Gifts to us are the authors who over the last ten years have named and nurtured the aspects of our common life and lifted again and again why so many of us love the church. Among them are Dorothy Bass, Craig Dykstra, David Wood, Nancy Ammerman, Eugene Peterson, and Christine Pohl.
Christine names four practices of healthy congregations that while they are important as individual spiritual disciplines they are magnifiers for the support healthy congregations.
To begin, a story. Recently my husband and I traveled a long distance to see our college daughter compete in a sports event. After the day we took her out to dinner. As we waited for the table she said, "I am grateful that you and dad came today and are staying so long." A simple thank you that amazed and comforted me. She was also letting us know that her parents fill an important place in her life.
"Gratitude, Christine Pohl writes, "begins with paying attention, with noticing goodness, beauty and grace around us."
God's goodness, beauty and grace surrounds us all the time, but, do we notice? Are we comforted by the goodness through which we make our way each day? Do we let God know that God fills an important place in our lives? Do we let the people around know us they are important to us? For our communities of faith, do we name and notice the goodness that flows from the members each day?
Reflecting on the every day, practical dimensions of faith. Practices to shape our lives each day as followers of Christ. Stories to share our practical experiences of wisdom, faith, hope, and love.
Gratitude is an important aspect of our service to God and others. First thing in the morning and last thing at night I try (sometimes fall short) to be thankful for at least three things. You'd be surprised when you practice the attitude of gratitude that the simple things take on a brilliant color...like today on the North Fork...it was simply glorious...I was grateful for the promise of spring.....the clean air smell and the tiny flowers pushing through mother earth.
ReplyDeleteCeil I.