Seeing Seeds

Psalms 103:2 – Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

There is so much going on in the world around us.  There is no shortage of tragedies, threats to people we value, and stuff that just doesn’t seem fair.  At the very same time, we can also experience amazing things like laughter with friends, a cup of good coffee or a peaceful moment admiring nature.  The things that are wrong and the things that are right are always available for us to notice.

We can make a choice to nurture the positive through a practice of gratitude.  As we do, it starts to condition us to look for the positive and spend more time living in joy. 

Here is a quick, practical exercise.

First identify something good in your life.  Then let’s go deeper.  What are five things about it that make it so good? 

For example:  I have my breath.  It feels good to breathe deep.  As I breathe, I feel life coursing through me.  When I notice my breath, I also notice my heartbeat.  My breath powers my movement.  A nice long breath helps to calm me down.  Thank you God for giving me breath. 

Today we will end with a comment from theologian Kath Barth.  He writes, “Joy is the simplest form for gratitude.”  God had made so much for us to enjoy.  I invite you to embrace the day in that joy.