No worries, I have no intention of jumping onto some soap box to shout out crazy lady opinions. I basically saw the prompt question and thought, Hmmmm, I have taken a lot of said “PIES” in my face on the good ole walk of life, and it has sort of made me pretty good at bending a knee and letting God carry me through to the other side.
I got this definition off of Google:
Humility – freedom from pride or arrogance : the quality or state of being humble. accepted the honor with humility. The ordeal taught her humility.
Also found this off the computer:
The meaning of AUTHORITY is power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.
I guess if I go off of the definition of Authority, I have power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior… IN MYSELF!
I will not go as far as to say that I have authority over others in this regard, simply my own attitude and behavior…
I know I made you hungry with the picture of the pie, so, here…
More specifically Lady Cordelia Sunflower Acorn III. Before you scoff, this so happens to be the first born daughter to THE Acorn King. If you are at all wondering how I came to know this information, she shouted it at me from that branch, shortly after she fully attempted to hit me with the very peanut I left at the base of the tree for her. I guess that offering peanuts to the lowland squirrels, is fine, but under no circumstances will a lady of the courts deign to eat any gift that had not been first properly prepared by her ladies in waiting…
Fine!
I walk my path almost daily, and while I see creatures wherever I go, I did not realize the complexities of kingdoms other than my own… it was a little insensitive of me, I guess… but how was I to know.
There has seemed, of late, to be a bit of tension between the different woodland creatures within this area. I try to gather as much valuable information as I can, whenever the locals will stop to share a peanut with me…
Remember my friend, Pfhlurtt the squirrel, that I told you of some time ago? Well, since then I have been a little more conscious of the goings on around these parts, and it is concerning me. I am needing to find him again to inquire of this, as well as relay my concern over the growing absence of squirrel families just on the other side of the bridge. It is more than just a simple question, as my friend Bob and his family have simply vanished!
I will have to let you know what I find out when I get in contact with my friend again…
Don’t leave yet… I know that you are thinking you know where I am going with this, but come on… it’s me… in the words of Castle, “It’s what I do!” Besides, you get a cookie at the end, so it is a win win.
I chose a burger, not because I want to go out, but because I wanna cut a guy some slack if he ain’t got it in the food prep department… us girls just want to sit down for a hot minute, so if ya wanna chuck some frozen nuggets in the microwave, pop a beer, and squirt some ketchup in the broad vicinity of said nuggets, we good!!!
If you think I am going to be drawn and attracted to my man, based on works, well in this instance, YES! I say this because it is not the actual works at all, but if he is willing to be there in the dirty, tired, and hard times… well, then I feel Valuable to him. He will know me enough to know that my heart is held by attentive hands, not spendy ones!
So, I did the ole Google is our friend play for this prompt, just to see how helpful the www can be in seeing what the collective minds came up with, before I try to answer…
The first thing I typed was “ways to express gratitude”, and the first thing that popped up was a list of the top 10, and as I suspected, they were all actually words of action, or Verbish behavior…
Write a letter
Be an active listener
take a mindful walk
give a thoughtful gift
start a gratitude journal
be specific
Offer your help
Cook something you love
Lets break this list down a bit…
Ok, I gotta ask… who should I write a letter to and why…
I spend all day alone, for the most part so the active listener has to be loosely interpreted…
I do walk most days…
And I am not sure it fits here, as one may not consider it a thoughtful gift, but I have given away my coffee cup to a homeless person… with coffee and my favorite creamer still in it, so I am going to say it fits here…
I do actually keep a gratitude journal, and I do write in it, but I also do a lot of other writing… on the computer… in a journal… all over in my bible… Lets move on, as I am beginning to sound like a Doctor Seuss story…
Come on Google… Be specific??? How ambiguous is this? Be specific about what… where… when… who… and how… really?
My husband and I try to be consistently offer help to others, but as I am most often very secluded, my opportunities are limited, but certainly ready to be employed if someone is in need…
Cook something I love… hmmm… I got nothing here…
Overall, this list seems “alright” I guess… some pretty good suggestions here, though there were a few that have left me perplexed.
So, I changed the question a bit, by asking Google “ways to express gratitude from Scripture”. I got another list, shorter this time…
Begin the day with thanks
Thank Him in your worship
Speak of all His benefits
Thank Him as you read His word
Thank Him for the hard things
Sorry Google, this one was just awful… The bible is not nearly as boring and ambiguous as you have tried to make it seem. This list has to be the laziest list for such a smart computer engine. This is it? Thank this and thank that… no action at all… maybe that is why the world seems to have an absence of love for ones fellow man, more often than not.
When I changed my question up to simply ask for a number of verses in the bible that use the word gratitude or write about being grateful or thankful, that was when the good ole www went nuts… it loves numbers. I am not even going to attempt to quote all of the different numbers thrown out there, but it is safe to say that the bible has a LOT to say about this subject.
Long story short, in an effort to answer the prompt question, I have come to an insight, for me, about how I express my gratitude.
It is you… It is this blog… this is my action, my verbage of Gratitude. When I write here on this site, telling my silly stories, offering virtual cookies (hugs), chatting and commenting on others written thoughts, this is my way of acting out my gratitude to God, for His protection, guidance, and grace for me. I share it with you…
What follows might not be thought to investigate anything about truths. I wish to expand things by Investigating Fiction Filled with Truths, so in a way it really is in the right section. Every time I write anything for another soul, I can see reflections of truths in myself. With each comment offered to me, I am hopeful that we share truths among us. It might not seem apparent yet, but trust me when I say, we definitely WILL be investigating truths, even if the story is not real…
Just a Bag
I wish to take you on an imaginary adventure. This is a special adventure that requires your mind, as well as mine, to get to the treasure at the end. The first thing one must do is find a comfortable space and gather up our favorite relaxing snacks. I’m sipping on a cup of hot coffee, sweetened with rich French Vanilla cream. Ready? Ok!
Close your virtual eyes to the distractions that cloud our thoughts…
Imagine if you will a well-worn path before you. On your arm, you carry a bag. I want you take a moment to create within your mind a bag of your choosing, but let me give you some information you will need in designing your bag. This adventure requires that you must carry only one item, the bag. You can imagine it to be of decent size, as one can place anything desired within its depths. But there are rules surrounding this bag. Anytime we move from one place to another, we must only carry one item. Since we cannot leave the bag behind, it should be pretty clear that it will be our only equipment.
**A beautiful thing about this bag is its ability to always know our needs, therefore we need attempt to pack any necessities, nor dig around searching within its depths. One must simply reach in and grasp! I love this feature!**
Now, whatever you need out of the bag, it must be retrieved only after you put the bag down. Once you no longer need the item, you must either dispose of it or you can place it back within this bag. It gets a little tricky though, because even if you pulled the item out, it may disappear after you return it to the bag, never to be seen again.
This bag will sustain you, from now until we reach the treasure. Meaning everything from food, clothing, and sleeping materials can be retrieved from within your bag. The truths about your bag is revealed each and every time you reach in for anything. The bag shapes itself to fit the needs of the one bearing it! It has a love for you, far from any other bag you have ever had!
With this mental picture, create a bag in your mind that has been crafted by someone so very in love with you! Would they not painstakingly design something of great beauty for you? Take the time to memorize each loving stitch placed on your bag, and the pattern etched carefully upon its surface. Imagine your loved one, if you will, as a masterful tailor; designing a bag just for you!
As we journey, there will be some adjustments in the beginning, as we get used to stopping every time one needs something out of their bag. Sometimes along our adventure, it may seem difficult to only carry one big bulky item, but you will also discover that your bag weighs nothing at all! Please enjoy the peace of not worrying about what to wear or eat. Also, appreciate no dishes, dirty laundry, or grocery shopping; not to mention skipping out on the two days needed for planning and packing said bag. Don’t forget that we travel together, so there will be benefits to relying on each other, and sharing tasks.
There will be times one may become frustrated, not being able to juggle more than one item. These may be times that draw us all to slow down, stop, and possibly sit down. We will only be as fast as our slowest members. Have faith that your bag carries wisdom, so we can trust in something other than our own strengths …
I will meet you here in a full 7 sunrises…
P.S. If you might drop me a note to confirm your desire to assist me, it will strengthen my resolve to depart on the date chosen…
The cost for our freedoms was, is, and will continue to be great… therefore, so should our full support of these men and woman both at home and abroad…
You might be thinking that I am being funny, but not at all…
What one thing can be used to hold together all the education, determination, and drive to be a teacher? What is it that keeps the passion alive to serve tirelessly every day to instill wisdom, knowledge, and positive behavior in our young…
Underfunded, overworked, and bound with myriads of red tape from a government struggling to be in control of that which they have no business doing, in my opinion…
I figured it out, I think…
It’s LOVE…
I was just reading this yesterday and I figured I would share it with you, as it seems rather relevant to the daily prompt question…
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have with one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
I can still faintly recall the screams of the siren atop the ambulance transporting us to emergency care! My youngest child, barely 8 months old, fought for her life as we careened down the freeway toward the hospital. Through the whole process, I remember her eyes filled with so much fear as she fought for each breath. God Bless You to ALL Emergency workers, and I mean Globally! I want to make sure they all get that!
… It was a beautifully warm sunny Friday, and as I packed for the Woman’s Retreat I had been so anticipating. Being a young mom of 3, this was like a fantasy weekend at the Hilton. I was filled with a mix of excitement and guilt all rolled in to one. My youngest baby was still in the process of being weaned from nursing straight to a tippy cup. Why a tippy cup, you may ask? This little monkey was so stubborn, that she absolutely boycotted any bottles. I had been following the suggestions on the list I received from the pediatrician, regarding palatable food choices for her age group. Things were going well with this, so I left her to nibble on some scrambled eggs, while I ran to the grocery to stock her father with goodies for the weekend.
When I walked in the door, on my return from the store, I could hear her in her room crying and her father pacing worriedly in the doorway. I swear I had only been gone like 20 or so minutes, but in that time, things went way sideways at home…
Anaphylactic Shock, people! I had no idea! For her, eggs were a big NO NO! Long story short, I grabbed up my little Violet (willy Wonka) and her dad hit 911! They literally showed up as we hit the front doorway, I am not joking! It probably was due to the firehouse being a block away…
Arriving at the very hospital of her birth, my little monkey was whisked in and pumped full of enough Steroids and anti-inflammatories to power a city! But it worked! They stabilized her, gave us a bunch of drugs, cleared me to take her with me for the weekend, and off she and I went to a weekend retreat at Black Lake Bible Conference Center down in Olympia Washington.
I know that this memory started out rough this week, but I want to share the rest of the story to leave you with the good bits that will bring it all together for a good laugh, and/or maybe even some tears…
I was not looking forward to the weekend ahead, due to the energizer bunny I now struggled to hold into a car seat for the trip down. I was blessed to be going with a car full of other moms who “got it”! They had all taken their share of sleepless nights and mom “scares”. I felt like I was being transported into a place of safety, peace, and sisterhood.
For the next 2 and ½ days I was surrounded by, not only the woman I had arrived with, but the entire woman’s conference of wives, mothers, sisters, and aunties! Round the clock, woman all took turns vying for playtime with my little nocturnal monkey. In truth, I do not know how much sleep she got, if any, as I had been lovingly sequestered off into a quiet space to sleep all the way through the night. All during the daytime, as we all spent time together studying, random woman would quietly walk up behind me, tapping me on my shoulder, and simply reach down to retrieve my little jumping bean. They would take turns, tirelessly walking her around the back of the room and keeping her happy. I will never forget that feeling of a safety net from mostly strangers, and my daughter who normally was terrified of others “Not Mother”, loved every moment of things…
You know, I just realized that I had never written this memory down, and had actually forgotten, until recently I saw a facebook post about their summer events. Funny ole world, I’nt it? (You realize, I didn’t come up with that last sentence, right?)
Journey With Me! 