“It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” Brother David Steindl-RastOkay, I admit it, I’m a compulsive journaler. I take notes in church, I write lists for everything, and I’m rarely without pen and paper in the event I want to write down my thoughts. I even have to set a page limit for my morning quiet time or I would never get to work on time. Yet, when I was challenged to nightly write in a gratitude journal, I balked for the first time. What should I write? I was told not to repeat an entry, so good health, my husband, and friends went early. Now, what? Family, food & shelter, a job…I was stuck again. My church family, a ministry where I could help others, the gifts I was bless with…still I struggled to think of new things each night. Finally I discovered daily events: a green light when I was running late, my car starting the first time on a cold morning, a call from a friend just when I needed it the most. After a while, I surprised myself each day with what I was grateful for. My life had not changed, I was just more aware of my days…like seeing a glass half-full rather than half-empty. Over a period of time I could begin to see a change in me. I was more positive, more happy…more joyful. So, on the day after Christmas when suddenly all the Christmas decorations look tawdry, stuffed into the clearance corner of the store. The Christmas music is exchanged for the regular pre-recorded sound tracks, and cars honk at you when you try to make your way through a parking lot rather than the gracious pause to let you pull out... I will remember that the holiday accessories are not what makes me joyful. Do you sometimes struggle to get into ‘the Christmas spirit’? Are you more often viewing your life as half-empty rather than half-full? What has happened to you today that you can be grateful for?
Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to see the little things that bless me each day. Amen “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Brother David Steindl-Rast (1926- ), an Austrian Catholic Benedictine monk, author of Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer, 1984.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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