Gratitude

This past Sunday here at Mount Hebron Presbyterian Church we gave thanks for our Parents and for 55 years of the educational ministry of our Nursery School. An online service can be found here, a transcript here.

In a time of disruption it easy to forget the many blessings that still surround us. As the quote above from Melody Beattie reminds us, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.” Here's a quick (in no particular order) list of ten blessings gratefully received.

1. Good Health (and health care). Even if your health isn’t great, it could be worse. The current crisis reminds us we are surrounded by angels in our health care systems to keep us alive!

2. Money in the Bank. Having just a few coins makes you richer than most people on Earth.

3. Good Friends. Often, it’s the quality of friendships, not the quantity. We can be friends at a distance!

4. Your Parents. Even if they were, or are, dysfunctional, they gave you life.

5. Pets. Pets offer one of the best examples of unconditional love.

6. Learning from Mistakes. If we never made mistakes, we wouldn’t learn much, so it is definitely one of those things to give thanks for.

7. Music. If you can hum a tune that puts a smile on your face, then you have been blessed by the gift of music.

8. Breathing Fresh Air. Being able to step outside to breathe in fresh air is a great reminder of how many little things we should be thankful for.

9. A Bed to Sleep in. A bed is one of those things that’s easy to take for granted, until you don’t have one.

10. Laughter. Without laughter, the world would be a terribly sad place. They do say laughter is the best medicine of all.

And, truly, I could just keep on going and going and going. So make your own list. Make it 20, 30, 40 or more... An attitude of gratitude is never a bad thing to embrace! For some music “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord, O my soul ) by Matt Redman .

The Rev Adrian J. Pratt B.D.