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Gratefulness
The sixth of an eight-day series of blessings inspired by Br. David's book "99 Blessings: An Invitation to Life." Welcome to our practice. Let's begin. We invite you to close your eyes and take one or two slow, deep breaths. Then open your eyes and simply take in this blessing...
SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS,
you bless us with gardens– flower gardens, dizzy from fragrant abundance, or beds in neat rows, but above all the garden we dream of, with wall, well, and white-gravel walkways, its bench shaded by fruit trees, its arbor of grapevines or roses, its fountain, stone steps, statues, and box hedge. May it flourish, that garden of my imagination, anywhere, welcoming in any weather.
Sense how it feels to honor the bright abundance and generosity of gardens. When we take in gardens as the joyful outcome of our imaginations mingling with the exuberance of all that grows, we can appreciate the beauty inherent in wholehearted co-creation.
“May this patchwork quilt of blessings help to sharpen your taste for the gift of life in its innumerable facets,” Br. David writes. “May you grow ever more blessed, ever more able to bless.”
Should you be inspired, please leave a reflection below…
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Gardens are true blessings to mankind. They are the source of beauty to behold for they exhibit to the eye splendorous shades of color in varying majestic shapes and forms of flowers. They add sweetness to the atmosphere and provide nectar to the birds and bees. And in a vase, they bring joy and soothing comfort to those ailing in hospitals and nursing homes. Gardens truly represent hope in that what is buried in them in death, like a tiny seed, can produce the likes of a large, magnificent, red mum or a fresh, juicy, plump tomato. Most significantly and above all, the garden is symbolic of the abundant life, that which Christ proclaims to all His faithful followers! May all of you be truly blessed with the beauty, the splendor, the joy, the hope, and the good nourishment to your bodies that a well tended garden can provide.
The garden has always been a source of blessing for me. Whether helping my Mom and Dad plant marigolds in the beds in front of our wonderful front porch, visiting beautifully curated gardens like Longwood Gardens or Lewis Gunter Botanical Gardens, or planning, working in, or just walking through my own garden, it is always a blessing and brings me great joy and closeness to the Source of all Blessings ❤️. I love the idea of our wholehearted co-creation in the garden ❤️❤️❤️
I quite literally would not feel human without nature, wild or managed, all about me. We moved to the lovely, historic town of Beaufort, SC which is on the intercoastal waterway and so we have water and marsh all around us plus an abundance of these elegant, towering, moss-covered live oaks that are often 100-200 years old. Against this backdrop we felt led to have a really vibrant garden, with box hedges all around, palm trees, crepe myrtle, irises, flax lilly, ginger plants, and lots of deer-proof flowering things like copper canyon daisy, mexican sage and society garlic. It soothes and delights the spirit to have so much green and color all around.
Ahhh, my garden is my place of inspiration and is my church. The energy of all creation guides me in my gardening and my hands toiling the dirt brings me into a meditation of the essence of life! I am aware of the miracle of creation of all things and the simple beauty that explodes into magnificence! Our world is a blessing that we need to preserve as best we can. I am so grateful to have a spot of my own to add beauty to the world through my garden.
As I appreciate, enjoy and celebrate the diversity of flowers, etc. in gardens, may I appreciate, enjoy and celebrate the diversity in all of humanity. May I realize the only difference between a weed and a flower is judgement. Everything is a manifestation of the one Source.?
Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal
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We are delighted to announce the release of Kristi Nelson’s book Wake Up Grateful
