Day 7 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things for which I am grateful for each day without repetition.

Today, I Give Thanks For ...

1. Making the decision to stay home last night.
2. The meme to the left about taking care to select awesome people to surround me.
3. Realizing that there is greatness within me because I am a vessel for God.
4. A Saturday with nothing on my calendar.
5. The new Maytag Washer & Fryer I bought a few months ago. Much more efficient.
6. This quiet putzy day.
7. The brand new Aldi that just opened in Rochester Hills.
8. I made Dearborn Brand Kielbasa & sauerkraut for dinner. I like this brand.
9. Listening to Wyndham Hill Celtic Christmas Vol 2. A favorite for many years.
10. My wonderfully working eyes!

Peace & Plenty on this planet, Peace & Plenty here & now.

Ric

Day 6 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things for which I am grateful for each day without repetition.

Today, I Give Thanks For ...

1. Kirkland coffee, black and hot.
2. Convio traveling coffee "cup" which keeps hot for hours and with no spills.
3. The increasing number of ways that our congregation takes responsibility for our building and more important to me, caring for each other.
4. The gathering of 30+ people to Deck The Halls of Unity of Royal Oak for the Christmas Season.
5. Picking a better place for pizza and salad than last year. Green Lantern you rock!
6. Waking up early on the day after Thanksgiving.
7. Not shopping on "Black Friday" because I am mindful that there is little I need at this time.
8. Finding the missing dimmers for some LED lighting that had been misplaced.
9. We didn't need to go out and buy more Christmas stuff.
10. Porkchop (MinPin) who chose me after my brother Matt died by jumping up into my arms when I opened Matt'sd front door. He spends a lot of time alone and never seems to hold a grudge about it. Pure love.

Happy Friday!

Love, Ric

Day 5 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things for which I am grateful for each day without repetition.

Today, I Give Thanks For ...

1. Owen sitting in my office, pointing at everything as if he was asking, "What is that?" His inquisitive nature reminds me to approach life with "wide-eyed wonder."
2. Text messages about Thanksgiving, allowing an instant connection.
3. Receiving a warm message from someone I had not expected which made my heart happy and humble.
4. Being able to pick John up and bring him to his friend's house for the holiday.
5. Having everything I was bringing to our family Thanksgiving celebration yesterday which allowed this day to be easy and stress-free.
6. Arriving at my sister's on time.
7.  Jeremy getting the splinter out of my palm that has been annoying me for several days.
8. Getting the laundry done
9. Finding a sock I have been missing for a month.
10. How blessed I am with family and friends.
11. Catching up with Darrin & Steph
12. Dion's gravy success!

Thankfully,

Ric

Day 4 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things for which I am grateful for each day without repetition.

Artwork created by the Unity of Royal Oak
Youth & Family Ministry

Today, I Give Thanks For ...

1. The blessings that flow from the youth in our program.
2. A new roof this summer has eliminated worry during today's high winds and pouring rain.
3. Our ACIM discussion group was deeply engaging today in conversation around healing and sickness.
4. Filling my car up with gas at BJ's for $2.149 today.
5. Ashley helping me get the peppercorns out of the seafood cocktail.
6. On this eve of Thanksgiving, 10 people attended the Midweek Meditation.
7. The Liquid Mind X CD from Chuck Wild.
8. The gift of growing friendship with Jon & Susan and their faithfulness participation on Wednesday nights.
9. Heart to heart conversation with Ashley tonight. I love getting to know who she is as a young woman and mother.
10. The wind and rain have helped the Oak Trees release the leaves so fall cleanup can happen.

Peace & Plenty!

Love, Ric

Day 3 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things I am grateful for each day.

Yours Truly with a car full of turkey dinner.

Today, I give thanks for ...

1. The Outreach Team at Unity of Royal Oak whop are making Love real and felt.
2. The sixteen families we were able to provide a Complete Thanksgiving Meal.
3. The joy of delivering some of those meals.
4. The Life that fills our center several days a week through the volunteers and staff members. When I started in 2015, many weeks, I was the only person in the building during the weekdays.
5. My recently purchased Ford Escape which I have used several times to transport items that would not have fit in my previous car.
6. The opportunity to connect with the Unity Of Royal Oak Music Makers at their rehearsal for Christmas Eve. 
7. A 52° day on November 26, Wow!
8. Our church elf (Nick) hauling all of the Christmas decorations up out of the basement.
9. Being able to sleep in this morning because I was tired and I knew that URO was open and humming along.
10. Harvey's big heart for driving a coworker home to Algonac because his tie rod broke. Love in action.

Always in Love,

Ric

Day 2 - I Give Thanks For ...

I am grateful for the music that moves me. I connect songs with moods, seasons, people and chapters of my life. Here are a few current favorites. The position in the list is no indicator of importance. Enjoy!

Search For The Hero by M People

This song is about searching for the hero inside yourself.

This Is Me! by Keala Settle

In many ways, this has been one of my personal theme songs.

The Arrow

Incredibly athletic dancers. Erotic but not sexual.

Million Pieces by Bastille Ft. The Chamber Orchestra of London

This is that relationship that you knew could never work and still, you hung there in mid-air.

Caledonia by Celtic Thunder

The harmonies of this group are incredible. 

From Now On by Hugh Jackman

Great song from a fantastic movie, The Greatest Showman.

Thanks, April

Holy Now by Faith Rivera

There is only One Presence,

Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi

Let Life Do You  by Amitabhan

I know Ami and love the music he makes. I use this one as a chant.

Affirmation by Savage Garden

Reminds me of a wonderful and interesting chapter of my journey.

God Is by Faith Rivera

Saraswati Dreams by Jaya Lakshmi & Ananda

Rise Up by Andra Day

(Hula) Danced by Alaka'i Christopher Lastimado

This guy is such a good Hula dancer.

Day 1 - I Give Thanks For ...

November 24, 2019

As a spiritual practice, I daily share ten reasons I am grateful for each day. Today, I give thanks for:

1. My niece Ashley bringing her son, Owen Ledger Valentine to church today.
2. Owen reaching for me and sitting on my lap so he could eat round two from my plate at our dinner.
3. The incredible people who brought their energy and love to bless Sunday service today.
4. The Outreach Team's successful baked goods auction. 🌟
5. The amazing people that are drawn together to create Unity of Royal Oak.
6. The energy of the URO Music Makers during congregation singing as we began service.
7. A wonderful Friendsgiving Meal including keto-friendly entree for our community to enjoy.
8. The commitment of Zan and Deb and their entire family to preparing, transporting and serving lunch at Unity of Royal Oak until our kitchen is operational.
9. A gloriously sunny late November day.



Previous Fresh Apple Cake



Cake Disaster

10. Cathey Jo buying a cake I will make for $100. (I had a cake disaster the day before and could only bring a picture of a cake I have made in the past and a promise to make and deliver.