TODAY I AM OBSESSIVELY GRATEFUL

TODAY is a new day. My first thought, my most important thought, is “Thank You, God.”

WELCOME TO JOYFUL GATHERINGS: YOU are invited to share some inspiring thoughts for today.

My intention at this time in my life is to be about spiritual direction and inspiration as I make each breath and moment about a surrender to the Divine. I just want to make the ordinary about the precious gift of life each day.

There were so many times in my life when I was so busy, juggling many tasks, interests, and a big family, that the days would just fly by.

Now, I'm older. I've moved recently to a new home, new town, surrounded with beauty from the sky, trees, landscape, and ocean waves. I am so in awe—like God lifted me like a father/mother cat by the back of the neck and carried me to the lovely surroundings of natures beauty. My special chair allows me to be in this sanctuary. I live in the morning light coming through the trees and then later the sunset coloring the background again.

One of the habits I've maintained is a devotional time. I've established my sanctuary in this new home, and I show up to this place every morning. I created a space with a candle, flowers, many spiritual books, a journal, and time to be still, meditate and pray. This started many years ago following a family tragedy. After some counsel I was encouraged to establish a devotional practice. I began to show up every morning. I very seldom miss this participation in reading, study, and prayer.

In this new place, I've become spiritually grounded in a deeper level of intention and prayer. I am able to enjoy solitude, and the gift of being still. In this place, it feels sacred.

For today, I am so grateful to be alive, healthy, vital to myself, my family and whomever I meet.

As Courtney Peppernell says: “I finally arrived, at the moment of true clarity. I was surrounded by beautiful old trees, reaching for the sky and the stars, every line and every mark filled with old wisdom, to grow with purpose and to take in every thought and action with a deep sense of empathy”

My truth is that I believe. My truth is that I pray and pray often. This newsletter is meant to share inspiring quotations and thoughts that open mind, heart, and soul to the presence of the Divine within and all around. The sacred is in the breath, steps and tasks of the day.

In these Newsletters I am not channelling any organized religion or practice. But I believe that (prayer) which is another word for (communication) is with God the Father, Friend, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This is the Ultimate Source, the Higher Power. You can define the “Divine” as you feel; however, the Divine is within and all around.

In truth, prayer is simple: it can be meditation without words, or awareness, “be still and aware of God's presence.

Then, as an early mystic, Meister Eckhart states, “if the only prayer you say in your whole life is “Thank You,” that would suffice.

Prayer of gratitude first recognizes God's presence. In gratitude there is recognition of a God who created that for which you are grateful. This prayer is a significant pause from “thinking” to empty the mind and let in the Divine.

So, then the day starts forward: “Authentic spirituality does not separate formal prayer and secular activities because the same spirit is present and active in all of them. The ordinary becomes sacred. (Emon Tobin)

“This experience comes in the stillness of the Soul, when the constant thinking and the outer voice are quiet: it is the quickening of the inner person to the eternal reality. Our true prayer is the inner yearning for a deep knowing of spirit. Is this yearning to convince God to come to us? No! It is to convince ourselves that God has never left us.” (Larry Barber).

Thank you for sharing this time with me. In gratitude, may your joy be full!

TODAY I AM OBSESSIVELY GRATEFUL

GOD said as He created: “ As a sign of this union of heaven and earth, I will set a rainbow binding the two in peace. Every shade and tint blended in one arc, from the white-hot light of My love, as those of every human color are now My people.” Genesis: 9: 8-15

God has gifted us with one another. Some are missionaries, prophets, preachers of the News, Some are shepherds, and some teachers--- All of our gifts woven into one work: To serve and build the body of Christ.

Thus, we blend our gifts, our faith, our lives, Striving to form the perfect Son, The same wholeness that lived in Jesus. O longer then, may we be children, Running about after this and then that, Ingenuous victims of tricks and deceits. The spine of our Body is the truth of Christ, The soul that impels it, our living love. The head is Christ Jesus, melding and merging.

Each separate strength, each separate self, Into a single, growing self that serves. And the gift that we were given, the gift we give, Is LOVE. Ephesians 4:11-1 NO EXCEPTIONS: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR THY HOMELESS NEIGHBOR -THY GAY NEIGHBOR-THY MUSLIM NEIGHBOR -THY IMMIGRANT NEIGHBOR -THY JEWISH NEIGHBOR -THY ADDICTED NEIGHBOR -THY CHRISTIAN NEIGHBOR- THY DISABLED NEIGHBOR -THY ELDERLY NEIGHBOR-THY CHILDREN-THY AND THEM AND THEY AND WE AND THY POOR NEIGHBOR -THY SICK NEIGHBOR-THY DYING NEIGHBOR-THY RELATIVE NEIGHBOR -THY STRANGER NEIGHBOR, AND THY__________________________NEIGHBOR . When two or three are gathered, I am with you. Matthew 18

“As our world becomes smaller, through a growing common culture, the true test of community will be our tolerance for our most profound differences and love for the most challenging among us.” Wayne Teasdale “Love all of God' s Creation, the whole and every grain of sand of it, Love every leaf, every ray of God' s light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love. Fyodor Dostoevsky In Memory of his birthday today as I write, I quote Sergio Negro: “If we really believe this, how much God loves each of us, without regard for what we are or what we do; how much God loves all his creatures without partiality, we will have taken the first and more important step t toward loving our neighbor as ourselves.”

Thank you for sharing this time with me. In gratitude, may your joy be full!

TRIED AND TRUE: LET GO LET GOD—

I enjoy readings of inspiration, poetry, prayers from many books. I consider These books—gifts of mentorship—the growth of new thinking and attitudes. I took an art course from an artist named “Dreama,” and her newsletter is always full of positive thoughts.

To Surrender seems daunting to many---to be able to choose deeper meaning and deeper communication with the Divine---Letting Go is the mantra. Dreama, an art mentor/teacher, says it very simply: “I decided not to get old before my time (I'm thinking there are better things to do ;-) to reel my errant thoughts in, time and again, back to what is true (a daily/hourly/minute by minute task so it seems) to go slow and be grateful (ever learning on the 'slow' part) to assume that I don' t know what another soul is experiencing (how on earth could I?) to let go to let it be to Be

I decided to put my faith in the good God, to delight in the fountain trickle, the lavender fragrant, the loving embrace

I decided that life was beautiful after all that even after pain, loss, fear, and shame there existed still beauty enough to overwhelm a thousand lifetimes.

I decided it was good to be just me that what 'perfect' actually looks like in life was very different than I had supposed

I decided to smile more that perhaps the secret to a well-lived life might be in loving who I am I decided to love others.” I decided that it is all about love in every ordinary minute, task, service, what I see and hear and feel—and for whomever I meet. It' s about being still and knowing that God is within and all around.

It's all about LIFE, LIGHT, AND LOVE.

PRAYERFUL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY:

Many years ago, I was at a place of needing any comfort that could come my way. OH, I knew God was in my camp, but I was catapulted to change as I experienced the loss of my youngest son.

I really was scared!!!!

A friend sent me a little book called, “Hinds Feet in High Places.” and I devoured it as it was an allegory about the journey of life and the help of The Shepherd. The Shepherd held the hand of the main character in the story. She would get in a bit of trouble and would cry out to the Shepherd to “not let go of her hand.” I felt the Shepherd take my hand, and I never wanted to let go.

Over the years that reality has directed my spiritual growth. Jesus is holding my right hand. I lift my right hand often to remind myself that Jesus is near.

References: Psalm 139:10

Psalm 73: 23

Isaiah: 41-10

Psalm 63: 8

Psalm 16:8

Psalm 98:1

“Holy God, I waited for you. And waited,. And finally you were there, bending to hear my cry. You drew me back f rom the edge of the depths, when I thought I could journey alone. You held me, calmed me, steadied my steps on stone. You' ve turned my cry into song. See how they gape at the joy of it! They call me fool, But they don' t know joy, or song, or YOU. Wonders tumble from your hands!!!! Such plans you have for us! You don' t want the ram, caught by its horns in the thicket. You want m e. So here I am.” (Psalm 40: paraphrased)

BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD WITHIN AND ALL AROUND.