11-16-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 16, 2023
While visiting my grandparents on vacation years ago, I remember walking into the kitchen early in the morning (well, not too early) and finding my grandmother humming a tune as she moved from one project to another with surprising agility for a woman her age. Breakfast was coming together for us late risers; freshly picked items from the garden were being cleaned and prepared; a pot of something was cooking on the stove; and some vegetables were in the cooker for canning. She greeted me with joy, taking a moment for a quick hug as she went to get an item from the cupboard. Some people would have used words like upbeat, happy, cheerful, or peppy to describe my grandmother. Those all fit, but I really believe I was witnessing a spirit of gratitude. Her life was a genuine expression of thankfulness. Who do you know whose life is Thanksgiving every single day? I’ve been thinking about this as we are one week out from that holiday. I think about Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, where he writes, “…with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” (3:16). 

You have provided me with a plethora of amazing experiences to motivate my gratitude, O Loving Lord, and I only hope that others are able to see just how thankful I am. Amen.