On The International Day for the End of Violence of Women, I share a grateful quote from Maya Angelou who experienced violence against her from an early age from the men in her life, and who found her voice and overcame those experiences. Her story can be found in the book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
A daisy in the midst of cone flowers is unexpected. That practicing the expression of gratitude, even in the difficult time, would bring more joy into our lives is counter intuitive, and also unexpected. When we express gratitude and forgiveness, as the Amish did in Pennsylvania following the horrible school shooting, it is beyond unexpected. It is pure grace and wonder.
Let us be unexpected witnesses of the graciousness of God, and live as a grateful and forgiving people.
There’s a self expansive aspect of gratitude. Very possibly it’s a little known law of nature: the more gratitude you have, the more you have to be grateful for.
Gratitude is the intention to count-your-blessings every day, every minute, while avoiding, whenever possible, the belief that you need or deserve different circumstances.
– Timothy Miller in How To Want What You Have
What are the blessings of this day – of this moment?
The day I acquired the habit of consciously pronouncing the words “thank you”, I felt I had gained possession of a magic wand capable of transforming everything.
There are many things to be grateful “for” but, as I ripen with the seasons of life, the many reasons blend into a sacred mystery. And, most deeply, I realize that living gratefully is its own blessing.
– Michael Mahoney
May my life and the fruit of my life ripen graciously through gratitude
Gratitude is the most passionate transformative force in the cosmos. When we offer thanks to God or to another human being, gratitude gifts us with renewal, reflection, reconnection.
– Sarah Ban Breathnach
The transformative process that is Autumn reminds us to be grateful
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
– Maya Angelou
“A Thing of Joy” by Sister Adele Rowland
Sister Adele, though not doing photography work presently, continues to graciously offer her gifts with a spirit of joy. And we are all blessed by her work and her cheerful disposition. She has been an inspiration to many, including me. Her Counterpoint Images were created by combining two images from slides, long before the advent of Photoshop. Sister Adele was first American photographic artist working exclusively in color photomontage as a fine art. And as a Dominican sister her work as a photographer was the work of a Preacher. She said, “Counterpoint Images are meant to evoke ultimately somoe of the mystery and joy about the complex nature of reality and awaken in the viewer fresh perceptions and the dimension of the divine.”
There’s a self expansive aspect of gratitude. Very possibly it’s a little known law of nature: the more gratitude you have, the more you have to be grateful for.
– Elaine St. James
To be grateful for all . . . To be grateful for the dew and the berries.
OPreach 