Reclaiming gratitude

Hello friends and family,

I have recently been reminded of the practice I used to have where I collected my "Friday Gratefuls" and wrote about them on this blog. And since I stopped doing that, I can fully attest that a real correlation exists between gratitude and joy. And conversely, ungratefulness and bitterness.

I have been cynical toward gratitude lately. Mostly because I have an even stronger cynicism toward pop psychology and the general cultural movement of positivity. You know the type.... "you can change your life!" and "just think positively!" and "go out and claim the life you've always wanted!" And this just has not been my story, nor has it been my personality or my life experience. Take one part extreme black-and-white thinking, one part realism, and one part Enneagram Type 6 and that might resemble at attitude I have adorned lately.And while I have no desire to sprinkle positivity around in a way that is "all smoke and no substance," something's gotta give for me.

Positive thinking has recently been re-framed to me as peaceful gratitude. This kind of gratitude isn't trying to contrive anything out of thin air. This kind of gratitude grounds me and reminds me what is real-- the good things God has given me. Those "taste and see that the Lord is good" moments that he graciously gifts me in the coming-and-going of my life. Rather than pumping me up to do great things and try to squeeze all the enjoyment out of life as possible, gratitude stills my heart. It's an antidote for my anxiety. It brings me in communion with God. It doesn't really "fix" my circumstances (at all usually), but it does aid in gently bending out the contortions of my heart caused by bitterness and cynicism. Bottom line-- gratitude is becoming anything but trite to me. It may be humble beginnings, but I'm pretty sure it's the work of God in this wayward heart. Praise be!

So let's throw it back old school and name some things I'm grateful for!

- a stranger who paid for our meal when we went out for breakfast recently
- weak diner coffee that is constantly being refilled
- free moving boxes from local establishments
- the baptism of a dear friend
- weekly Wednesday breakfast with my friend Shannon (lots of breakfast-related thankfuls on this list- hah!)
- the satisfaction of seeing my progress while packing up the apartment
- discipline breeding desire to read my Bible more regularly
- the anticipation of a season of normalcy after a season of celebration and busy-ness and no routine
- sitting outside on the front porch in the mornings and being so in tune with the happenings of the neighborhood and the route of the postman (not in a creepy way tho!!)
- the gift of free tennis tickets from generous friends

Thank you for allowing me back to your inbox or web browser through this blog. I do feel like a wobbly newborn goat trying to remember the rhythms of how to write in this big white box that is a blog entry! Thanks for reading-- hopefully more to come.

Janie