I wanted to respond to ” gratefulness in my life – what’s going well? ” with a poem I wrote during the course phase regarding joy as the fruit of gratefulness:
Joy Born of Gratefulness
“Patience, O Lord, as I learn to receive.
The letting go, and the taking what You have
give birth in me of dying to self and rejoicing
in the poverty of Your love.
Trying to live with confidence and trust
in the promise of Your Presence,
I sense a joy not yet complete
somehow peace-attended recalling the cause of Your coming.
Struggling daily to see all You do for me
as my way intercedes for me rather than You,
and, learning this joy comes from gratefulness,
I say, ‘Thank You’, then try to understand what I do.”
Fran Wiesner 8/26/22
thank you for sharing this journey of Gratfullness!
I chose to have a FUN day today and not dwell on negative things! My friend and I went to a Polo match in Newport USA vs Ireland. So much fun to people watch and of course many Irish students in Newport cheering on their country. USA won but I was really hoping Ireland did!! lol, My friend Mike made a picnic dinner and the weather was perfect!
Delicious fruits are available in abundance, fresh clean water in front of me, refreshing after a day full of sunshine. Grateful for this day. Blessings to all of you.
Very grateful, thankful for this quiet morning time. Toast, coffee, prayer & meditation, birdsong, fog & now sunshine & watching tennis from Wimbledon. I am content. I am happy. I am thankful for all this abundance.🙏🏻
Thank you for the reminder. It’s so easy
to focus on what’s not going right.
My relationship with my wife, friendships,
work, health(mostly), and housing. Really,
most thing are going well.
My tendency to dwell on wants and desires
is problematic.
As I sit here on the patio, in the sun,
listening to the wind and birds, taking a
breath, releasing that breath, relaxing my
shoulders, I come back to this present
moment and I am so grateful.
Such a long list of things to be grateful for! And this is only some of them. The list keeps getting longer, and will keep growing past when I hit “Post Comment.”
– My stomach is full of delicious leftovers from last night’s anniversary dinner, consumed for breakfast.
– My husband and I went to a very nice Italian restaurant we haven’t yet been to; continuing to explore the town we moved to 2-1/2 years ago yields new sources of enjoyment on a regular basis.
– While we were downtown before dinner I picked up a new book of poetry, Poetry of Presence II, and started reading it this morning. I start each day with poetry and this site, and I appreciate the centering time for my mind. It’s a wonderful book, as is its predecessor Poetry of Presence. Highly recommend.
– I also got 2 new pens at the little art supply place in downtown to use in my journal. They write beautifully and I’m glad I can support a locally owned small business.
– The washing machine is chugging away, making sheets and towels clean.
– Cool air comes into the window from outside, our natural A/C before the day turns hot.
– We had solar panels installed a few weeks ago and they’ve been producing our electricity and preventing CO2 emissions. Every day my husband looks at the app and lets me know what we’ve done to cool the planet while becoming more self-sufficient in the event of a power outage.
– We’ll soon leave the house for our usual Saturday walk downtown to the farmers’ market and other small errands. I expect we’ll get coffee and go sit by the marina to watch the boats and look for seals and birds. We’re so fortunate to live where it’s green, near water, and to be able to take time to enjoy without needing to spend money.
– I can feel the aches and pains from yesterday’s 4 hours of heavy gardening and yard work. I can be happy that I’m able to do that kind of work and to know that we’re turning what was a weedy, neglected patch of hard dirt into a place where we grow food for ourselves in raised beds and supply habitat for pollinators with the mostly native plants I’m adding in other parts of the yard.
– We bought 2 trees this week and later today my husband will be digging a couple of deep holes; not the ideal time of year for a tree transplant but we’ll take care of them so they thrive. We bought one for beauty (a Himalayan birch with paper-white bark), one for food (an all-in-one self-pollinating almond; we’re at the northernmost edge of where almonds can grow and they’re a favorite nut).
– The two trees will fill in a spot so the view from the street looking at the front of our house doesn’t include looking at the back of the house behind us and will provide shade on the west side of the garage where my husband has his workbench to cool it a bit. I’ve never really designed a yard before beyond planting some flower seeds and adding raised beds for food; I’ve been able to take classes from our local Extension office and appreciate the chance to learn and to apply the lessons over time.
– After our walk, while my sweetheart labors away chopping at the hard caliche clay that runs under our entire yard, I’ll be on a bike ride with my friend who lives nearby. We’ll go back downtown and get ice cream, and maybe stop at some yard sales along the way. We both have e-bikes and hers has a big wheelbarrow-like front carrier so we can haul an amazing amount of stuff if we hit some good finds. She once hauled a small table and 2 chairs for me. I appreciate e-bike technology and the way it frees us from cars.
– Sometime today I’ll pick raspberries and tayberries. We’re eating fresh berries every morning with breakfast–such a treat! I’m glad I put in those small starts 2 years ago.
So much is so good in our lives. So much to be grateful for.
This is quite the list. Thank you for giving me the inspiration to look deeper into my list. You also reminded me to include FUN in my day. Ice cream with a friend hummmmm
I awoke
The internet works
I can see outside
Water came out of the faucet
The toilet flushed
The coffee got hot from the microwave
The rain gave a nice soak to the ground
Thank you!
What is going well in this moment? The view outside my bedroom window. I moved my bed so that it fully faces the window to be able to take in the sky and trees beyond. This morning I noticed a bird alighting atop one of the lamp posts which line our community’s walkway, perching for a few moments, then flying down to the grass below. S/he did this a few times, simply, elegantly, my guess in a search for insects or seeds. The backdrop of the blue and white sky and the lushness of recently rained trees soothe me.
I have just joined this site at a precarious moment in my life, one full of despair and suffering. I cried tears of relief as I listened to the videos about and by Brother David. They and the scene outside my window are balm for this battered soul. of mine . I am glad to have found this site.
Welcome Soshaanna! We all are so happy to have you here. May your days become better visiting this site and following all that enter here. It is a wonderful group and I learn so much every day. We are grateful that you have joined us. Sending love to a new friend.
Welcome to the site. I hope you find it as comforting as your view. The word of the day will also encourage you to continue self care. Hugs!
What a beautiful name!
What a beautiful view. I can close my eyes and see it. Welcome to this wonderful and peaceful site. We learn so much from each other. Thank you for sharing!
I slept poorly- but up and getting ready for my meditation group this morning. We have a group of women who meet weekly at one another’s home. Today it is at my home…I made blueberry muffins and we will have coffee and tea…read a meditation, have 20 minutes of silence…discuss our feelings…and of course gab!! I have a good life…and am very grateful.
I got a good night’s sleep and woke up to another new day. We changed our business hours and got home an hour earlier than we were, which gave us time to relax and eat and get in bed at a more decent time. I appreciate that because sleep and rest are so important! The rain from last night has passed and the sky is bright blue between the lingering clouds. It’s going to be a beautiful day 🩵
Choosing gratitude in this moment, what do I notice is going well? I tossed and turned most of the night and though I am weary, I choose gratitude this morning as I know I am blessed with another day. Besides, I’m retired so I can take a nap whenever I like. Coffee is brewed and mighty tasty and I am dressed and will take my walk at daybreak. Plus, I give thanks for today’s quote from Jane Goodall. It has grabbed me on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. As she says “The environment we create will determine what prevails. In other words, what we nurture and encourage wins.” Life wishes to be romanced and that requires a loyalty that rises above personal desire. An attitude of gratitude makes us instruments of grace and well being in a needy and confused world.
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I wanted to respond to ” gratefulness in my life – what’s going well? ” with a poem I wrote during the course phase regarding joy as the fruit of gratefulness:
Joy Born of Gratefulness
“Patience, O Lord, as I learn to receive.
The letting go, and the taking what You have
give birth in me of dying to self and rejoicing
in the poverty of Your love.
Trying to live with confidence and trust
in the promise of Your Presence,
I sense a joy not yet complete
somehow peace-attended recalling the cause of Your coming.
Struggling daily to see all You do for me
as my way intercedes for me rather than You,
and, learning this joy comes from gratefulness,
I say, ‘Thank You’, then try to understand what I do.”
Fran Wiesner 8/26/22
thank you for sharing this journey of Gratfullness!
I chose to have a FUN day today and not dwell on negative things! My friend and I went to a Polo match in Newport USA vs Ireland. So much fun to people watch and of course many Irish students in Newport cheering on their country. USA won but I was really hoping Ireland did!! lol, My friend Mike made a picnic dinner and the weather was perfect!
I tripped over on the driveway yesterday. That up close inspection while I was on the ground revealed it is in good repair. Ha!
Delicious fruits are available in abundance, fresh clean water in front of me, refreshing after a day full of sunshine. Grateful for this day. Blessings to all of you.
Very grateful, thankful for this quiet morning time. Toast, coffee, prayer & meditation, birdsong, fog & now sunshine & watching tennis from Wimbledon. I am content. I am happy. I am thankful for all this abundance.🙏🏻
Thank you for the reminder. It’s so easy
to focus on what’s not going right.
My relationship with my wife, friendships,
work, health(mostly), and housing. Really,
most thing are going well.
My tendency to dwell on wants and desires
is problematic.
As I sit here on the patio, in the sun,
listening to the wind and birds, taking a
breath, releasing that breath, relaxing my
shoulders, I come back to this present
moment and I am so grateful.
Such a long list of things to be grateful for! And this is only some of them. The list keeps getting longer, and will keep growing past when I hit “Post Comment.”
– My stomach is full of delicious leftovers from last night’s anniversary dinner, consumed for breakfast.
– My husband and I went to a very nice Italian restaurant we haven’t yet been to; continuing to explore the town we moved to 2-1/2 years ago yields new sources of enjoyment on a regular basis.
– While we were downtown before dinner I picked up a new book of poetry, Poetry of Presence II, and started reading it this morning. I start each day with poetry and this site, and I appreciate the centering time for my mind. It’s a wonderful book, as is its predecessor Poetry of Presence. Highly recommend.
– I also got 2 new pens at the little art supply place in downtown to use in my journal. They write beautifully and I’m glad I can support a locally owned small business.
– The washing machine is chugging away, making sheets and towels clean.
– Cool air comes into the window from outside, our natural A/C before the day turns hot.
– We had solar panels installed a few weeks ago and they’ve been producing our electricity and preventing CO2 emissions. Every day my husband looks at the app and lets me know what we’ve done to cool the planet while becoming more self-sufficient in the event of a power outage.
– We’ll soon leave the house for our usual Saturday walk downtown to the farmers’ market and other small errands. I expect we’ll get coffee and go sit by the marina to watch the boats and look for seals and birds. We’re so fortunate to live where it’s green, near water, and to be able to take time to enjoy without needing to spend money.
– I can feel the aches and pains from yesterday’s 4 hours of heavy gardening and yard work. I can be happy that I’m able to do that kind of work and to know that we’re turning what was a weedy, neglected patch of hard dirt into a place where we grow food for ourselves in raised beds and supply habitat for pollinators with the mostly native plants I’m adding in other parts of the yard.
– We bought 2 trees this week and later today my husband will be digging a couple of deep holes; not the ideal time of year for a tree transplant but we’ll take care of them so they thrive. We bought one for beauty (a Himalayan birch with paper-white bark), one for food (an all-in-one self-pollinating almond; we’re at the northernmost edge of where almonds can grow and they’re a favorite nut).
– The two trees will fill in a spot so the view from the street looking at the front of our house doesn’t include looking at the back of the house behind us and will provide shade on the west side of the garage where my husband has his workbench to cool it a bit. I’ve never really designed a yard before beyond planting some flower seeds and adding raised beds for food; I’ve been able to take classes from our local Extension office and appreciate the chance to learn and to apply the lessons over time.
– After our walk, while my sweetheart labors away chopping at the hard caliche clay that runs under our entire yard, I’ll be on a bike ride with my friend who lives nearby. We’ll go back downtown and get ice cream, and maybe stop at some yard sales along the way. We both have e-bikes and hers has a big wheelbarrow-like front carrier so we can haul an amazing amount of stuff if we hit some good finds. She once hauled a small table and 2 chairs for me. I appreciate e-bike technology and the way it frees us from cars.
– Sometime today I’ll pick raspberries and tayberries. We’re eating fresh berries every morning with breakfast–such a treat! I’m glad I put in those small starts 2 years ago.
So much is so good in our lives. So much to be grateful for.
This is quite the list. Thank you for giving me the inspiration to look deeper into my list. You also reminded me to include FUN in my day. Ice cream with a friend hummmmm
I awoke
The internet works
I can see outside
Water came out of the faucet
The toilet flushed
The coffee got hot from the microwave
The rain gave a nice soak to the ground
Thank you!
I’m alive and kicking ! Thank you 🙏
What is going well in this moment? The view outside my bedroom window. I moved my bed so that it fully faces the window to be able to take in the sky and trees beyond. This morning I noticed a bird alighting atop one of the lamp posts which line our community’s walkway, perching for a few moments, then flying down to the grass below. S/he did this a few times, simply, elegantly, my guess in a search for insects or seeds. The backdrop of the blue and white sky and the lushness of recently rained trees soothe me.
I have just joined this site at a precarious moment in my life, one full of despair and suffering. I cried tears of relief as I listened to the videos about and by Brother David. They and the scene outside my window are balm for this battered soul. of mine . I am glad to have found this site.
Welcome to this site Soshaanna. This is a very uplifting, loving kindness group here.
Welcome Soshaanna! We all are so happy to have you here. May your days become better visiting this site and following all that enter here. It is a wonderful group and I learn so much every day. We are grateful that you have joined us. Sending love to a new friend.
Glad you are here! Welcome!!
Welcome Soshaanna.
Welcome to the site. I hope you find it as comforting as your view. The word of the day will also encourage you to continue self care. Hugs!
What a beautiful name!
What a beautiful view. I can close my eyes and see it. Welcome to this wonderful and peaceful site. We learn so much from each other. Thank you for sharing!
A very warm welcome,
dear Shoshaanna…
I think you have much to teach us
with love…
sparrow ♥
I slept poorly- but up and getting ready for my meditation group this morning. We have a group of women who meet weekly at one another’s home. Today it is at my home…I made blueberry muffins and we will have coffee and tea…read a meditation, have 20 minutes of silence…discuss our feelings…and of course gab!! I have a good life…and am very grateful.
I have food, water, shelter, love to give and receive.
Have a great relaxing weekend everyone 🙂
I feel rested after a good night’s sleep. Morning prayer yielded calm. I feel at ease and relaxed.
I got a good night’s sleep and woke up to another new day. We changed our business hours and got home an hour earlier than we were, which gave us time to relax and eat and get in bed at a more decent time. I appreciate that because sleep and rest are so important! The rain from last night has passed and the sky is bright blue between the lingering clouds. It’s going to be a beautiful day 🩵
Choosing gratitude in this moment, what do I notice is going well? I tossed and turned most of the night and though I am weary, I choose gratitude this morning as I know I am blessed with another day. Besides, I’m retired so I can take a nap whenever I like. Coffee is brewed and mighty tasty and I am dressed and will take my walk at daybreak. Plus, I give thanks for today’s quote from Jane Goodall. It has grabbed me on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. As she says “The environment we create will determine what prevails. In other words, what we nurture and encourage wins.” Life wishes to be romanced and that requires a loyalty that rises above personal desire. An attitude of gratitude makes us instruments of grace and well being in a needy and confused world.