Gratitude...

I have a dear friend who chooses a word for each year and focuses on the word and what it means to her for that year. That inspired me to give some thought to what I'd choose if I did the same. I would have to say that my word would be "enough" - as in "I have enough of all that I need". "Enough" can have a negative sound to it however - as in "enough is enough"... so instead I try to remember "gratitude". I have so very much to be grateful for!

It's an important daily reminder, especially these days when we're on one income and money is very tight. Every new day God gives us enough - our needs are met beyond our expectations and we have enough to share with others... a daily miracle!

Last year very good friends shared their bounty - Tim & I cleaned and cooked up preserves of raspberries, currants, grapes, mulberries, plums... it was wonderful work. (The photo is of Ben following Opa while picking raspberries.) Now every time we open another jar we remember the overflowing generosity of our friends. We were able to enjoy not only the harvest, but the time spent picking, cleaning, talking, canning, our friendships, and sharing the finished preserves with others. So much to be grateful for! It seems like so many things in life are just like that - once you start to pull at the thread of gratitude - so much follows and before you know it you are surrounded by things you are grateful for. Things that may have always been there, but now are seen in a new light... and once I come to see things in that new light, I can't help myself but want to share.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."

-Melodie Beattie