The Smallest Things

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 273: Today, I am grateful for joy found in the smallest things. 

"I hope you find joy in even the smallest things today." 

It is a lovely thought to start the day and a bit of a challenge, too. Look deeper, harder, and with more intention and you will see beauty all around. 

The beautiful design on butterflies wings or the intricate combination of translucent dragonfly wings are both unique and beautiful. 

A late summer or fall bloom that is perfectly formed is another reason to take delight. Or, perhaps, celebrate the tattered surviving bloom after a storm. 

If your car starts and the gas tank is nearly full, choose joy in the blessing. Celebrate the "enough" and your joy increases. 

"pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. -1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 

Let His Spirit fill you with joy in the ordinary and the extraordinary. 

Today, I am grateful for joy found in the smallest things. 

Word Power

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 272: Today, I am grateful for word power.            

This is a wonderful collection of scriptures about the power, dangers, and consequences of our words. I am not sure which one is my favorite. Scriptures work together to help teach and mold us. It is good to write them on our hearts in our youth when it is easier to memorize. 

Each one has a specific truth, observation, or warning.

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." -Colossians 4:6

The right words at the right time are a powerful thing. They can be healing. They can wound a soul. Is it any wonder there are faith traditions where silence is practiced intentionally. 

On the other side of silence, is the need for human conversation to alleviate the loneliness that even a "busy" life can deliver. We learn from each other. Words of celebration, hope, and healing are more than kindness. They can change someone's day.  

Today, I am grateful for word power.    

Souls

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 271: Today, I am grateful we are souls. 

C.S. Lewis had a way of taking huge spiritual concepts and making them simple... yet, still profound. This is one of those observations:

"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."  -C.S. Lewis

As we get older... and we feel it at 35, 45, and 55... our aging bodies feel different when we roll out of bed in the morning. Most would say we feel the same on the inside. A little more experienced and hopefully wiser, but our souls do not feel our age. The idea of heavenly bodies gets sweeter as our earthly ones age. 

I was looking at scripture this morning. Sometimes, I will open a passage in "The Message" and it makes me smile. The modern language can be like a new look at an old scripture. It is fresh and timely at times, as it was this morning. 

"At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground—God hadn’t yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs)—God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!" -Genesis 2:4-6 (The Message)

We know God breathed into Adam and brought dirt to life. I have enjoyed pondering Adam's soul breath, knowing that we are all connected. It is mind boggling to me. Our soul breath seeks to know Him. Nothing in the world can satisfy our souls except Him. He is our home. 

It is that knowledge that has helped ordinary humans survive the pits of hellish earthly experiences. Knowing Him is still the answer. He is our peace. 

Know God, know peace; No God, no peace. 

Today, I am grateful we are souls. 

The Weird People

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 270: Today, I am grateful for the weird people.

"I like the weird people. The black sheep, the odd ducks, the rejects, the eccentrics, the loners, the lost and forgotten. More often than not, these people have the most beautiful souls." 

When we were in high school, my friend, Kelly, once said, "It is good to be weird." I couldn't agree more. 

The world is full of imitators and imitations. It is the antithesis of who God designed us to be. In our families, we all have shared DNA that comes together uniquely. Even identical twins have differences. 

It is not just "okay" to be unique, it is wonderful... yes, full of wonder. 

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb." -Psalm 139:13

John the Baptist was weird. So were several of the disciples, but Jesus looked past their 'weird' and saw their untapped potential. We all have quirks. Creativity and purpose can be embraced when we let go of our self-defined purpose to discover what God has for us. 

Today, I am grateful for the weird people. 

 

Important Things

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 269: Today, I am grateful for reminders of the important things.

This quote was perfect for a beautiful fall morning. 

"I want to do important work," I said. 
"Then smile at people you meet and play with dogs, and tuck a blanket around someone who falls asleep," she said.
"That's not what I meant," I said.
"Of course you did," she said. "You just had a smaller idea of important." 

Isn't that perfect? Our idea of important is confused at times and out of order with the way God designed. It breaks my heart that so many young people desire to be "social media influencers" for their life's work. 

There is so much good work to do that is much more satisfying and those things are much more likely to have an influence on those who need it the most. It is the "real" stuff, not posed or polished for viewing.

Service to our Lord might have an impact on others... they have free will. It will always has an impact on us. It helps us set the true North on our spiritual compass. I learned this first as a camp counselor at "Exceptional Children's Camp" when I was in junior high. I met some lifelong friends and the special needs people we served changed my life. Especially, Julie Hasslebring and Stevie Moore. They taught me to see God differently. 

Service with a smile is always better than without one. Feeding the hungry, tired, or ill feeds our souls, too. Loving on God's furry and feathered creatures is good for them, but it for us, too. Tucking a loved one with a blanket is an act of love that warms our hearts as much as the one who is sleeping. Matching socks, helping the elderly, acting with kindness towards our neighbors... this is the good stuff. These are the important things. 

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." -Galatians 5:13

Do not let your idea of important be "too small. " 

Today, I am grateful for reminders of the important things.

The Best Defense

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 268: Today, I am grateful for the best defense. 

The best defense for a test is preparation. The best defense against illness is building our immune systems with good food, sunlight, vitamins, and rest. The best defense against sports injury is warming up and stopping when it is time. The best defense against failure is preparation. There are so many other examples we could come  up with. 

There is a verse in Job where he is pleading with God saying, "If I only had an advocate to go before you to plead my case." Job was miserable, grieving, and looking for the "why" not knowing that there was more to the story. 

A few years ago, I found this verse and remembered Job's request:

"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous." -1 John 2:1

We do have a defender who goes to the Father. God answered Job's prayer in His time and in His plan. We have the best defense. The one who walked this earth and took our punishment longs for us to be rescued and saved. 

Today, I am grateful for the best defense. 

Straight Edge

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 267: Today, I am grateful for a straight edge.  

"You cannot really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture." -Elisabeth Elliot

When Solomon was gifted with Godly wisdom, some of it was captured in the book of Proverbs. If we read and write its words on our hearts, our daily interactions would all improve. In one of the early chapters this recommendation appears:

"My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble." -Proverbs 4:10-12

Listen, learn, and live well. He states that "I will lead you in straight paths." The straight path is usually the fastest and the easiest way to go. Still, we try to make our way on our own. We fight the obvious "right way" at times, to exert our independence. Then, we find ourselves with trouble and struggles.  Scripture provides us a straight edge. 

A straight edge is helpful when hanging pictures or wallpaper. Artists use them to get straight lines, too. Bakers use them to create lattice toppings. They help us cut straight, making jobs that require a straight line easier. 

Today, I am grateful for a straight edge. 

Ethics Aerobics

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 266: Today, I am grateful for ethics aerobics. 

"Your ethical muscle grows stronger every time you choose right over wrong." -"Price Pritchett

As our bodies are built through exercise to respond in a certain way, so is our mind. Ethics are not accidental. They require a "true North," a moral compass, and practice. 

My friend, Joe, likes to say "muscle only grows in the presence of resistance." It is true. Strength training is a part of readiness for any soldier or athlete. In the same way, our trials and struggles are strength training for our faith. 

Praying through the darkest night and hardest days is often where we come face to face with the realness of God. It is okay if it is a little scary. To be in awe of His holiness, omnipotence, and omnipresence is a natural reaction. Discovering His desire to be with us in our joys and the struggles feels big, full, and comforting, too. There are paradoxes and peace in knowing His truth and experiencing the redemption offered. 

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." -Romans 5:3-4

The more practiced and developed we are, the easier it is to make ethical, God pleasing, people loving, and good choices. The ethical choices come more naturally. Trials truly are training. 

Today, I am grateful for ethics aerobics. 

Good Observations

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 265: Today, I am grateful for good observations. 

"Jesus Christ went more willingly to the cross, than we do to the throne of grace." Thomas Watson

Thomas Watson lived in the 1600's. These words are still so true today. He asked to be spared the suffering of the cross, but the answer was "no." He surrendered his human desires and said "yes" to God's plan for our redemption. He knew he was "The Lamb of God" who would change the course of eternity for all who would believe and receive. Jesus did the hard thing, yet we resist the best "yes" of our lives. 

The world today is full of more stuff than ever before. It is, also, full of more emptiness. Stuff will never satisfy. 

His peace passes all understanding. It is what carries believers through brokenness. 

This weekend, a young widow echoed Jesus' words, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." about her husband's murder. You could have heard a pin drop. Then she said, "I forgive you." Broken and sincere. 

The world keeps saying, "We can do better." The truth is... not on our own. Our God is perfect love. 

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18

His grace is deep, full, and sufficient. Our part is full surrender. 

Today, I am grateful for good observations. 

Definitions

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 264: Today, I am grateful for definitions.   

It is no secret... I love words. A dictionary and thesaurus are two of my favorite books. They are staples because they help writers find just the right words for any occasion. 

I find it frustrating when the perfect word is eluding me. Eventually, it comes or I go digging for it. 

Definitions add precision and understanding to the written word. Word meanings can change with the culture and the times. Some words and meanings are lost. I appreciate when "archaic" meanings are listed in dictionaries so we do not lose them. Yes, definitions get lost. 

What never gets lost is the power of Christ's love to define us and redefine us.  

"Let the One who created you be the one who defines you."

I loved this image. It captures Jesus writing in the sand next to a woman about to be stoned for the sin of adultery. I've always thought it odd she was out there alone... facing judgement. It takes two. Right? 

I usually keep the daily scripture to a few related verses, but this story captures what it means to be seen, known, loved, forgiven, treasured, valued, and redefined by Christ. It happens to be one of my favorites from the Gospels. It is a beautiful glimpse into the character of Christ. 

John 8:1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11 “No, Lord,” she said.  And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” -John 8:1-11

I've always wondered if Jesus was defining the sins of her accusers in the sand. Whatever it was, it moved them. They walked away and so did the woman with the instruction to "go and sin no more." 

Today, I am grateful for definitions.        

Rest in the Rain

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 263: Today, I am grateful for rest in the rain.

"Butterflies rest when it rains because it damages their wings. It's okay to rest during the storms of life. You will fly again when it is over." 

I love this quote for the affirmation it contains. It is okay to rest when other choices might be limited or dangerous. There are other times, the better choice is facing the storm head on.  Discernment and wisdom is knowing the difference. 

Know the storm. Know the Master of the Storm. Then make your choice. He still provides the way. 

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." -Isaiah 40:31

Today, I am grateful for rest in the rain.

Compliment Bouquet

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 262: Today, I am grateful for a compliment bouquet.

My friend, Susan Gilroy Cunningham, literally taught me how to accept a compliment gracefully in college. Apparently, I was not very good at it. I will never forget her words. "Don't act like it is the first compliment you have ever received, or the last one you will ever get. Simply smile and say, "Thank you."  

This Corrie Ten Boom quote reminded me of her instruction. 

"When people come up and give me a compliment, I take each remark as if it were a flower. At the end of the day, I lift up the bouquet of flowers I have gathered throughout the day and say, "Here you are, Lord, it is all yours." -Corrie Ten Boom 

I love Corrie's reminder to give it all back to God in praise at the end of the day. 

If I get anything right, I am confident it is because of His love and grace so generously poured out over my imperfections. Human nature is strong and self-serving. That is the wonder of the Holy Spirit. He changes our hearts. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." -1 Thessalonians 5:11

He turns a compliment into a flower that becomes a bouquet we can offer up in praise at the end of the day. (Thank you, Susan and Corrie.)

Today, I am grateful for a compliment bouquet.

Sound Instruction

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 261: Today, I am grateful for sound instruction.  

I love a good YouTube video that provides sound instruction. Seriously, we can learn to do almost anything with internet access and the right tools. 

There is great satisfaction in being able to follow good directions with the desired outcome. 

This verse provides simple but sound instruction for living life well. 

"and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you," 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Live without drama. Avoid it whenever possible. A quiet life is something to strive for. "Mind your own affairs" can mean being intentional in avoiding gossip and intentional with your own business to be sure it reflects Christ. 

Working with our hands provides a sense of contentment. From working the ground for a garden to doing laundry or preparing a meal for loved ones, working with our hands provides a unique contentment. 

Sound instruction is a blessing. 

Today, I am grateful for sound instruction.  

Gratitude's Secret

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 260: Today, I am grateful for gratitude's secret.

"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." -Colossians 3:16

It was the lesson uncovered in my first 365 days of daily gratitude. Gratitude does not change the trial or the circumstance. It does not change God. It changes us.

It is 4,643 days from January 1, 2013 to September 17, 2025 (including leap years). Gratitude is easy some days. But, there are days that I sit and stare at the keyboard unsure of where to begin. But, it always comes. There is always... always... something to be thankful for. 

What is the secret? Thankfulness keeps us focused on the blessings and not the struggles. It reminds us that even in hard times, God is good. Hope floats. 

A good cup of coffee, tea, or cacao to start the day is good for the soul. A message from the Word sets our compass. Looking for something to be grateful for is a weapon against discouragement. 

Today, I am grateful for gratitude's secret.

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 259: Today, I am grateful for Selah.

"Selah"

Selah is the space between prayer and answer,

between grief and healing,

Between surrender and revelation.

It's not an empty space;

It's sacred stillness.

It's the kind of posture

where your soul leans in to hear God's whisper.

It says:

I will breathe even in the uncertainty. I will worship before I see the outcome.

I will trust the stillness is not silence but sanctification.

(unknown author)

The word, Selah, is a bit of a mystery word. It is found most often in the Psalms, typically with a note "to the Choirmaster." Some believe it means to "pause and reflect." Either is good.

This scripture is a nice compliment:

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." Psalm 5:3

Today, I am grateful for Selah.

Birthday Twins

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 258: Today, I am grateful for birthday twins.

Not real twins. Not even the same kind of birthdays. But two similar friendships. My lifelong friend, Sally, went to heaven on this day three years ago and my friend of nearly forty years, Julie, has her first birthday after fighting cancer. One is a heavenly celebration and is an earthly reminder that God still has more for us to do here on earth. Both are reminders God numbers our days.

Sally and Julie have something in common. Both enjoyed deep spiritual conversations. What does that mean? It is easy to quote, "God is love." It is not as easy to answer, "What does God's love look like?" Both grew up in different denominations than the ones they married into. Both were intentional in finding faith homes with their spouses that would have a strong influence on their children's spiritual growth. Both know the greatest joy of all:

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." -3 John 1:4

From heaven or in the pew, there is no greater joy. Nothing compares.

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." 1 John 4:16

Masters of hard questions, pondering with them has gifted me with hours of spiritual conversations and even research at times as fellow learners seeking God's truth for our lives and in our lives. On their shared birthdays... heavenly and earthly... I am so grateful for them.

Sally challenged us all to memorize "The Love Chapter" at her funeral. The card of 1 Corinthians 13 still sits at my desk, as I am not there yet. It was easier to memorize when I was younger and I have so many translations in my head. Still, I will master it.

And, Julie is a constant reminder of what love looks like. She was my ministry partner for a decade in children's church and for probably three decades in other children's ministries.

A heavenly address does not change the love or the impact someone has on our lives. Cancer did not win against Sally... Sally won heaven. Julie's birthdays after cancer seem even more special. I do not take even one for granted.

Today, I am grateful for birthday twins.

Oneness

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 257: Today, I am grateful for the blessing of oneness.

This is Nana Terry. She is Steven's grandmother who came from Florida for the wedding yesterday. We have been waiting to meet in person for over a year.

She is a beautiful person and you can feel her love for the people around her and the Lord. Kenzie has raved about what a delight she is to be with her and Stephen's grandfather who have many years of marriage under their belt. The between them is tangible and they are great huggers. Mama Ina Mae would have loved them, too.

Both the Bride and the Groom have parents who have committed deeply to marriage and family. That is a special gift they have given their children. Weddings unite families, too. The unique fibers from each family when combined, make for a strong, beautiful cord.

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind." -Philippians 2:1-2

Nana Terry ... meeting in real life was even better than I expected. <3

Today, I am grateful for the blessing of oneness.

A Perfect Wedding Day

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 256: Today, I am grateful for a perfect wedding day.

Two families were united today. It was a mix of traditions… some old and some new. Love was tangible in the air. The joy overflowed.

The bride and groom gazed at each other with eyes that held the promise of many tomorrows.

May God bless them with many days to laugh and love.

Today, I am grateful for a perfect wedding day. (Photo credit Cheryl Lindgren Wheeler)

Reunions

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 255:  Today, I am grateful for  reunions . 

With a wedding this weekend, my heart is full of joy for the reunions a wedding brings. Family and friends from near and far will gather to celebrate a new marriage.

The Pumpkin Festival is a time for reunions, too. Class reunions are often held during the festival weekend because people come home. 

Hugs, warmth, sharing and so much more  

Laughter, stories, catching up, and making new memories ,too. 

Long day… short post  

Today, I am grateful for  reunions.

First Resonders

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 254:  Today, I am grateful for first responders. 

I usually do a large 9/11 post on this day. You know that this is a gratitude post where I am very intentional about political postings. I ask that any comments respect the heart of that intention. 

Today, I received this verse from Biblegateway.com to start my day:

"I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!" Psalm 121:1-2

Today is a collision of dates for me. 

• It is my Dad's 90th birthday in heaven (12th in heaven). Uncle Bob and Aunt Denise's 49th Anniversary(Love you both). Happy occasions are a reason to celebrate. 
• Pumpkin Festival... our little village's annual celebration of the work done at Libby's/Nestle every year so we can eat pumpkin all year long. It is a special week every year. 
• It is, also, the day we buried my dear friend, Jill. Psalm 121 is a passage she loved and the very one that was read around her bed by her sister-in-love, Donna (Davis) Roth who is now with her in heaven. 
• The assassination of a 31 year old who cared about people's souls and the soul of our country. He believed in a strong moral compass but was always respectful in debate. He listened to what people said and asked questions, listening in response. His young wife and children's lives are forever changed. 
• Patriot Day is a day we should never forget. If you lived through it, it is the Pearl Harbor of our generation... our attack on our soil. Our first responders were the heroes of the day. So were the everyday citizens who stepped in when there were no first responders available. 

I know where my help comes from... the Maker of Heaven and Earth. 

Let us remember Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." That is love. That is our assignment. 

It is what first responders do every day. They deliver babies on the side of the road. They rescue us from our own poor decisions and from true accidents. They put out fires, dig vehicles out of ditches, and face dangers daily from criminals and domestic disputes. 

On this day... I will not forget. We will pray for a nation that needs healing. We will pause to remember the things that made us different from other nations. We were founded on a moral compass that was rooted in the belief in God. Not perfect and not perfect people, but better than any other place. 

Let our first response be love and compassion, not hate. 

Today, I am grateful for first responders.               

Friday

 

Seasons

 Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 253:  Today, I am grateful for the seasons.

There is something about the changing seasons that is special. 

I love an island and blue waters, but there is something about the changing seasons that recharges my soul. With each new season comes special moments. Yes, even winter, which is not my favorite, has the holidays, snow days, and a time to read, rest and restore. 

This week, our local fall festival will bring many visitors. For us, it is the true end of summer weather. We can see temperatures range from 40 to 85 degrees. You never know what you are going to get. Every hour can be a change.

I am grateful for a God who is with us in all of the seasons. His eyes, His hands, and His breath are upon us through them all. From our days of being knit in our mother's womb until our hair is gray or gone... He is with us in all seasons. 

"I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." -Isaiah 46:4      

Today, I am grateful for the seasons.     

Greet the Day With Beauty

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 252:  Today, I am grateful we can greet the day with beauty.  

When we look at the sunrise, do we take in the warmth, the colors, and the golden glaze it casts over the new day. God greets us with such beauty at each sunrise. How do we respond to the gift? 

Actions speak louder than words. There is beauty in the most simple acts of kindness... planned and random. Lord Bryon once wrote a poem known to us as "She Walks in Beauty."

I reread it recently. It is not simple about her physical features, although he finds her beautiful. She walks through life with a grace he calls unnamed, as he see her as unique. He sees a purity of heart and an innocence that only adds to her appeal. He states she is "all the best of dark and bright," and which we see in nature at sunrise and sunset. It is a lovely poem and has a timeless appeal. I was reminded of it this morning while trying to communicate what it means to greet the day with beauty. 

Walk gently where hearts are hurting. Speak softly where feathers are ruffled. Kiss and bandage a little one's boo-boo. Cuddle with a fur-baby or a grandbaby. Prepare the yard for next spring by choosing bulbs and pruning away the old and tired. Visit a nursing home. Hold someone's hand when they are unsure. 

" Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.  You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." -1 Peter 3:3-4

Greet the day with the kind of beauty that will comfort, soften hearts, and help heal our homes, communities, and land. 

Today, I am grateful we can greet the day with beauty. 

Community

 Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 251:  Today, I am grateful for community. 

Turn off your TV * Leave your house * Put down your phone

Know your neighbors * Look up when you are walking * Greet people

Sit on your stoop * Plant Flowers * Use your library * Play together

Buy from local merchants * Share what you have * Help a lost dog

Take children to the park * Garden Together * Support Neighborhood Schools

Fix it even if you didn't break it * Have Pot Lucks * Honor Elders

Pick Up Litter * Read Stories Aloud * Dance in the Street

Talk to the Mail Carrier * Listen to the Birds * Put up a Swing

Help Carry Something Heavy * Barter For Your Goods * Start A Tradition

Ask A Question * Hire Young People for Odd Jobs * Organize a Block Party

Bake Extra and Share * Ask For Help When You Need It * Open Your Shades

Sing Together * Share Your Skills * Take Back the Night

Turn Up The Music * Turn Down The Music * Listen Before You react To Anger

Mediate A Conflict * Seek To Understand * Learn From New And Uncomfortable Angles

Know That No One is Silent Though Many Are Not Heard-

Work To Change This  -Karen Kerney watercolor, text from Syracuse Cultural Workers

As anticipation builds for our little Pumpkin Festival, the sense of community explodes. So many are hands on in helping make it a great community event. The pumpkin stink is full (if you know,  you know) but so are our hearts. 

This week we will see Morton/Groveland at its best. Hands on helping, meeting new neighbors, and enjoying family/work family time together serving, celebrating, and of course... indulging in pumpkin treats, sweet treats, fair foods,  and my personal favorite... apple cider slushies. 

Building community is intentional. My friend Stephanie Brown says "Be where your feet are." Love where you are, too. 

"Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Matthew 19:19

Today, I am grateful for community. 

Go Against the Flow

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 250:  Today, I am grateful for reminders to go against the flow. 

"When the whole world is running towards a cliff, - he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind."  -C. S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis always has witty things to say. The crowd is not always right. In fact, the crowd often gets in wrong. Strength of body, mind, and soul are required to go against the flow. 

When you feel unsure, pause and pray. Seek guidance. Read His word. When the correct direction becomes clear, bravely swim against the flow. 

"So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you." -Proverbs 9:8

Today, I am grateful for reminders to go against the flow. 

Invitation into my Head

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 249:  Today, I am grateful I can choose who I invite into my head. 

"Someone said to me recently that "in the morning when I wake, I ask God to get into my head before I do." That's some of the best advice I've heard lately." 

Good advice, indeed. My head seems to easily invite things that do not make the day better. I forget that I have the power to choose who I invite into my head. The enemy of our souls is ready and willing to fill our minds with worry, doubt, fear, frustration, and anger. Those are not even close to fruits of the spirit. 

What ordinary things can we do to start the day with that invitation? Prayer before we roll out of bed. The music we listen to on the way to work matters, too. I am so grateful for WCIC, our local radio station that shares the Good News every hour of the day. The right song at the right time is a game changer. 

How about a verse of the day? A dive into His word always makes me hunger for more. We can only truly think one thought at a time. Seek truth. Seek light. We can be careful whom we invite into our heads. 

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." -Philippians 4:8

Today, I am grateful I can choose who I invite into my head. 

Opossum: A Change of Heart

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 248:  Today, I am grateful for a change of heart. 

I owe the opossum community. I did not do mice/rats and opossums. I remember our friend, Robin, took us to  Wildlife Prairie Park where she volunteered. Oreo, the skunk, was adorable. CeCe the opossum, I could barely bring myself to pet the sweet girl. 

For all the CeCe's of the world, I regret my attitude and misjudgment. I am so sorry. I know God had a perfect design in creating all creatures great and small, but I just did not see it in you. I do not have "God Goggles." 

It happened one night. Daisy Mae insisted on going outside. She persisted so I let her out. It was the middle of the night. She bolted out, I turned on the light, and there it was. A junior sized opossum. Not an adult and not a baby. There was a hiss and then it played dead. I prayed. I feared it biting Daisy Mae. My brain was racing. I would not get her to come into the house. She nosed it, and eventually lost interest. 

I was so grateful she was not hurt, but my mind raced with the alternative endings to the story. I researched opossums immediately and went to bed with a change of heart. They are misunderstood. 

This morning I found this: https://littlethings.com/pets/possum-facts and had AI help summarize the information. I recommend a visit for all of the cute pictures. Yes, I said cute. I have had a total change of heart. When I learned about all they do to help nature and us, I am now a fan. 

The Bright Side of Opossums

1. Non-Aggressive & Peaceful -Opossums rarely pose a threat—even when threatened, they don’t bite. Instead, they employ their famous "playing dead" defense to avoid conflict.  LittleThings.com; Wikipedia

2. Highly Unlikely to Carry Rabies

Their naturally low body temperature makes it difficult for rabies to thrive in them, making them one of the least likely wild mammals to carry it. 

LittleThings.com; Wikipedia

3. Nature’s Pest Controllers: Ticks: A single opossum can remove—or eat—thousands of ticks per week through diligent grooming. -LittleThings.com; Southern Living; Wikipedia

(Note: Some recent studies question how many ticks show up in wild stomach contents, but their grooming habits remain impressive.) -Wikipedia; Reddit

Garden Pests: They also feast on slugs, beetles, cockroaches, and other nuisances—without harming your plants.  LittleThings.com

4. Efficient Natural Clean-Up Crew: Opossums will eat carrion, including roadkill—even bones—helping keep ecosystems clean.  LittleThings.com; Southern Living

5. Evolutionary Endurance:  As “living fossils,” they’ve survived over 65–70 million years with remarkably little change—a testament to their resilience. LittleThings.com; Live Science

6. Immune to Snake Venom: Many opossums carry a protein called Lethal Toxin Neutralizing Factor in their blood, granting them resistance to venom from snakes like rattlesnakes. LittleThings.com; Live Science

7. Smart and Resourceful: Opossums outperform some domestic animals in tasks like food location and memory—clever foragers.  LittleThings.com

8. Unique in North America:  They’re the only native marsupial on the continent, fascinating for their pouch-based young and clutch of evolutionary traits. LittleThings.com; Live Science

There are times when we do not understand things. There are times we misjudge. I need to pray, "Lord, help me see what you see, feel what you feel, and love like you love."

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." -Ezekiel 36:26

Today, I am grateful for a change of heart.