Musings... On Gratitude

I followed my own advice last week and resumed a gratitude journal. Now, don’t get excited, there is no paper journal lying around that you can go read! No, like everything else these days, it is on my phone!

During the early days of my dating relationship with Jennifer, we corresponded often by text message, and it became customary for us, at the end of the day, to send each other a text message, lifting up some element of the present day or memory or other event that we were grateful for.

As you can imagine, as our lives merged and became ever more busy, full and rich, we shared more of our gratitude with each other in conversation, and the practice of writing our gratitude to each other fell off.

Well, I picked it up again last week and here is a glimpse into my practice from a couple of days and a quote:

Monday: I am grateful for… these communities I serve and all who seek to follow in the Way of Jesus faithfully and for my mom and dad, their continued good health and support they offer to our family… And thankful that I am not in film production – what chaos!

Wednesday: I am grateful for… the United Church and its strength of witness in the world, and for my children and the privilege to watch them grow…

Friday: I am grateful for… the life that Jennifer and I share, rich, challenging, and rewarding work, (too) early morning conversations, coffee dates with Rasta tagging along, fall showers and the opportunity for brisk morning walks on the beach…

Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

May gratitude create a vision for your future!

Lloyd

Looking Ahead

Monday I will be in Moncton at Central United Church in the morning for meetings followed by pastoral visits, hospital visits and another pastoral visit into the early evening.

I will begin Tuesday by getting ready for the Lectionary Study Group that begins at 10:30 AM (click the link to join in). The texts for Sunday offer some challenge for those of us with wealth! Following lunch I will prepare to host the third of four grief and loss support group sessions with Peg Noseworthy and at 4:30 PM I will gather with the Sackville United Church Worship and Sanctuary Committee for their regular meeting.

Wednesday will be a full online day! I’ll begin at 9:45 AM  and participate in Growth Animator, Sharon Ballentyne’s gathering, A Place At the Table followed by another Zoom meeting and a some phone calls. At 1:30 PM, at the invitation of Vocations Minister, as a result of the need for Educational Supervisors, I will take part in the first of a two-session online Ministry of Educational Supervision Re-Certification process. Hopefully this will be done in time to allow me to take part in Sackville/Mount A PRIDE Parade which begins at 4:30PM.

On Wednesday evening at 7PM you are invited to join a Collaborative Conversation: A Hidden Wholeness (click on the link to participate). After 15 minutes of informal conversation as we gather, we will watch a 15-minute reflection by Parker Palmer. This will be followed by a time of sharing insights, connections and learnings. This week’s reflection is titled “A Larger Welcome”.

Thursday morning will be devoted to writing a reflection for Sunday morning and in the afternoon its back online again for the second of the two-session online Ministry of Educational Supervision Re-Certification course.

Friday and Saturday will be days off and depending on the weather, maybe the last overnight and closing of the trailer…

On Sunday morning Julia will preside at the liturgy from Central United Church and I will offer the reflection from Visions United Church. Sackville United Church, with leadership offered by Ellie Hummel and others, will be marking PRIDE Sunday and the Anniversary of their becoming an Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Canada.

Remember, if you’d like to book an appointment with me you can call (506) 940-1151, send an email, or click on the link below.