Gratitude - 5
My Gratitude list for today is:
It reminds me a bit of how Laura would delay bedtime when she was little. We always did "happy's and sad's" as part of the bedtime ritual. Laura wanted to choose her absolute best happy and her absolute worst sad. In order to do that we had to review the entire day in detail. I remember laughing with babysitters about how many details Laura could remember about her day.
Anyway, I was thinking today about the discipline of examen. This discipline asks two questions at the end of each day. The first has something to do with gratitude. It can be worded several ways.
When was I most aware of God today? When did I feel closest to God today? What was I most grateful for today? When was I most at peace today?
The second question is always the inverse of the first. When was I least aware of God today? When did I feel farthest from God today? What was I least grateful for today? When was I least at peace today?
Supposedly, the discipline of writing the answers to the 'happy/sad' question each day can give you insight into your deeper self. I'm not going to start that now, but maybe, once I have the gratitude habit, I can move on to this...probably not publicly though.
- The first salad from the garden---small spinach leaves and small beet leaves---delicious!
- A great blue heron and two mallard families on the water while I walked the bike path this morning.
- Crazy email banter between my brothers.
- Luke is so sweet about taking his nap, and he loves to have a good snuggle when he wakes up.
- A wash line with wires that are straight and taut.
It reminds me a bit of how Laura would delay bedtime when she was little. We always did "happy's and sad's" as part of the bedtime ritual. Laura wanted to choose her absolute best happy and her absolute worst sad. In order to do that we had to review the entire day in detail. I remember laughing with babysitters about how many details Laura could remember about her day.
Anyway, I was thinking today about the discipline of examen. This discipline asks two questions at the end of each day. The first has something to do with gratitude. It can be worded several ways.
When was I most aware of God today? When did I feel closest to God today? What was I most grateful for today? When was I most at peace today?
The second question is always the inverse of the first. When was I least aware of God today? When did I feel farthest from God today? What was I least grateful for today? When was I least at peace today?
Supposedly, the discipline of writing the answers to the 'happy/sad' question each day can give you insight into your deeper self. I'm not going to start that now, but maybe, once I have the gratitude habit, I can move on to this...probably not publicly though.
Comments
1. Sausage from my parents' farm in Kansas that I used to make chili to make chili dogs to share with friends last night.
2. Friends to eat chili dogs with.
3. A dark rainy afternoon to nap away so I can stay up late tonight.
4. Waking up to a big pile of clean dishes after going to sleep with a big pile of dirty ones.
5. The maddening anticipation of a mysterious anniversary gift, which I've been told I have to wait two more weeks for. What could it be?
1. coming home to find that my husband cleaned AND painted to get ready for house guests coming on Friday.
2. A good evening at work with coworkers who get along.
3. loads of flowers blooming in my small garden.
4. having an umbrella with me when I needed it even though when I went in to work I didn't know I would.
5. Hearing my son say "Lub you!" before I leave.
6. and knowing he is with people who love him almost as much as me and will teach him good things.
2. Newman resting his paw on my lap, casually.
3. Visiting Walton with a student today.
4. Student said, "You're the best teacher I ever had!" (He hasn't had that many teachers.)
5. Another life-giving conversation with a coworker at Chisholm, just at the time when I needed it most.