December 5th Message - The Grateful Heart: Key to Wholeness
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-- Melody Beattie
A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.
-- Cicero
Thankful Thoughts
The fourth Thursday of November, like most of the U.S., we celebrated Thanksgiving in our home. If you have been following the weekly Sabbath messages, you know that I tried this year to make Thanksgiving a more significant event than usual. Towards this goal, we had fasted for the week prior to Thanksgiving and saved the food we would have eated to contribute to a food pantry. So we actually started our Thanksgiving on the day before by contributing food (and a little money) to the local Salvation Army kitchen.
As we left the Salvation Army office, I thought about years in the past when I had struggled to feed my own family. I remembered one year that the hospital where I was employed surprised the staff with food baskets on Thanksgiving. I had tears in my eyes when I received my basket because until that moment, I wasn't sure how I was going to make a special meal for my kids. Another year, I had just moved to Germany. I moved for a government job and was told the government was going to pay all the expenses. I did not know that I had to front the costs and would be paid back later. It took every penny I had to pay the hotel bill. It was Thanksgiving day the next day. The finance office would not be open until the following Monday. Luckily, I was able to take my travel orders and get my family into the soldier's mess hall for Thanksgiving dinner. I remember how relieved I was to not only have a way to celebrate Thanksgiving but just to have some food to feed my children. As I thought about those past years, I felt very grateful that this year I had the resources to have a nice Thanksgiving meal and also had extra to share with others.
Thankgiving morning, when I woke up, I walked the dogs, as usual. I am not a morning person so usually during these early morning walks with the doggies, I am barely functioning. I do it basically because I know walking is good for my health and if I don't walk in the morning, I often don't get a walk in at all. Also, we have very active pups and they are MUCH better doggies if they get their morning romp. This particular morning, however, I tried to make it a different type of experience. I kept my eyes open to my surroundings. I listened to the quietness around me in the desert mesa. I was appreciative of the pure joy of life expressed by the dogs as the ran and jumped and played. I watched the sunrise over the mountains in all its glory. And, I thought to myself, "Is it always this beautiful?" At that moment, a jack rabbit peaked out from behind a scrubby bush with curious eyes as if to say, "Of course, you silly human, did you just realize that you have been missing out?"
When we returned from the walk, I had my morning coffee and muffin. That muffin was extremely satisfying after a week long fast. I thanked God the first time of many times that day for the joy of good food. After I ate, I sent out Thanksgiving day ecards to all the important people in my life. As I wrote the cards, I tried to be very mindful of the gratitude I felt for that person. I reminded myself of some particular aspect of that person that gave me joy or some moment in my life that the person made an impact.
Next, my husband and I had our dinner. We spent a few moment sharing the items in our lives that we were thankful for. Then we said grace and ate. Somewhere between the stuffing and the pumpkin pie, my mind began to wander. I thought about the contentment of sitting at the table in my warm house with peaceful music playing in the background. I thought about the joy and peace that had been growing in my heart that day. I thought about how good it is to take time to consider the good in our lives. I was reminded of quote I heard long ago. "Thanksgiving is not meant to be a day on the calender. Thanksgiving is meant to be a way of life. "
The happiness alive in my heart at that moment was the culmination of a day spent cultivating gratitude in my heart. Actually, it was the culmination of not just one day but a week of preparation. The week of fasting...doing without...helped me truly enjoy the feast. Deprivation provides the perspective that allows us to enjoy blessings. In the same manner, the difficult times in my past that I recalled now, help make this present so sweet. But only if we can view those difficult times with an attitude of gratitude. That is the key.
I then recognized the Divine wisdom of the Essene Way. Essenes take great care to cultivate a correct spirit within. They begin their day communing with the Mother and ended the day communing with the Father. They believe in creating within their life a seven-fold peace: peace with body, mind, family, humanity, culture, Mother and Father. Being at peace begins with accepting and enjoying life as it is....being grateful for what is, what was and what will be.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
Let us start now to cultivate that attitude of gratitude....the spirit of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Invocation
Scripture Reading
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,
and to sing praises unto thy name, O most high:
To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning,
and thy faithfulness every night
— Psalms 92:1-2
Thanksgiving Prayer
Our Father and Mother
who are in heaven,
and around us,
and within us
Holy is Your Name.
Your Kingdom is upon us,
as is Your will.
Your are here on earth,
and in the heavens.
We are never in need
because You provide.
By forgiving our mistakes,
You have taught us
to forgive others.
You lead your children
in the path of light,
and guide us away
from the darkness
because Your kingdom
and power, and glory
are within us.
Amen
