November 22, 2007

Cultivate A Heart Of Gratitude

American Bandstand, Belleville OH

Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace,
and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills,
in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns
with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God,
whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

This is one of my favorite hymns, and I love it that our church uses it often in services year round much more than the ususal once or twice a year at this time in the calander.

I love Thanksgiving and all of the warm fuzzies that go along with it even if we here in our house skipped the cooking and went to Mimi's Had a lovely Thanksgiving meal with Woody. He is sleeping it off, I came home and took Annabelle out for a breezy walk in her new pink quilted coat with a faux fur trimed hood. Yesterday it was a burgundy sweater... she endures all of this without one complaint. Woody complains that Annabelle is neither my little baby nor a doll to dress. I just want her warm... Now hair acessories are another thing all together!

I miss the family social thing but after traveling last week I am so glad I wasnt going anywhere this weekend. Just enjoying the quiet if a bit chilly house has been lovely.

I have a little plaque that sits on our table that reads "Be Grateful" Its so easy to forget how much we have, not just materially, but just the basics like food shelter and freedom from fear. How many people in this world have none of those things... Quite a few.

I have to admit though, my conciousness has been raised somewhat in the past few months. I have not been a big giver... Sadly, in my heart there has been a hardness toward the poor ("Just pick yourself up...I did..." ect)for much of my life. I see a lot of these people as hand out seekers and "gimmee" people. As I have been more and more exposed to a Catholic mindset and a real understanding of how Jesus viewed the Poor, I have felt a giving over. That has lead to having a more grateful nature.

I am thankful for many many things, people and situations in my life. I try to count my blessings at least once a day. I have been encouraged to pray the "Morning Offering" prayer. But I find that I would rather pray and just thank God for getting me to this new day and thinking of ten things that I am thankful for. That helps me put on a happy morning face rather than a grumpy one. Although I must say that getting miss Annabelle out of her bed and to her bathroom, being licked for joy all the way has a wonderful effect on my mental outlook. How can you be grumpy when your doggy just wants to love you...

But seriously...I am asking God to remind me more and more as time passes and the world is changing and I think, going to become a very hard place to live in... Just to remind me of how good I have it and how I need to just be happy and not worry so much. To be thankful and to care about the things that matter and let go of the things that dont matter. To be open to God's best and let the rest fall away like the dead leaves that fell off the trees last week.

I love todays "blog of note" Attitude of Gratitude In nearly evey post Scott W, a man recovering from addiction, lists things he's grateful for. Like my morning prayer. I found many of the things mentioned on his lists touching. As many isues as I had in my past, chemical addictions were not among them. Another thing to be grateful about...When thinking about this, I realized that I could make a list of my own...

Woody, exsaperating and misunderstood as he is, he champions me and supports me not in everyway but in more ways than most.

My life situation here in NW Arkansas. I am constantly surprised at how life has turned around. While there are hard days and I often feel very alone, I have met more straight up people... I certainly work with more straight up people, than I I ever have before. My home, my job, my health, my future, is brighter and better than at any time in my life...Im grateful for that.

Im grateful for the people that are supporting my spiritual journey, from my cousin Lyn, to my Methodist Pastor, to those that are a part of RICA at St Bernards parish, to the folks at Little Protion and John Michael Talbot...even those that are trying to disuade me right now from "crossing the Tiber" are a blessing as they get me to thinking about what I am doing. I want to be Catholic for right reasons, not just emotions or impulses

For my beautiful kitties and my sweet doggy...For the wildlife that comes up close to us and the beauty of this lovely place we call home...

For opportunity, health and well being, for enough of everything overflowing into excess. May God forgive our over indulgence, our selfish greed.

As I sit on the lanai looking out over the forest full of leafless trees... the freezing grey of a late autumn evening...snow flurries likely...me and my Annabelle, I am so glad that I have you my readers and friends on the journey as well. I love you all and so very glad that you have joined me on the journey over My Wide Blue Seas...

Labels: Catholic, Faith, Family History, Prayers, RCIA, scripture, Thanksgiving