Jimbo's Jots

You probably pick up on a theme with most of my writing . . . I borrow from other people. There is usually a thought or bit of a writing that connects with me. From that nugget, I kind of “think out loud” with some reflection.

This week is no exception. I recently started following a blogpost by a Franciscan priest (https://cac.org). There is a daily meditation and then a recap at the end of the week. This week’s focus has been on gratitude. Quite appropriate in the month of November.

Earlier this week, the topic was Grace and Gratitude. This was shared:

“Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior …. You breathe in gratitude, and you breathe it out, too.” – Anne Lamott, Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers (New York: Riverhead Books, 2012)

I work with people on a daily basis in various circumstances. I often ask “What’s good today?” I want to hear the language of thanksgiving. Especially if they are struggling to believe any good, I try to redirect their thoughts to things that are good.

Notice these words of Jesus:

“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Luke 6:44-45

We are reminded that what is seen in our lives daily is out the of the abundance or the harvest of what is in our hearts. When we “breathe in gratitude”, it is therefore concluded that we will “breathe out gratitude”.

Maybe you have a heart of gratitude. So much so, that it is evident in how you live your life. It’s the spot offered in the grocery to the mother with two young children. It’s the purchase of a coffee for a stranger. It may be a listening ear to one who is down and broken.

Maybe you are struggling to find a spirit of thanksgiving. Can you think of something good that has happened today? If so, take a moment, write it down, state it out loud, and in this one little moment be thankful. Try this for several days to focus just on what has been good about today? Start keeping your list and verbally state them out loud. You may find there is more space in your heart for thanksgiving than brokenness.

Be blessed in thankfulness! Be a blessing to others out of a thankful heart!