Today’s Reflection
MANY PEOPLE FIND WRITING about what they are thankful for in a journal is a great way to practice gratitude. Others vocalize their gratitude in a small group or with a spouse or friend. I know a young mom who expresses her own gratitude and teaches her children to do the same by naming something for which she is thankful every evening before dinner. I know a retired military officer who places his hand over his heart every morning and expresses his gratitude for his own life and for the lives of others. I know a young college graduate who compiled a gratitude list that includes the sound of rain, the smile of a stranger, access to running water, watching a puppy play, and the tenderness of his grandparents holding hands.
Gratitude expands our capacity for delight. Delight, joy, and happiness are gifts God wants to give us in all circumstances and in spite of our circumstances. When we express gratitude — when we find delight in God’s goodness — we are freer to love and serve others.
– Rebecca Swight Bruff
Loving the World with God
From page 38 of Loving the World with God: Fourth Day Living by Rebecca Swight Bruff. Copyright © 2014 by Rebecca Dwight Bruff. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
Find a way to express your gratitude. Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17, NRSV
This Week: pray for those who are receiving cancer treatments. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.
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This week we remember: Augustine of Hippo (August 28).
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
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11 Comments
This completely aligns with what my counselor encouraged me to do in the days ahead. We spent time in Exodus 16 where the Isrealites are complaining, yet God is providing daily manna. He shows His Glory to Moses and has him tell the Isrealites to expect the bread from heaven. Meat in the evening and sufficient bread in the morning. Indeed, His mercies are new each morning – great is His faithfulness!! She encouraged me to pray for my daily sufficiency of His mercy, to ask to see His glory and to be on the lookout for the bread He provides each day. I pulled a notecard out of my desk and jotted down simple pleasures and observances throughout my day. Little gifts He is sending my way. Thank You, Father.
From yesterday’s reading…”Mother Jesus”. This is not something I am comfortable with…but in some ways can envision this. Father God – the Head of all. The Ultimate Authority and Ruler. Mother Jesus – the tenderness and compassion of an earthly mother. I think I will always inwardly bristle a bit – it just doesn’t have a good vibe inside…for me it will always be Jesus, Son of God, my Saviour…my loving, compassionate Saviour.
Betsy – thanks for splashing your joyful news here – congrats to your family. What excitement for you all.
Grateful for dinner with a former colleague last evening. Grateful for small class sizes and students who are respectful.
I express my gratitude to God in prayer, and to people in person and on the internet. Thankful that Erich’s job is going son well. Nice people to work with, good working conditions, hours are good, and his pay will help him a lot. Thankful that there’s good progress at church setting up for the Lawnfest. We’ve had great meals with vegetables from the garden.
Praise God that Erich’s job is going well&
Blessings!
Congratulations to Betsy and her husband! Thankful for Andrea’s newsy post, Jill’s great first day at school and request for news about Erich. He has settled in, lots to learn, has been warmly greeted and made to feel comfortable, He took a zucchini to give. The building has AC and it has been hot and humid here. I echo the prayers of the UR family, especially for Marcy, Gloria, and Julie. Prayers that the h problem will soon be resolved. It certainly has been a grind for some time. Prayers for you and your husband Connie, you had a great day!
Out for a walk soon in the cool of the morning. Thank You, Lord for this day.
Blessings to you all.
I have publlished a gratitude journal, ‘Life is Great’ and practise different ways to express my gratitude, i give thanks to God, i buy gifts to thank people or thank them personally.
Grateful to receive a gift from my students today to thank me for teaching them. It is a joy to teach students who are appreciative,
Blessings!
Thank you for all the well wishes and blessings for our grandparent news. My gratitude includes the love and support of this body of fellow believers. I keep a list of other blessings in the front cover of my journal. I turn to it often to reflect, add to and pray. It greatly helps my outlook.
So glad you’ve had a good start to your school year, Jill! Grateful for Erich’s new job, Robert. May he continue to have be challenged and rewarded. Prayers for Mary, Andrea, Marcy, Connie and others who visit here. My cup overflows.
Thank you for your prayers yesterday, Robert, Jill, Julie, and all who prayed for me. We had a long, gratifying visit with my elderly uncle yesterday, ending it singing “When Irish eyes are smiling” (my uncle has Irish heritage and he still has a beautiful tenor voice). Doing the visit with my sister was fine, thankfully.
I am grateful for this community of prayer warriors, for all the joys, sorrows, inspiration, and love you share here at UR, and for all your prayers. It is a true blessing to meet together here and be uplifted by one another. Each person brings something unique and valuable to the comment section and I am thankful for each one of you and what I learn from you and about you. I am grateful for what you share from your lives and your faith. I believe our spirits have joined together in friendship, even though we do not see one another in person.
Wishing all a blessed day. We are on the way to the MN state fair, a fun day.
Yes, spirits joined……Have a great day at the fair.
Well, someone is trying to tell me to start a gratitude joournal! Eary this morning I took a happiness quiz that said I needed to start one and now this reflection. Sometimes God hits me over the head!
I, too, bristled at the mother Jesus used in yesterday’s reflection. I like “the Shack’s ” trinity, but mother Jesus just seems strange.
Prayers for Marcy. Kitty story: It used to be VERY difficult to get them into their carriers. Pooka was very timid and would run and hide (he knew no matter how normal we acted). His favoritee spot was on top of the duct work in the basement! We would have to use a ladder and then pry him down. But all this would alert the others and once Tazzie hid IN the couch. He had worked a hole in the fabric over the bottom and was inside the couch. Megan had to tip the couch over and reach inside! Now that it is just Chai and Tazzie, she picked them both up and put them in their carriers and zipped them up. Lickity split.
Prayers for Jill and Mary as they teach. May they and their students be safe and may all students be as grateful as Mary’s. You must be a blessing to them.
Prayers for Robert and Erich. May they both be safe, Robert as he walks and Erich as he travels to and from his job.
Prayers for Andrea as she enjoys a day at the fair.
Prayers for Betsy and her sister. Thankful for safe travel and a warm visit. Prayers for her aunt and uncle.
I, too, feel we all share a love and respect for one another and I thank God again and again for such a warm, spirit led group – prayers and blessings for one and all
I have always believed that “all good things come from God” and I am very thankful.
Thankful for:
A second or two of power outage, but that was it.
The sound of rain on the roof.
A decent night’s sleep and waking refreshed.
“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” mention from Andrea….”Tis like a morn in Spring”. I love the group Celtic Thunder.
Mary and her loving ways.
I am thankful that I can type a few words into the search box on my phone and have endless inspirational messages to remind me of God’s blessings!
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