“I am gratitude for…”

a love story.

In second grade, my class had a weekly journaling assignment. Every Friday morning, we’d lift the tops of our miniature desks and pull out our pencils and composition notebooks, and for fifteen minutes or so, we’d spend time keeping a gratitude journal.

I can picture with perfect clarity my best friend’s dull-pencil cursive across the wide-ruled page: “I am gratitude for...I am gratitude for...I am gratitude for...” Kid grammar is the best, is it not?

I still recite this in my head sometimes whenever I am going through the motions of saying my many gratitudes aloud to myself in my head.

What I love about the counting of blessings is that it is its own warm up exercise. Many days, despite the piles and heaps of things I have to be grateful for, I don’t want to talk about that. I only want to think about what I don’t have, what isn’t right.

But, when I begin to count, even if begrudgingly, if I can continue for long enough, the ice invariably begins to melt. I can start to hear the dissonance of my complaining echoing off the walls of this inner hallowed space, where never in this lifetime will everything be right, but where “all things work together for the good of those who love Him”. (romans 8:28)

I don’t do this every day, like I “should”. But I am learning to live with what I am more than who I ought to be, while inviting the good giver of grace to bridge the gaps I will always leave. And he never says no.

So, with that — I am gratitude for this beautiful, healthy boy. I am gratitude for the freedoms I am afforded by Christ and also in this nation — Lord, have mercy on me to properly employ them, with liberty and justice for all. I am gratitude for the breath I am drawing, the beauty of this day, and the warm slippers on my feet. I am gratitude for the community that encircles me — how richly blessed I am to be in the company of others.

His love endures forever, thanks be to God. amen.

sending love to you this morning !

xo,

mal