This morning I was delighted that gratitude was my first thought upon awakening, seeing that gratitude keeps coming up as the place where faith begins and ends. Just the other day I read that the serpent’s sin in the Garden of Eden was lack of gratitude. St. Paul starts most of his letters with gratitude, and Eucharist means ‘to give thanks.’ My mom’s last words, ‘very grateful’ summarized her faith.
Every day I write in the gratitude diary that my daughter and grandchildren gave me for Christmas in 2006. Currently my entry has three parts. First, in red pen, I write a prayer for myself, for my needs. Today’s was, “Give me a compassionate heart.” Next, in black, I offer a line of gratitudes: lofty ones such as health, family, friends, my church: the mundane, morning coffee, the book I’m reading, my yoga class; and the worldly ones, the creation, the weather (whatever it is), and moments of peace in the world. On the third line, in green, I include something that is true for me that day. Today’s was, “Don’t judge; just pray.”
I thinking that “Be grateful” or “I am grateful” might be good mantra to start staying. How awesome it would be blurt out words of gratitude while sitting in traffic, when I smell burnt toast or when plans with family or friends fall through?
Every day I write in the gratitude diary that my daughter and grandchildren gave me for Christmas in 2006. Currently my entry has three parts. First, in red pen, I write a prayer for myself, for my needs. Today’s was, “Give me a compassionate heart.” Next, in black, I offer a line of gratitudes: lofty ones such as health, family, friends, my church: the mundane, morning coffee, the book I’m reading, my yoga class; and the worldly ones, the creation, the weather (whatever it is), and moments of peace in the world. On the third line, in green, I include something that is true for me that day. Today’s was, “Don’t judge; just pray.”
I thinking that “Be grateful” or “I am grateful” might be good mantra to start staying. How awesome it would be blurt out words of gratitude while sitting in traffic, when I smell burnt toast or when plans with family or friends fall through?
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