Being the One ~ Gratitude Part 4

 

“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” ~ Germany Kent

 

What brings you life?  What helps you feel alive?  I am convinced that it isn’t just meaning or purpose we are searching for in the world, we are longing/thirsty for feeling fully, authentically, wholly, and holy alive.  We want our senses and souls to be awake and aware.  So today, I want to invite you to being to make what is called, “Life giving list”.  Full credit to Steve Cuss for this idea!  The Life-giving list are small encounters and experiences that help you feel alive.  The list isn’t constructed with the special or spectacular ~ like once-in-a-lifetime trips or things that take weeks to plan ~ the list is built for the moments of everyday, ordinary life.  Some examples from my life:

 

Tasting ice cream

Holding Gina’s hand

Hugging my family

Writing a sermon and these daily meditations

Laughing

Taking a photograph out in creation

 

The point is to have a list of things you do and encounter every single day.  The simpler the better because we can practice daily.  I recently heard Steve say he tries to actively cultivate 15 things from his life-giving list each day starting with smiling when he sees his daughter in the morning or hugging his wife before going to work.  Steve’s list has over 150 things from his ordinary life.  You don’t have to come up with that many, but start the list today.  Try to come up with fifty ways you can take note of what you are grateful for rather than what you lack.  If you want to talk more let me know.  Better yet, I would love to share/swipe lists with you sometime.  May you pause and write down your Life-giving list today and may this be an encounter and experience of God’s grace.  Amen.