Gratitude and Every Day Life

It has been almost 8 months since I made my last post to this blog. It isn’t because I have ignored it, though I have at times; I just have not been able to think of anything worth posting. My last post was more than just words, it was an experience I had with my God while writing. I actually saw myself within the body of Jesus, looking out of his eyes towards the Father of Heaven and Earth. My heart was actually touched by the emotions Jesus had for his Father and I could see the love the Father has for his son Jesus. I was actually caught up in the torrent of love that came with the presence of the Holy Spirit of God. What can compare to an experience like that?

Nothing! So in light of this realization, I have decided to post again; not to out do my last post – which I think must be the temptation of all new writers – but to just do something to move forward. Writing, I am learning, is much like life; we have high and glorious mountain top experiences and writing lows – those things that are written down that we forever regret we put to paper, and then there is that every day existence of life – getting up in the morning to get the kids off to school, going to work, cleaning the house and enjoying the life that God gives us every day. This is what writing is like. And I think this is one of those every day life thoughts that I have decided are just as valuable as those mountain top experiences.

Every day life is the place that I am learning gratitude. I must admit that I have not been very good at expressing my gratitude or even recognizing the need for gratitude. I have asked the Lord over a number of years to teach me how to be grateful. This has not been an easy task to accomplish, but because He is God and I am not, I think I am beginning to learn.

I am so grateful for the Love of God because I am beginning to understand that His love is truly unconditional. He loves so passionately, that He sent a part of himself (His Word – His Son, Jesus) to die for me – and He died for me so that I could know how much He loves me. That experiential knowledge of His love for me comes, not just in those mountain top experiences, but in my every day life and it is the only thing that gives purpose to my existence. I am learning to recognize the emotion of gratitude, now I realize that I need to learn how to express it in my every day life.

I am a great admirer of “being real” what ever that means. I have spent many years trying to express emotions and thoughts the way I thought others wanted me to express them (Are you confused? – I was!) So I am on this journey as an adult – how to express what is truly on my heart in a way that builds up, expresses honor toward those I am speaking with, and shows gratitude towards my Lord. It is a lot more difficult than I ever dreamed it could be, but this is my goal, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…speaking the truth in love...causes growth of the body [of Christ] for the edifying of itself in love.” Eph. 4:3, 11 – 16.