Friday, November 6, 2020

Spiritual Journey Thursday and Sharing Our Stories: Gratitude for Walks and Songs of the Heart

 

Ruth, our friend and fellow writer from Haiti, is hosting this month's

I started yesterday by turning from the news and into my kitchen to bake cookies. That distraction worked for a bit. Robby and Sara arrived for a bit of fun before Sara's haircut. I had to be the "tough grandma" and insist that Robby and Grandpa stop playing and reading stories and having fun so Robby could get his nap in before it was time for Sara to head home and pick up Jack from preschool. My daughter returned from her haircut with beautiful flowers for us. Then I headed off for the first of four Zoom meetings. By the time I finished the last one at 9:30 pm last night, I was too tired to write my post.

But the best part of my day? It was the walk I took at 4:15. I didn't want to go. It had been rainy and dark most of the day, but it wasn't raining right then. So I donned a light jacket and my rain coat and headed out the door. My relief was almost immediate. With a few deep breaths of outside air, my head began to clear. I celebrated the beauty and comfort of our natural world. If you know me, you know that I can't walk without snapping some pics. Join me for this evening walk and the light that filled my heart as I spent time in the goodness and grandeur of God's world.







I love turning to scripture when I contemplate our monthly theme. But his month, I let my heart lead the way as I listened to the words of song in celebration of this wondrous world. I rejoice that these songs of the heart are words I know by heart. 

Count your blessings

Name them one by one

Count your many blessings

See what God has done!

Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices.

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom his earth rejoices.

For the beauty of the earth

For the beauty of the skies

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies

Lord of all to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

Ruth, our host for Sharing Our Stories, invited us to listen for gratitude.
When I listened, my heart filled with the solace of hymns.
To savor the magic of story, link your post at Sharing Our Stories.

9 comments:

  1. How interesting to pose a listen for gratitude invitation on Ruth's part. Not only did I listen to your effort to spend "time in the goodness and grandeur of God's world" but I am soaking in the beauty of a Washington fall day, Ramona. Many thanks for bringing the brilliance of your fall into my life.

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    1. I added one of your WA photos to a scripture quote I love to make a digital inspiration for SJT. Thanks for always sharing the beauty around you.

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  2. Those hymns sung so often during childhood and youth bring such calm and joy during these times. They certainly fit in sounds of gratitude. Like you, I am grateful to know them by heart. I’m reminding myself right now to sing them more often!

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  3. Those trees! What a walk! That kind of beauty definitely soothes the soul and turns the mind toward God.

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  4. For the beauty of the earth, indeed- how wondrous are His works... breathtakingly beautiful trees. I can see that walking by them makes a person glad to be alive and stirs the heart to grateful praise. We need this reminder of all that is still so beautiful and that our blessings abound - thank you, Ramona!

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  5. You are lucky to still have some colors. They sure cheer people up. The nature around me has turned bare and brown. I have to work with my mindset and perspective to find the beauty on my walks - a last lonely flower, a mushroom, some apples refusing to fall down. Cookies and family can bring joy no matter what goes on outside.

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  6. Counting blessings is a powerful strategy to calm a heart. Those trees are spectacular! God's reminder of all that is good in our world.

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  7. ah, your photos of trees are lovely. thanks for sharing!

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