This fall our congregation’s theme will be: Generous Living: Responding to God’s Abundance.  One generous response to God’s abundance is to develop a heart of gratefulness.  I am grateful for the wonderful people of Resurrection and the opportunity they give me to be on vacation.   I am also thankful that Sarah Storvick, my capable colleague in ministry, will provide some guest post on this blog next week (if technical challenges allow)> 

A part of my relaxation is rereading Wayne Muller’s book, Sabbath,

Meister Eckhart, the Christian mystic, asserted that if the only prayer we ever prayed our whole life was “Thank you,” that would be enough.  Gratefulness cultivates a visceral experience of having enough.  When we are mindful of what we have, and give thanks for the many gifts we have overlooked or forgotten, our sense of wealth cannot help but expand, and we soon achieve a sense of sufficiency we so desire.  Practice thanksgiving before meals, upon rising, when going to sleep.  Friends, family, food, color, fragrance, the earth, life itself — these are all gifts, perfectly gratuitous.  How can we not give thanks?  During Sabbath time we are less concerned with what is missing, focusing instead on sharing our gratefulness for what has already been given (p. 128).

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17

Here is a spiritual exercise worth doing every month.  Take a blank piece of paper and make a list of 100 people/things/experiences for which you are thankful.

Thank You, Lord.