gratitude

A Word from Mr. Bonhoeffer

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“Thankfulness works in the Christian community as it usually does in the
Christian life. Only those who give thanks for the little things receive the
great things as well. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts
prepared for us because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think that
we should not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge,
experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be
seeking the great gifts. Then we complain that we lack the deep certainty, the
strong faith, and the rich experiences that God has given to other Christians,
and we consider these complaints to be pious. We pray for the big things and
forget to give thanks for the small (and yet really not so small!) gifts we
receive daily. How can God entrust great things to those who will not
gratefully receive the little things from God’s hand?” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

To receive the greater gifts and blessings, it’s important for us to give thanks for the seemingly smaller gifts (which in hindsight turn out to be not quite so small after all).

Above all, I think it’s important to give thanks for each day God wakes us up and not take for granted another 24 hours that we got to see and touch and taste and smell and live.

No matter what happened today, good or bad or ugly, the fact that you survived is an indication that God’s not done with you and that He still has a purpose for you being here.

I believe those who are the happiest and most joyful are the ones who are grateful for everything, not just the obvious blessings. I know those are the people I want to get to know and to be like. May we all be those kinds of thankful people.

 

 

Grateful for Sore Muscles

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Yes, that title is correct. I’m thankful for sore muscles tonight. I’m generally not a fan of soreness, but tonight I give thanks for several reasons:

The soreness came from washing and waxing my car this afternoon, so I’m thankful for being physically able to do those things, even if it resulted in slight discomfort later on. There are a lot of people, some my age or younger, who could not perform those tasks because of physical limitations.

Being able to wash and wax my car means that I have a car that’s reliable transportation, so for that I’m also grateful. It may be old . . . I mean vintage . . . but it still gets me where I need to go with a little style to boot.

I give thanks that the good weather held out just long enough for me to finish waxing my car before the rain started. I also held out long enough, though I was sweating profusely by the time I was done. My next post will likely be about how I need to workout more.

Eyes to see with, ears that hear, a mind that works. I refuse to take anything for granted anymore, no matter how small or insignificant it seems. I believe gratitude opens up the door of blessing and makes us see more of the blessings we already have.

Usually, I suck at giving thanks. I do my fair share of complaining and grumbling (mostly to myself in my head). Those days when I give thanks, I can tell a tangible difference in the way I see the world and the way the world sees me. It makes a difference.

Oh, I’m also thankful that Advance Auto Parts had the car wax on the shelf for me to buy so that I could wax my car. I almost left that part out.

It’s Monday Eve Again

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My cat Lucy is purring, so I’m thinking she’s unaware that tomorrow is Monday. Either that or she’s in complete denial.

I’m leaning toward the latter.

Of course, her schedule for tomorrow is a little less complicated than mine. Her to-do list goes something like 1) eat, 2) take a nap, 3) poop 4) take a nap, 5) dash crazily around the house for 45 seconds, 6) take a nap, etc.

Monday’s not my favorite way to start off the week.

Then again, Monday means I’m alive and made it to another day.

I can choose to complain or I can choose to give thanks. Gratitude is a much better way to live than grumbling. You can see every day as a burden or as a miracle. It’s your  choice.

So to that end, I say that God is great, life is good, and I am still very much blessed.

The end.

Happy Birthday Adam to Me!!

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It’s my Birthday Adam, the day before my birthday Eve, the day before my actual birthday. As usual, all forms of payment are accepted.

I’m thankful that I’m still around to celebrate another birthday. Growing old is a privilege denied to many, so I’m not going to grumble or take it for granted.

I’m going to wake up tomorrow (God willing) and say a prayer of thanks for the privilege. I’m going to get in my car and drive to my job and be grateful for those things as well.

I’m going to take pleasure in the little things like the early appearance of spring weather and the flowers blooming. I’m not going to dwell on the things I can’t control or bemoan all that I don’t have but rather give thanks for everything I do have.

So here’s to a happy 45th birthday and another year full of grace and mercy to come!

 

A Pre-Lent Lenten Prayer

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“A lenten prayer to avoid entitlement from Richard Rohr:

‘Maybe we all should begin our days with a litany of satisfaction, abundance, and enoughness. God, you have given me another day of totally gratuitous life: my health, my eyes, my ears, my mind, my taste, my family, my freedom, my education, clean water, more than enough food, a roof over my head, a warm bed and blanket, friends, sunshine, a beating heart, and your eternal love and guidance.

To any one of these we must say, “And this is more than enough!'”

Ok, I know we’re not quite to Lent season just yet. I realize that Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday are two weeks away (and Mardi Gras just happens to fall on my birthday this year, which is neat).

Still, this applies to any season of the year or of life. Gratitude is the gift that never goes  out of style and never becomes obsolete. Joy is as much of an art and a discipline as it is a gift because while it’s free, it takes effort and stamina to fully realize and appreciate it.

I should probably at some point tape these words from Richard Rohr to my bathroom mirror so that they are the first thing I see when I wake up. Or maybe I should post them somewhere I will see them AFTER I’ve had that all-important first cup of coffee.

I need reminding often of how blessed  I truly am. It’s easy in a culture that promotes dissatisfaction and envy to look at all that’s missing from my life and all that I don’t have. That can lead to despair.

Joy starts with being content with such things that I have already. Gratitude is the way we see God’s provident hand everywhere working in everything. Even on Mondays.

 

 

An Attitude of Gratitude

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I found out that a friend of the family is currently walking through his own valley of the shadow of death in dealing with incurable cancer. To hear the word “cancer” coming out of the mouth of a doctor is scary enough, but to hear it preceded by “terminal” has to be frightening to an almost paralyzing degree.

Yet this friend of mine has faced this diagnosis with dignity and peace and an unswerving faith in the God who is still in the miracle business. While the odds seem insurmountable, I’m reminded yet again that what seems impossible to us isn’t even remotely difficult for God. Just ask any of the blind or lame men that Jesus healed. Or the lepers. Or Lazarus.

My friend said that it all starts with an attitude of gratitude. I truly believe that. A positive mental outlook is half the battle when dealing with a grim medical diagnosis.

Yet it’s more than that. This attitude of gratitude comes from the same place that allowed the Apostle Paul to pen the words that to live is Christ and to die is gain. It’s literally a win-win with Jesus.

Either my friend gets healed here and becomes a witness of God’s healing power or he is resurrected and finds ultimate healing and stands in front of Jesus to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

When you think about it, we’re all terminal. After sin entered the world, death followed close behind and that proverbial hourglass started on each one of us. Unless Jesus comes back soon, all of you reading this will come to the place where you breathe your last.

Thanks to Jesus death will not have the final word. The grave is only temporary. The resurrection truly does mean that the worst thing is never the last thing and Jesus will have the final word in your story.

I’m praying for my friend for healing here and now knowing that no matter what happens, God is always good and we are always loved and that grace still wins in the end.

 

A Thursday Night Reminder

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Remember as your head hits the pillow tonight that there is someone out there wishing and praying for all the things that you have and take for granted.

You might not have everything you want, but you still have way more than a lot of people around the world.

The next time you start to complain or to fall into the envy trap, remember that there are people who don’t have nearly as much as you who are way more content.

The old saying remains true– when you give thanks and practice gratitude, it makes what you have enough. You won’t get caught up in the futile race to find peace through the accumulation of stuff.

So give thanks for what you have and be generous to those who don’t have as much as you. Be one of the radical few who don’t feel the need to keep up with those proverbial Joneses but are satisfied with what they have.

I think that covers it for this Thursday, December 7, 2016.

 

Thanks-living: 2016 Edition

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‘Go through His gates, giving thanks; walk through His courts, giving praise. Offer Him your gratitude and praise His holy name. Because the Eternal is good, His loyal love and mercy will never end, and His truth will last throughout all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5, VOICE).

Tomorrow’s the day we give thanks. Well, for most of us, it’s a day to eat ourselves into tryptophan-induced food comas and then become one with the couch for the next several hours watching a) football b) Netflix or c) Christmas movies (for those who like to get a jump on the season).

Maybe today’s a good day to start– on the thanksgiving part.

You don’t have to relegate gratitude to one day out of the year. In fact, the Bible commands us to give thanks in every circumstance. Note: it does not say to give thanks FOR every circumstance but IN every circumstance.

Don’t have any thing to be thankful for?

Did you wake up this morning? Check.

Did you have at least one meal today? Check.

Do you have a roof over your head right now? Check.

Do you have more clothes than what’s on your back? Check.

Did you drink a glass of water that wasn’t contaminated by bacteria and uncleanness? Check.

The point is that even if you don’t have every single thing you want, you still have a lot. You have more than enough to live in gratitude and thanksgiving for the rest of your life.

So give thanks. Better yet, live your thanks. Show your gratitude for what you have by paying it forward to those who have less. Be kind and generous with everyone. Even yourself.

Tomorrow, be sure to eat lots of your favorite foods, whether that be turkey, ham, tofurkey, or even tofu. I recommend trying a little of everything and saving room for dessert.

 

A Good Deed Is Never Lost

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“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love; pleasure bestowed on a grateful mind was never sterile, but generally gratitude begets reward” (St. Basil).

I heard this quoted on an old episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show earlier this evening. It jumped off the screen the moment I heard it.

That’s the key– planting a lifetime’s worth of courtesy, kindness, and gratitude. You never go wrong if you steep yourself and those around you in these virtues.

True, the Gospel comes in words as well as actions, but you cultivate the ground for the gospel seed to take root with the courtesy that leads to friendship, the kindness that leads to love, and the gratitude that leads to reward.

These days, most people are too impatient for these virtues. They want microwave relationships and instant gratification. I still believe that the best things worth having are the things you work for and work on over a lifetime. They never come quickly or easily.

The old adage is true: people really don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. All the knowledge in the world is useless outside of the context of relationship.

Evangelism is of no good if you only see people as potential converts and not as flesh and blood real-life human beings with stories to tell and hearts that break. Sharing your faith doesn’t work if all you’re after is the conversion and not the relationship.

Regardless, courtesy and kindness and gratitude are never wasted. You alway reap a reward when you sow these because you always end up better for them.

Oh and The Dick Van Dyke Show is classic television at its very best. It’s also on Netflix. I highly recommend it if you missed it the first time around (like those of us who were born too late).

 

My Prayer at 11:08 PM on a Friday Night

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“I thank God for most this
amazing
day; for the leaping greenly
spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;
and for everything
which is natural, which is
infinite, which is yes” (e. e. cummings)

On this Friday, I give thanks for the following:

  1. Fridays, which have never gotten old, even when I was unemployed. I can’t remember when Friday didn’t make me extremely happy.
  2. Another overcast Autumn day to remind me of why I love fall.
  3. An oversized mug of hot chocolate from The Well to remind me of why I love hot chocolate. Or anything at all from The Well. Or just hanging out at The Well in general.
  4. Geriatric cats that still curl up in my lap and fall asleep there (well, just the one geriatric cat named Lucy who would probably kill me in my sleep if she ever found out that I referred to her as geriatric).
  5. Doctor Who (particularly the episodes with David Tennant and Billie Piper). I’m late to the party, but I’m now officially a fan. And I still at some point would like to watch all the existing episodes, starting at the very beginning. Put that on my bucket list.
  6. Netflix on my iPad, which is way cooler than the portable TV I used to tote around back in the day when I thought I was the cat’s pajamas (again, don’t tell my cat Lucy I said that).
  7. A comfortable bed at the end of a long day.
  8. Not having to set the alarm for 5 am for tomorrow morning.
  9. God’s grace at the end of the day and God’s new mercies for the beginning of the next new day.

So what did we learn today? Gratitude still pays dividends. That and it’s a really good thing my cat Lucy doesn’t read my blog posts.