Give Thanks Always

 It's easy to be thankful when we are feeling blessed, when everything is running smoothly and we are in a place of plenty. As we celebrated Thanksgiving last week, maybe we were able to easily tick off our blessings and feel a deep sense of gratitude for food, family, friends and material comfort.

  But life can be something of a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and I'm sure we've all gone through times when it's hard to be in a thankful frame of mind. Times when the going is rough and we're feeling a little less than positive. Maybe we're grieving for a love one lost or a troubled relationship; perhaps we are going through a health crisis or experiencing a period of financial hardship. At times like these we may be tempted to just say , "I can't possibly think of anything to be thankful for right now; maybe next year will be better".

But the bible is pretty clear on this one: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all  circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6) and "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such
things". (vs. 8)

No matter what the situation, we're supposed to be thankful. That can be a tough one to wrap your head around when you're feeling depressed or anxious or overwhelmed by burdens. 

As counterintuitive as it may seem at the time, it can be a blessing in itself to force ourselves to change our thinking and look at the glimmer of positivity in the midst of whatever we're going through. I know from past experience that the promises of God can give us strength and hope that we didn't know we had.

Years ago, I started a gratitude journal to get myself in the habit of thinking of things to be grateful for everyday and I find it to be a really helpful practice. There's always good to be found in any situation if we open ourselves up to the frequency of  blessing.

Finding Our Light

 

This morning, as the predawn sky begins to brighten, I find myself meditating on darkness and the coming of light. We are entering into the darkest time of the year. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we approach the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, with the least amount of possible sunlight. During this time, we can fear and curse the dark, or we can embrace the lessons it has to teach us.

 There is something to be said for sometimes sitting in the dark: Darkness can be so soothing when you know it won't last forever; you can slip into shadow as a refuge, especially when the light has been pitiless. Spiritual wisdom has it that light is the truth, but there are many kinds of beauty in darkness, like the silver-golden glitter in the internal dark when we close our eyes and at twilight and at dawn...(Anne Lamott, Dusk, Night, Dawn).

Without darkness, we cannot see or appreciate the light. As we retreat into our homes, light fireplaces and candles, put up holiday twinkle and sparkle, we contrast the darkness and cold of the outside world with the cheeriness we create indoors. We celebrate light at this time of year, clinging to it as our natural world settles into the quiet of hibernation.  

Contrasts of darkness and light are major themes in many religions. Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights on November 12, celebrates the inner light that protects us from darkness and welcomes peace and joy. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights which begins on December 7, celebrates the reclaiming of the temple of Jerusalem and centers around the lighting of the Menorah for eight days. 

Advent is the Christian period of preparation for Christ's birth and second coming; the anticipation of the Light of the World being manifested in our hearts and minds. The Advent wreath and lighting of candles has special significance:The advent candles each represent a specific aspect of the spiritual preparations for Christmas.The three main colors are purple, pink, and white, symbolizing hope, peace, joy and love. The last (white) candle, lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent, is the Christ candle.

Whatever our religious traditions, we are entering a time of year marked by retreat and reflection, alternating with festive gathering and celebrations: the darkness of retreat contrasts with the light that we bring from within and manifest in our hearts and homes.

 We can learn from the dark as well as the light, embracing each as part of the mystery that is life. As we pause to gather with family for Thanksgiving this week, may we remember to give thanks in all times and circumstances!

Thank you God, for everything!

 

Manna in the Morning

 The message this morning is a simple one: Be thankful for the abundance that is yours; for the manna that is showered down each day. Every morning,we are given just what we need -spiritually, physically and emotionally. If we approach life with hands open, in receiving mode, with thanksgiving, we need never worry.

In order to fully understand the lesson of manna, I had to re-read the story of the Israelites in Exodus 16. After Moses had brought them out of Egypt (from slavery to freedom),they complained about being in the desert with no food, saying they would rather have died in Egypt than be in this horrible place. 

Have you ever been that low? I have. In those times of utter desolation, or even during times that are simply challenging, when the way doesn't seem clear and we can't imagine there's any hope, God is there if we turn to him/her with hands open, as Moses did on behalf of the Israelite community. There is manna to meet every need if only we ask and have faith.

The story in Exodus tells us that the manna was showered down from heaven.They were small wafers of bread, tasting sweet with a hint of coriander (interesting!) The people were to gather them up in the morning, a portion for each person, but just enough for one day. If they tried to gather too much in order to hoard for the days ahead, the manna spoiled and smelled bad.

That's the lesson right there: the idea of gathering our daily bread each morning, just what we need for each day and not worrying about tomorrow. As difficult a concept as it is for us to grasp, the truth is, the future doesn't exist. There is only the eternal now, each moment flowing into the next. Tomorrow is the domain of worry and anxiety; imagined possibilities that may never come to pass. I believe it's okay to dream, because we have been created as beings with imaginations and thought does tend to manifest reality.

But why not just be thankful, with open arms, and imagine something good coming to you today,
like manna from heaven.

Trees of Life

 Walking in the woods on a crisp, sunny Autumn afternoon is one of the most sublime things a person can do, in my opinion. Old growth trees have a calm, soothing energy that has the power to restore the soul as we walk amongst them, breathing in the oxygen they release and feeling the network of their roots beneath our feet.They sing out the beauty and majesty of creation as they bless all of life in so many ways.

Hiking in the Gosnell Woods yesterday afternoon with my family, I sensed this truth as I felt all tension melt away and my heart open to the beauty all around us.On this golden autumn day, the woods became magical. We stood beneath a giant, 300 year old oak and looked up as the light filtered through the changing leaves.
We sensed  a hush all around; the trees bestowing their gift of peace on us.

 Trees do so much to sustain life on our planet: they take in carbon dioxide (the gas that contributes to global warming) and release oxygen. In fact, one tree produces enough oxygen to sustain four people. Their leaves, when they fall to the ground and decay, enrich the soil and encourage the growth of plants and mushrooms as well as provide shelter for small animals and insects.

Anyone who has walked in a forest knows that there is more to trees than what they do for the planet, however. Their special  energy, that has the power to restore us to our truest selves as we walk, is mystical. I recently read a fascinating book called, The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, in which the author describes his observations about how trees actually have social networks: they communicate through their roots, share nutrients and protect each other. It truly is fascinating to think about what amazing reflections of the Creator they are.

Trees behave as we should: sharing  resources with each other; caring for and protecting each other; communicating on a deep, spiritual level that embraces commonalities rather than differences; enriching the earth rather than destroying...

Oh, what a different world this would be if we all took a lesson from the trees!