Very grateful--the foundation of faith~

     I keep thinking of gratitude as the core, the foundation of faith. Notice how the Psalmist often starts by thanking God for creation, and how St. Paul begins and ends his letters with gratitude. And of course ‘very grateful’ was my mom’s favorite expression of faith, the last words she uttered before she died at 101.

     The moment I wake up I try to think of specific things that I’m grateful for, but I must confess that my mind usually slips into the mundane planning of the day ahead, or to any worries that I’m still carrying around from the day before. But I’m getting better, and before the day is too far along, I try to write down at least five ‘gratitudes’ in my journal.

       And the city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the Glory of God is it’s light and it’s lamp is the Lamb. Rev. 21.23

    This morning’s reading from Revelations sparked the thought that God is inherent in every gratitude, and that if I can just remember to find a blessing in everything that I experience, God will always be present to me. This seems like a worthy practice because how easy it is to slip away from God, to forget to light the lamp, to see Christ in all things.

    So, my challenge is to keep noticing little blessings as I go through the day.

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