Spiritual Things Matter

Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies. ~Charles E. Jefferson

I love this quote because I find it so true.

Life presents us with many choices in so many areas of our lives. We often make just the right choice for our present circumstance, and often simply think of it as luck. Then, there are times when we make a wrong choice. We miss calculate and we make a mistake. We are then devastated, and it tears away at us because we are at a loss of how to make right what has gone so wrong. Sometimes, despite our intense efforts, there simply is no answer at our disposal, and we must go on and do the best we can hoping to never repeat such a mistake again.

Such an experience can break us inwardly until we learn to gentle ourselves…toward ourselves, and realize that our humanness brings us so many hidden gifts. A profound breaking can often be the most profound gift for our hungry and longing heart.

Pain often drives us to want to look inward with a much more honest look. There, we begin to discover a deeper well within us.   Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,  “In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”

An inward look of honesty brings a heart of gratitude because we begin to realize a deeper meaning and purpose to our life.  We realize indeed that we want to change, that we want to grow, that we want to mature out of our childish ways into mature men and women.  We are thankful that the generosity of life places people into our lives that love us and accept us simply for who we are.

It is very sad when you meet a person who has never been able to allow the breaking of life to gentle them.  No time seems to be given to look at ones inward landscape with an honest eye and without fear, but rather they choose to project blame, criticism, and anger towards others which only serves to intensify their own anger as their ego of victim-hood goes on a rampage. Their minds become cloudy and diseased, having forgotten how to be truly thankful and grateful for the life that they have been given, and for the people that have been placed in their lives.  I wish for those people an awareness of a more gentle and more forgiving nature so that they may be able to find peace for themselves once more.

This Thanksgiving, I am deeply grateful for many things. Daily, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have my family.  Daily, I recognize that people are sent into our lives for reasons, and I feel profoundly thankful for each and every one of them.  Most of all, I am thankful for the grace that helps us to look inward, and to allow our thankful hearts to be transformed into a life of gratitude.

Wishing each of my dear readers a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Tags: Gratitude, Humanity, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton

This Thanksgiving season, one is so mindful again of the freedom that the western countries still enjoy. Thankfulness abounds in our hearts as America continues to enjoy her freedom in spite of the onslaught of hatred from those who envy that freedom and therefore want to attack and destroy it.

I am also mindful of the soldiers who bravely fight and die for this freedom that we hold so close and dear to our hearts. Freedom does not just happen but is earned through the dedication and love of our countrymen. It gives its people the many options to become who they would like to be. It gives avenues of expression that those who live in countries that are led by tyrants, could not even imagine would be possible.

In thankfulness, we acknowledge the great opportunity of education. One is grateful that our children are still free to obtain a meaningful and lasting education, whether that education comes from our public schools or from other avenues a parent might choose. This advantage is a direct by-product of a free society and should never be taken for granted. Many foreigners come to our land to obtain an excellent education which broadens their own opportunities. One is thankful that we have the freedom to read any literature available in our many libraries and book stores, without any fear of reprisal.

America is the home of many beliefs and numerous religions. One can only be thankful that the search for “truth” is an option open to all who desire it. We are free to worship God, the God of Love that is, in any form we desire. With that search for “truth” comes a desire to change oneself. To grow through self-honesty and to become kinder to those with whom we are in contact is a direct by-product of such an honorable search. The search for “truth” brings great responsibility, for truth will demand growth and change, be it on a personal level or on a national or global level. It will bring mankind into greater awareness of all that is still possible and within our reach.

As we sat at our Thanksgiving tables this year and looked at those whom we love and cherish, I pray that our hearts will have become, once again, keenly aware, with deep gratitude for the many, many wonderful gifts that we have been given. Let us pray that these same gifts will open our hearts and cause us to grow in greater awareness and in that growth, recognize the awesome responsibility that comes with such an awareness.

I wish all of my dear readers an unceasing Thanksgiving Heart!