst of tribulations will pass, and we have the blessed assurance of Our God that He will never leave us or forsake us in this life or in the life to come. For this assurance, we must also be thankful to Him.
By a serious reading of the word of God, we are reminded by Jesus in numerous verses that our outlook, when transformed by the gospel, will give us the kind of peace and strength that words cannot describe, and as such, we have much to be thankful for as we live out our days on this earth. 
-John J Flanagan