A Grateful Day
As I work on pulling together a worship service of Lament and Gratitude this week, I enjoyed browsing the internet to find some positive, upbeat videos and resources to share with others. One of my favorite websites is Gratefulness.org. This website is full of great resources to practice gratitude.
I encourage each of you to not only explore this website, but also watch the video A Grateful Day with Brother David Steindl-Rand under the Practice section. The stunning photography and music combined with his prophetic words are liminal (sacred) space for me.
“Each day is a gift … the only appropriate response is gratefulness ... I wish you would open your heart to all these blessings, and let them flow through you.”
Another song I discovered is Grateful: A Love Song to the World. While this is not a style of music I typically listen to, I find myself smiling and feeling energized with the rhythms and diverse group of people singing, dancing and signing the words. The woman at the beginning of the video is writing words of things she is grateful for onto pieces of paper which she later hangs on a tree. This is one of the prayer activities offered to our congregation this week, to drive by the church and tie a prayer ribbon on a tree next to the church.
This is a practice I can also participate in this week from the comfort of my own home. I have old strips of ribbon and fabric that could be prayer flags of gratitude in the trees behind my house. Next spring, they might even be repurposed into a bird’s nest as a sign of hope.
Reflection: What are the incredible gifts that you take for granted each day?
Action: Write the things you are grateful for on strips of ribbon. Tie them in a place you see often throughout the day as a reminder that every day is a blessing. You may also wish to use strips of burlap to write your laments. It is important to name the tension of both our lament and our gratitude. As an alternative to prayer ribbons, you may wish to gather some rocks or other objects together. Place them one at a time in a bowl or basket as you name both the laments and the things you are grateful for.
