Those who know me well know that I love to go sailing. Garage sailing, that is. I also love to go thrifting, haunting thrift stores and consignment stores for forgotten treasures. Among the things I look for are stray china plates, those orphaned from their original set.
On these plates, I place cookies or other treats to take to friends, church members, families with a new baby or those going through a difficult time. I ask that the recipients not return the plate and suggest that they fill it and pass it along.
I have been intrigued with the idea of "passing it along" far before the movie PAY IT FORWARD or the random acts of kindness movement made their appearance. Could I change the world, one small act at a time?
In a moment of self-examination, I reviewed the past week. A sweet friend sent me a no-occasion card. This prompted me to send a card to another friend. A second friend called me up for no reason, which, in turn, encouraged me to visit someone else.
This concept is certainly not new. Christ taught the concept two thousand years ago.
My reflections yielded two conclusions: I cannot change the world. I can, however, make my little part of the world better if I but care to look for the secret sorrows that inhabit the hearts of everyone.
So, for today, I am grateful for stray china plates ... and stray acts of kindness.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Day 34, February 3
As I've mentioned previously, I love words. I love the sound of them. I love the look of them. I love how they can be strung together to create poetry, stories, and books. Mostly, I love the power of them. Words have the power to challenge the mind, to touch the heart, to heal the spirit.
One of my passions is to collect good quotes. With that in mind, I would like to share a few of my favorite with you today:
Some see a hopeless end, while others see an endless hope.--Author unknown
A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.--William Arthur Ward
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.--Dan Rather
It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.--Abraham Lincoln.
We acquire the strength we have overcome.--Ralph Waldo Emerson
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.--Winston Churchill
A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.--Eleanor Roosevelt
Courage is fear that has said its prayers.--Dorothy Bernard
Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.--Art Linkletter
I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.--Rudyard Kipling
If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort.--Terri Guillemets
You, undoubtedly, have your own favorite sayings that sustain you, comfort you, make you laugh. I challenge you to share them with others--maybe make up your own. Who knows, you may be quoted!
So, for today, I am grateful for words that inspire.
One of my passions is to collect good quotes. With that in mind, I would like to share a few of my favorite with you today:
Some see a hopeless end, while others see an endless hope.--Author unknown
A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.--William Arthur Ward
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.--Dan Rather
It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.--Abraham Lincoln.
We acquire the strength we have overcome.--Ralph Waldo Emerson
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.--Winston Churchill
A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.--Eleanor Roosevelt
Courage is fear that has said its prayers.--Dorothy Bernard
Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.--Art Linkletter
I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.--Rudyard Kipling
If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort.--Terri Guillemets
You, undoubtedly, have your own favorite sayings that sustain you, comfort you, make you laugh. I challenge you to share them with others--maybe make up your own. Who knows, you may be quoted!
So, for today, I am grateful for words that inspire.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Day 33, February 2
I have never been a fan of the ground hog. He has always seemed a wimpy, lazy creature, who, if he pokes his nose out and doesn't like what he sees, crawls back into his hole and hibernates for another six weeks.
Recently, some dear friends received devastating news. They met it head-on, forging ahead to do what was necessary. They did not climb into a hole and bury themselves. They did not whine or complain. They marched into the unknown and fully expect to emerge triumphant.
I cannot help but compare their attitude to that of those people who are smeared with the taint of entitlement. These individuals claim that life has dealt with them unfairly, demanding preferential treatment. They whine with every word and wear their entitlement like a hair coat, exhausting all those unfortunate enough to come into contact with them.
I think of my friends who rely on prayer and the Lord. They give of themselves, always thinking of others, even when life throws them a curve.
So, for today, I am grateful for my friends who face adversitiy with courage and grace and go forward in faith.
Recently, some dear friends received devastating news. They met it head-on, forging ahead to do what was necessary. They did not climb into a hole and bury themselves. They did not whine or complain. They marched into the unknown and fully expect to emerge triumphant.
I cannot help but compare their attitude to that of those people who are smeared with the taint of entitlement. These individuals claim that life has dealt with them unfairly, demanding preferential treatment. They whine with every word and wear their entitlement like a hair coat, exhausting all those unfortunate enough to come into contact with them.
I think of my friends who rely on prayer and the Lord. They give of themselves, always thinking of others, even when life throws them a curve.
So, for today, I am grateful for my friends who face adversitiy with courage and grace and go forward in faith.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 32, February 1
It has been a month since I started "The Gratitude Project." Thank you to those who have borne with me during this month of discovery. When I started this blog, I voiced my doubts to my oldest son, Rob, of whether I had the emotional, mental, and spiritual energy to keep it up for a year.
Wisely, he counseled me to think of every day as New Year's Day, where determination is at its highest. "You can do anything for one day," he said.
Some days, I write and feel that the words are put in my mind by a Divine hand and that I am but a scribe. Other days, I grope and struggle for every word. Too frequently, I am filled with self-doubt, wondering if my words are touching anyone, wondering if I am making a difference.
The hard things in my life haven't changed: People I love are still beset by health challenges and heart-breaking problems. I am still a selfish person with more than my share of weaknesses and sins. But, and this is important, but I feel my heart softening, imperceptibly, as I turn to my Father in gratitude.
So, for today, I am grateful for this day.
Wisely, he counseled me to think of every day as New Year's Day, where determination is at its highest. "You can do anything for one day," he said.
Some days, I write and feel that the words are put in my mind by a Divine hand and that I am but a scribe. Other days, I grope and struggle for every word. Too frequently, I am filled with self-doubt, wondering if my words are touching anyone, wondering if I am making a difference.
The hard things in my life haven't changed: People I love are still beset by health challenges and heart-breaking problems. I am still a selfish person with more than my share of weaknesses and sins. But, and this is important, but I feel my heart softening, imperceptibly, as I turn to my Father in gratitude.
So, for today, I am grateful for this day.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Day 31, January 31
I love aprons. Although I rarely wear one (I avoid cooking whenever possible!), I appreciate the artistry and design that go into making one.
When I tried to trace my love for aprons to its root, I came up with my grandmother, Mamaw. Mamaw donned an apron first thing in the morning and didn't remove it until she went to bed.
Made of sturdy cotton, starched and pressed to within an inch of its life, her apron was a workhorse. There were no frills, no ruffles. Such fripperies had no place on a garment designed to protect clothes. With no washing machine for much of her life, she wore the same dress day after day. She taught her children--my mother, her sisters, and brother--the same practicality and frugality.
Mamaw's apron had deep pockets. In them could be found any number of surprises. A stray button. A marble. A trinket to delight a grandchild. The long skirt could be doubled over to serve as a makeshift potholder as she removed something from the black pot-bellied stove ... and it could wipe away a child's tears.
Mamaw was no steel magnolia. She was pure steel. Weathering the hardships of the Great Depression, the death of her husband, and countless other challenges, she still made certain her four children attended school, went to church, and learned to work. Her apron defined her because it defined her love for her family.
So, for today, I am grateful for aprons ... and for Mamaw.
When I tried to trace my love for aprons to its root, I came up with my grandmother, Mamaw. Mamaw donned an apron first thing in the morning and didn't remove it until she went to bed.
Made of sturdy cotton, starched and pressed to within an inch of its life, her apron was a workhorse. There were no frills, no ruffles. Such fripperies had no place on a garment designed to protect clothes. With no washing machine for much of her life, she wore the same dress day after day. She taught her children--my mother, her sisters, and brother--the same practicality and frugality.
Mamaw's apron had deep pockets. In them could be found any number of surprises. A stray button. A marble. A trinket to delight a grandchild. The long skirt could be doubled over to serve as a makeshift potholder as she removed something from the black pot-bellied stove ... and it could wipe away a child's tears.
Mamaw was no steel magnolia. She was pure steel. Weathering the hardships of the Great Depression, the death of her husband, and countless other challenges, she still made certain her four children attended school, went to church, and learned to work. Her apron defined her because it defined her love for her family.
So, for today, I am grateful for aprons ... and for Mamaw.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Day 30, January 30
Today is Sunday, the Sabbath for millions of people around the world. In a few minutes, I will go upstairs and dress in Sunday clothes in preparation for going to church. From the time I was a small child, my parents taught me that when we go to church, we dress in "our best."
In today's world, where casual Friday has become casual Monday through Friday, where an emailed "Thanx" has replaced a hand-written thank-you note, where good manners are a way of the past, such thinking seemed old-fashioned, even antiquated.
Yet, I cling to the notion of "Sunday clothes" as a way of showing reverence for the Lord and for His house. A children's song contains the words "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting. It's thinking of Father above."
"Reverence is more than just quietly sitting." What a simple but profound concept. The dictionary tells us that to revere is to honor, to love. If I am to honor and to love the Lord, should I not dress in a way that shows that honor and love? Certainly, there are other ways, more important ways to show that love than by how I dress. How I treat others, how I conduct my daily life are but a few. Still, I cannot dismiss the idea that dressing in "my best" when I attend church is crucial.
So, for today, I am grateful for Sunday clothes.
In today's world, where casual Friday has become casual Monday through Friday, where an emailed "Thanx" has replaced a hand-written thank-you note, where good manners are a way of the past, such thinking seemed old-fashioned, even antiquated.
Yet, I cling to the notion of "Sunday clothes" as a way of showing reverence for the Lord and for His house. A children's song contains the words "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting. It's thinking of Father above."
"Reverence is more than just quietly sitting." What a simple but profound concept. The dictionary tells us that to revere is to honor, to love. If I am to honor and to love the Lord, should I not dress in a way that shows that honor and love? Certainly, there are other ways, more important ways to show that love than by how I dress. How I treat others, how I conduct my daily life are but a few. Still, I cannot dismiss the idea that dressing in "my best" when I attend church is crucial.
So, for today, I am grateful for Sunday clothes.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Day 29, January 29
Generations ago, houses had large porches. Families and friends gathered there, to talk, to gossip, to connect. Houses today typically have small porches. The porch of our house is hardly more than a few steps. Still, I enjoy sitting there, snatching a few moments here and there to simply be.
When our children were young, my husband and I sat on the front porch watching our children as they rode bikes, played ball, skated down the driveway. We waved to neighbors and caught up with each other's lives.
We continue the practice today, but it is our kitty whom we watch play. Since she is declawed, we can't let her be outside on her own so we take her out for playtime. We smile as she stalks through the grass to find a bug or chase a dandelion puff. (I can see you rolling your eyes and thinking, "You take your cat out for playtime?" Yes. What can I say? We're absolutely silly over that little creature.)
I wave to a neighbor as he walks his dog, and we laugh over our devotion to our pets. I watch the play of leaves in the breeze and eagerly look for any sign that the tulips and daffodils might start to poke their way through the winter-hardened dirt.
Porches, large or small, are still places to connect. To nature. To people. To ourselves.
Porches serve another purpose as well. During the holidays, porches make convenient places to leave surprises. One grim year, when my husband's fledgingly business was struggling and we were exisiting on a spotty food storage and love, we found a box of goodies on our porch early one morning. Inside were a turkey and all the fixings for a special dinner, including homemamde bread and pies. Our family has made similar use of porches, leaving anonymous treats there.
So, for today, I am grateful for porches.
When our children were young, my husband and I sat on the front porch watching our children as they rode bikes, played ball, skated down the driveway. We waved to neighbors and caught up with each other's lives.
We continue the practice today, but it is our kitty whom we watch play. Since she is declawed, we can't let her be outside on her own so we take her out for playtime. We smile as she stalks through the grass to find a bug or chase a dandelion puff. (I can see you rolling your eyes and thinking, "You take your cat out for playtime?" Yes. What can I say? We're absolutely silly over that little creature.)
I wave to a neighbor as he walks his dog, and we laugh over our devotion to our pets. I watch the play of leaves in the breeze and eagerly look for any sign that the tulips and daffodils might start to poke their way through the winter-hardened dirt.
Porches, large or small, are still places to connect. To nature. To people. To ourselves.
Porches serve another purpose as well. During the holidays, porches make convenient places to leave surprises. One grim year, when my husband's fledgingly business was struggling and we were exisiting on a spotty food storage and love, we found a box of goodies on our porch early one morning. Inside were a turkey and all the fixings for a special dinner, including homemamde bread and pies. Our family has made similar use of porches, leaving anonymous treats there.
So, for today, I am grateful for porches.
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