Very Grateful for

God’s rhythms
bike rides in the dark, cool mornings
the rhythm of the spokes and wheels made evident from hmmms and squeaks
the rhythm of this breath… that breath… the next breath
observations of others’ rhythms
declining to accept their pace
gently finding my own rhythm
walking with a different pace
rhythm’s ticket away from anxiety– is this the “peace of God”?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Very Grateful for:

God’s “enoughs”

my dear wise friend at the workforce office

my wise “alpha diva” mentor and her advice

the ombudsman

documentation

the blood pressure machine at Walgreens

the Uber driver who turned out to be a teacher on summer holiday

bike rides in the darkness of cool mornings

waffles

journals

disembarking from the hamster wheel

“I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond or of very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms.” ~

Very Grateful for:

God’s love

hearing a lesson on confession by Tony Evans- turns out-confession also means declaring faith !

Bricks- to plug the hole(s) left by frantic, industrious Ruby

Longer leashes for Ruby so she can explore the yard while I garden (instead of devising new plans for new tunnels)

chives, basil, parsley, rosemary, mint

lovely, creamy pollenta with parmesan cheese and the chives and parsley

sun tee with mint

saved coffee grounds

a lovely scrub made with the coffee grounds, coconut oil, and luscious organic brown sugar

Very Grateful for:

God’s gentle nudges

The terrible dust storm of yesterday (walls of dust) is over

being able to work inside

An old/new again phrase that I work in to all conversations with Dad and many conversations with others: “I am on your side”

the respiratory nurses who help(ed) Dad: D’Dee and Jan

my neighbors, who brought Ruby to their backyard when she tunneled out

my neighbors, who brought Ruby to their backyard when she tunneled out (she did it again)

my neighbors, who brought Ruby to their backyard when she tunneled out (I have to find her escape route)

my neighbors, who brought Ruby to their backyard when she tunneled out (hoping for the best)

Too often, modern technology keeps us from … just noticing. ~Dr. Fred N. Pelzman

Very Grateful for

God’s design for life

Oxygen

Earth- the only planet that has enough oxygen to sustain life

The Oxygen my Dad steadily inhales to sustain his life.

The oxygen in his CPAP that protects him at night

“the thin blue line” of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere that is the key to our life cycle

Oxygen’s dance with Carbon Dioxide and diatoms

the 12-16 times per minute that we breathe, up to 23,000 breaths a day

Trees and their partnership with Oxygen: one tree can produce enough oxygen to support two people

the chance to laugh at the irony that the word “oxygen,” essential to our survival, is not mentioned in the Bible. Link

the stability over centuries that oxygen keeps steady at 20.95% of our atmosphere, despite population growth, disasters,

maybe oxygen is God’s nickname, the essential life-giver

“Spiritual breathing, like physical breathing, is a process of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure, an exercise in faith that enables you to experience God’s love and forgiveness and walk in the Spirit as a way of life.” ~Bill Bright

Very Grateful for

God’s roles for us reaching beyond gender: Survivor, Friend, Volunteer, Believer, Recipient, Confidant, Mentor, Parent, Sibling, Co-worker, Neighbor, Caregiver, Child, Reader, Athlete, Math-lete, Driver,  Student, Learner, Mortal

…

Maybe the list can grow collaboratively ? (what would you add)

“The resurrection is God’s way of revealing to us that nothing that belongs to God will ever go to waste. What belongs to God will never get lost-not even our mortal bodies.” Henri Nouwen in Our Greatest Gift

Very Grateful for

God’s little “annoyances”

the employee who always adds (yet another) question to our wrap-up summary email

Ruby, who wants to go outside at the exact moment of the big reveal on Chopped

the cable going out

the internet going out a few hours later

waiting on hold

the practice of some people to talk louder and slower to me when they see that I’m older

trying to find my phone

trying to remember my password

trying to find a reimbursable receipt

thse little annoyances which actually serve as welcomed distractions from what I’ve labeled as my larger worries

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~Coach John Wooden

Very Grateful for:

God’s rhythms

Yesterdays work that allows today’s pause

A beautiful poem tweet that Garrett sourced: “Between going and staying the day wavers,” … Link

Mary Ellen’s insight in her list today

Karen T.’s perseverance in her lists

hearing the birds, especially the way they have unique calls

Ruby, sleeping on the couch and her tail wagging

a new reaction from me: not being defensive when my article received edits from the publisher

walking out for coffee today

7 hours of sleep

The moment scatters. Motionless,
I stay and go: I am a pause. ~ Octavio Paz

Very Grateful for:

God’s finally-ies  …   with welcoming grace

Finally seeing the connection between joy and imperfection

Finally refusing to eat another meal over the sink and instead sitting down at the table to eat

Finally writing/sending the thank you note; finally writing/sending the sympathy card

Finally getting into a routine and accepting that my routine is spontaneously scheduled

Finally gathering all my little post-it notes and writing them all in my journal

Finally speaking my truth to “DifficultPerson #1, a bit timidly but still…

Finally getting out the care manual to figure out how to set my car clock ahead one hour instead of my usual winging it until October

Finally listening to remember instead of listening to react

“Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.”   ~Philippians 4:8

Very Grateful for:

God’s Suddenlies

Suddenly the trees on our street have BLOSSOMS! Just two weeks ago, the branches were bare and covered with snow.

Suddenly the chives are growing straight up

Suddenly, Ruby came when I called her! (that only took 7 years!)

Suddenly, I saw a quarter and a penny on the street during our walk

Suddenly, the “check engine” did not light up when I drove the car

Suddenly, a call from a dear mentor

Suddenly, 8 of us were free to play tennis

Suddenly, a course invitation to teach came in email

Suddenly, Dad’s eyes turn from grey to cerulean when his granddaughter called

“let’s live suddenly without thinking
under honest trees,” e.e. cumming