Dear lovely friends

I have had such a busy, stressful few days this week. I am sitting here listening to meditative music, night has fallen, and I have just completed a stressful work-related task. Perhaps it is the fatigue but I find myself reading your lovely posts from the past few days with grateful tears….but also with regret that life and these jobs, which I do recognize as gifts, nonetheless got in the way of being here with you all. I missed our common prayer day yesterday….working 2 part time jobs that resulted in a 10 hour work day. My body is yelling at me but mostly I just feel sad that I missed the sacred opportunity to join with you all in prayer.

These jobs are temporary and I am grateful for them…for several reasons. The income is welcome of course….especially after our daughter’s wedding/helping them with the down-payment of their first home. I also appreciate that, although I have to be careful, I am physically able to do these jobs…this wasn’t always the case. And they both landed in my lap and are perfect for me. But I am exhausted.
I am working only 1 of the jobs for the next 2 days…and this is one that I do from home. I so love being in my little farmhouse and I anticipate that my body and spirit will be able to recover from having that luxury.
Despite the busyness, I have taken time each morning to sit quietly in meditation and prayer, looking out over the farmland as the sun rises. And I am grateful that yesterday my husband brought take-out home for dinner. Tonight my daughter has requested Chinese delivery and we shall do that! 🙂
This morning, on my drive to the school where I was working, I gave thanks for our Brother Sun who, despite the cold, was shining brightly. And for the heat in my lovely car Zed, and for the cozy scarf around my neck. I am grateful to be grateful despite my body aches and roiling emotions.

Dear friends…please know that you are always in my heart even if there are days between my visits. I will take Michele’s post to heart and say “Thank you for always being here for me” instead of “I’m sorry I have been absent”. I am grateful for “The Grace of Unconditional Love” that Patjos shared and that you all so generously and freely give.

I am looking forward to a restful evening and wish the same for all of you…..sweet dreams and restorative sleep. My intention is to hold all of you up in prayer tonight as I drift off to sleep…knowing that the angels will be there to take over for my exhausted self if necessary.

~With grateful love ♥

Good morning lovely people

It has been a very busy few days for me and I am grateful for the slow moving Saturday morning by the fire. I am very tired but also very grateful for the opportunities to work that I have had these last few weeks. I enjoy the interactions (with both adults and students) and that I can still stay involved in education after my retirement from classroom teaching. My 2 part time jobs are really perfect for me at this point in my journey. I substitute for the office secretaries in 6 different schools in our rural school district. And I also, as the need arises, work from home as a 7th grade science online-scorer for a nationwide standardized testing company. Both of these jobs are a gift.
I have to be careful though with my fatigue and pain management. Today and tomorrow will be a “rest and recovery” weekend….on Monday another busy work week arrives!

It’s so wonderful to be here with all of you. My heart was encouraged by the support and affirmations that my dear friends Pilgrim, Palm, Anna and Deb blessed me with since I posted last.
I am so grateful. My daughter’s spirits have recovered somewhat…she is still struggling but has been given some “divine hugs” this past week. I am praying that she will hear that small, still voice inside her that is guiding her and reminding her that all will be well. God has always provided her with directions on her journey…some unexpected, and there have been detours along the way. And those detours are not without value and purpose, I believe.
But she is young and impatient and wants to have it all figured out…soon! 🙂

I am grateful for my husband who, having lived with my chronic illness and other health issues, has a keen awareness and understanding of what I need to do to take care of myself. And he inspires and encourages me to do just that. My daughter too. They both know that I have a tendency to overdo things and then suffer the consequences….it’s a blessing to have them around to put the brakes on for me!
And so my dear friends, despite my frustration that I should not (and will not!) do the holiday decorating that I wanted to accomplish in our farmhouse today….I will accept and even embrace the fatigue that I feel deep in my bones today, the fibromyalgia pain, and the anxiety that is my visitor as of late. I can be grateful for these because they are my teachers. I can be grateful for the loving care of my family when I am hurting. I can be grateful because they provide me the opportunity to just “be” instead of “do”. These times are like divine intervention for my soul and spirit.

I’m reminded of these words from the 23rd Psalm that I share now with all of you with grateful love ♥

“He MAKES me lie down in green pastures. He LEADS me beside still waters” To lovingly restore my soul.

~Have a slow, still, restorative day my dear friends

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Good evening lovely friends
On this our common prayer day I have just lit a virtual prayer candle here on this site. Once again I am reminded how blessed I am to be a part of this circle of grateful prayers.

The dark has settled in here in the Northeast U.S…..earlier each day it seems. I worked at my substitute job this morning and spent the afternoon with my daughter…we have been having some special time together these last couple of days as she struggles with trying to figure out what is next on her journey. Long conversations and some tears. She is a little lost right now….not sure exactly what she wants to do and where she wants to live. She turned down a job offer because she felt in her heart that it wasn’t where she was being called. Likewise, living here in rural farmland with us. Although it has grown on her, it is never where she wanted to be long term
And so it seems her time with us here is gradually coming to an end. I am sad at the thought of her leaving and anxious about the uncertainties. I suppose these emotions are only natural, so I am being kind and giving myself the compassion that I would extend to any other mom.
In the meantime, my older daughter and her new husband will be joining us for Christmas and so…the 5 of us will be together again and for that I am grateful.
I am also grateful that dinner is ready…it smells so good and it is time to eat so I will say goodnight for now my friends.

~With grateful love and blessings

Good morning lovely friends…..I hope that you all had a Thanksgiving filled with joy and reminders of all that we have to be grateful for.

My finger has recovered enough so that I could take off the humongous bandage….so typing is considerably easier now. 🙂

I am grateful for the “Thanksgiving Grateful Living Practice” that I participated in this year. Since I was hosting my brother and his family for a couple of days I didn’t exactly get to do an e-card each day. Instead I sent out 3 of the cards just this morning while sitting by the fire in the peace and solitude. It’s a beautiful practice and was a reminder of the special people that have blessed my life over the years.

It is frigid cold here…giving me the opportunity to strengthen my resolve and resist the temptation to grumble and complain! Instead I am off to take a hot shower, bundle up and go into town to visit the farmer’s market (indoors!). Perhaps if I get moving I will feel less like a popsicle.

~Sending you all my grateful love 💖

Good morning my lovely gratefulness friends!

I’ve missed being here with you….we had a short little RV adventure this past weekend and then I worked 2 full days in a row, which is unusual for me. But the income is welcomed, especially as the holiday season approaches….not to mention that we just had our daughter’s wedding! 🙂

I am recovering today…taking it slow despite the fact that I am hosting a small family gathering tomorrow for Thanksgiving. My daughter did the food shopping for me yesterday and she vacuumed the farmhouse…so thankful for her! My husband is working from home today and will help with last minute preparations. Besides…my brother and his family are very “low maintenance” so I’m not overly stressed 🙂 I’m so thankful that he is making the 3 hour drive to be with us this year…I’m always happy to be in the company of my “little” (just turned 60) brother.

I sliced my finger pretty bad this weekend and typing is difficult so I will keep this short.

Thankful that I didn’t need stitches!

Thankful for the fire that is going in our wood-burning stove on this frigid day…it feels more like January outside! I don’t do well in the cold but am thankful for my cozy warm farmhouse, thick wool socks, hot herbal tea, blankets..and hygge!

The birds are swarming all over our feeders this morning. It was so lovely to sit in our sun room this morning (despite the cold the sun is strong and bright) and watch them fly to and fro. A mourning dove family, Mr.and Mrs. cardinal (the male was bright bright red!), hairy woodpeckers, starlings and blue jays….so delightful.

I am thankful for all of you and will write more when my thumb heals…this is slow going right now 🙂 But I had to be sure to wish you all (even those across the oceans) the most blessed of Thanksgivings…..despite it being a uniquely American holiday!

~Abundant blessings with grateful love ♥

Thank you for sharing my friend. My retirement too came at just the right time….I never looked back. My work now consists of these temporary and substitute jobs that give me flexibility and allow me to practice the self-care that I need. I also have a pension but am not yet collecting Social Security (but soon!). These little jobs are really a blessing and usually pretty manageable…but lately they have snuck up on me! And I think the cold weather has contributed to my weariness lately…….I tire of being cold all the time!

Today was a balm for my weary body and spirit though…I worked from home and enjoyed being comfy in my cozy sweats and warm with the electric heater next to me while I worked. I took frequent breaks and enjoyed being in my little farmhouse.

It is an encouragement to my heart to know that you are here traveling this journey with me Pilgrim. I am wishing you a peaceful and restorative sleep tonight dear friend.

~With grateful love ♥

Ann….it is just a truth that sometimes it takes effort and determination to live a grateful life despite the inevitable challenges (physical, mental, emotional) that we face. I am learning that it is a decision/choice that we make each and every day. Sometimes we just plain don’t “feel” grateful. But we can start with the simple, mostly overlooked blessings we have….like clean water to drink, a hot shower, our warm cozy blankets on a cold day, the roof over our heads (I’m not sure where you live but here in the U.S. we have thousands of people who have lost everything to fires, floods, and other natural disasters), the food in our cupboards. When I find myself being cranky about having to wash the dishes (again!) then I can make a conscious choice to turn that around and be grateful that I have food to put on those dishes that make it necessary to wash them! Music is something that I can take for granted..and it brings me so much joy. I forget to be thankful for the beautiful sounds filling my home and helping me to forget about the constant ringing in my ears (I have tinnitus). When I experience an especially bad day of fibromyalgia pain I can be grateful that I can still go outside and enjoy nature, even if I can only handle a short walk. My anxiety issues draw me closer to God and the comfort and reassurance I find when I turn my worries and fears over to the Divine.

I believe you found us for a reason Ann. Everyone here can relate! We help each other along the way with compassion and words of comfort, encouragement and wisdom. No pressure, no guilt if you are having a hard time finding gratitude…we’ve all been there.

Ram Dass said “We are all just walking each other home”.

Please be kind and compassionate towards yourself and know that you are not alone.

~Blessings

We are glad you are here Ann. You have been led to a very special community of souls. This is a sacred space and has been a somewhat miraculous source of comfort, encouragement and spiritual growth for me.

To answer your question…there are so many wonderful places for “visit”. Perhaps you can begin by watching the video by Br. David “A Grateful Day”. The practice space also has a daily question that you can respond to, or simply read what others have shared to start. I personally love the “Angel of the Hours” because it provides me with a reminder to slow down and take some moments to be still…the chanting is lovely there and is like a mini-meditation.
Hope to “see” you here in the gratitude lounge often.
~Blessings