Tue, Nov 17 Gratitude Reflection
Pause and focus on water. Give thanks for this element that sustains life. In fresh form, untainted by toxins, it becomes a potable promise of surviving and thriving.
Jesus’ first miracle transformed water into wine. He called himself the Living Water for the woman at the well, who offered him refreshment, though she was from a despised ethnicity that he would traditionally have shunned.
In times of drought, such as we have experienced this season, wells run dry. Water collects detritus. Riverbeds become barren. Thirst parches throats, simply due to the idea of running out. Of not having enough.
Give thanks for the abundance of water when it’s available. And for its precious presence, when it is scarce. — Rev Gail
You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide the people with grain,
for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges,
softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty;
your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy.
- Psalm 65
The Dead Sea in the Middle East receives fresh water, but it has no outlet, so it doesn’t pass the water out. It receives beautiful water from the rivers, and the water goes dank. I mean, it just goes bad. And that’s why it is the Dead Sea. It receives and does not give. In the end generosity is the best way of becoming more, more, and more joyful. ― Desmond Tutu
Mon, Nov 16 Gratitude Reflection
Consider the earth. Give thanks for the ground beneath your feet. The glacier-driven cliffs and outcroppings, twisted into waterfalls and ledges, that shape our landscape. Imagine the rich soil that yields summer and autumn harvests. The fierce and ancient mountains, upthrust and worn low, that frame our valley.
Stone. Soil. Rock. Dirt. May we appreciate the holy ground on which we stand, reside, play, work and learn. May we pause to recognize that she is more than mere rock, but an interconnected part of creation. She holds us up. Gives us a home. Groans, and continues to live. — Rev Gail
… you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas.
By your strength you established the mountains;
you are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples.
— Psalm 65
Fill the earth with your songs of gratitude.
— Charles Spurgeon
There are three requisites to the proper enjoyment of earthly blessings: a thankful reflection, on the goodness of the giver; a deep sense of our own unworthiness; and a recollection of the uncertainty of our long possessing them. The first will make us grateful; the second, humble; and the third, moderate. – Hannah More
Sat, Nov 14 Gratitude Reflection
Give thanks for food. For sustenance.
Consider how each element of a meal arrives on your plate. Trace its possible origin: sea or forest, field or garden, farm or stream. Imagine how it was caught, grown, hunted, raised or harvested. Track how nearby or far away its beginnings, then the means by which it was packaged and transported, whether a few miles, state-widths and ocean-lengths. What person selected it for your plate? How was it then prepared for eating?
Consider the earth that offered up its nourishment to feed you, and the many hands that brought it to your table. Take note of those who have fewer choices about their meals, and worry about what they’ll eat at the next meal, or how they’ll feed their family. Appreciate the way your body is sustained by the food you notice today. The jobs that are maintained by your choices, the environmental justice implied in your selections.
Of course, in our faith, Love itself becomes food. Offers spiritual nourishment. In many cultures, the preparation of food, the offering of hospitality, and the consumption of a meal are all sacred rituals.
Give thanks for food. — Rev Gail
… who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
— Psalm 136: 25-26
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.
— Psalm 147: 7-11
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.
— 2 Corinthians 9:10-12
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. — Tecumseh
Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life. ― Rumi
Fri, Nov 13 Gratitude Reflection
Pay attention to the sky today. Be grateful for what it offers. Be aware of its constancy, yet how it changes every moment.
Is the vaulted sky clear or cloudy? Are storms rolling over the highest mountain peaks? How does the precipitation from overhead touch the earth, if there’s weather to report: as fog, or rain, or snow? How does the light touch your face today? Do you cast a shadow? What color are the heavens: blue or grey or something else? Is sound connected to the sky today, as rumbling thunder, lightning claps, pelting rain or shushing snow?
Do birds wing through the sky? Migrating? Going about their business? Do planes or helicopters make a trail of sound across the valley? Do leaves still cling to branches, and spiral down beneath the wind?
Give thanks for the sky. — Rev Gail
Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness extends to the clouds.
— Psalm 56
When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking God for being so generous to you. If you drink wine (or coffee), be mindful of God who has given it to you for your pleasure and as a relief in sickness. When you dress, thank God for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who ordered things this way. When the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator. – Basil the Great
Thurs, Nov 12 Gratitude Reflection
Notice names. Perhaps your surname, family name, or a nickname you have been given or earned. The names of people and pets around you.
Consider the names of places where you spend your time or routes you often travel. We map our lives by place names, by addresses, by locations that have labels attached to them. Our mountains and rivers, oceans and beaches, lakes and towns all have names.
We name buildings, vessels and vehicles. We name businesses, clubs, teams, institutions, and groups with which we have connection and belonging. Some are merely familiar, while others hold memories and emotions attached to them, and stir a response at their utterance. Names often contain stories within them, if we’re curious.
Give thanks for the names that shape the landscape of your life and give context to your identity. — Rev Gail
O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,
tell of all his wonderful works.
— 1 Chronicles 16:8-9
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — Colossians 3:16-17
The great struggle of the Christian life is to take God’s name for us, to believe we are beloved and to believe that is enough. ― Rachel Held Evans