Day 32 (Christmas Day) 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.

Christmas Day Sunset

Today, I give thanks for:

1. The energy and noise of an almost 14-month-old little boy in the house on Christmas Morning. It's no different for him than every other morning. But for me, it was an incredible gift.
2. The silence in the house this morning after Ashley and Owen left to go do some Christmas stuff with other people. The transition from his youthful excited noise and absolute quiet has been a wonderful reminder for me of the very powerful gift of Silence. I could hear the quiet more clearly than I have in a long time. 
3. I received a call late this morning from my sister letting me know that she and her husband and several other people who had attended a Pizza Making Party at her house Christmas Eve were all sick with food poisoning. I'm grateful for a plan to celebrate our family Christmas on Thursday the 26th at my brother's house in Lapeer.
4. At first, I fussed with the sudden shift in plans. Over the next few hours, I realized that I was being gifted the vast majority the day it to reflect, rest, continue my own healing, listen to music, watch a documentary and some YouTube videos. In other words, Christmas Day this year was celebrate Ric day. An experience of expanding consciousness.
5. An idea that showed up in my mind or perhaps was recalled from something I've read about Christmas not being any specific day or the end of a season.  Christmas is the beginning of a season and expanding Love and Light.
6. Wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt and red plaid flannel sleep pants and not caring if the colors didn't match. 
7.  Not going farther than my own door well except to unwrap Murphy from the oak tree in the backyard. At which point of got to meet some of my new neighbors to the north family and the kids wanted to pet Murphy which she was absolutely in favor of by the way. 
8. Having lived in this neighborhood for 25 years gives me a perspective on having witnessed a couple of transitions in the neighborhood. We have a lot of younger people with families here no as earlier residents moved on and sole their homes. There was a time that gatherings of my family were some of the biggest on the street. This Christmas Day there are several large (by the number of vehicles) In our neighborhood and there are some of us that are just one or two people home. I just notice it like another chapter in a book. 
9. Sending and receiving many Merry Christmas texts filled with joy and loving thoughts.
10. The warm day, 50+ and sunny, reminded me of my first Christmas in California When I realized that it's not about the snow.  Don't get me wrong, I like the change of seasons here however if it's cold and snowy great and if it's warm and sunny great.
11. Working in my home office which has west-facing windows in the afternoon and looking up to watch the sunset which was absolutely spectacular. What an amazing day in every day.

Merry Christmas to me!

Ric

Grateful Me - Day 4

My gratitude journal - everyday for 30 days I find and post at least 10 things I am grateful for without repeating.

1. I am grateful for this awesome perfect day. A nice breeze and 75.
2. I am grateful for the presence of my Grandma Miller, Miss Katie, my dad's mother. The geranium in the picture is a cut of one of hers. This plant is more than 20 years old. The parent plant was older. I feel her presence here with and in me often.
3. I am grateful for the ability to work and home occasionally, especially when I need to do a lot of writing. I got so much done today.
4. I am grateful for the team of volunteers and staff I work with. The are deeply committed and dedicated. They live the message and teaching of Unity.
5. I am grateful Bluetooth speakers than sound awesome with a small footprint and price tag.
6. I am delighted by the 2018 World Day of Prayer program our Prayer Partners Core Team have created.
7. I am grateful for lime flavored water.
8. I am grateful for my increasing ability to be self differentiated.
9. I am grateful for this Life that lives me.
10. I am grateful for wonderful neighbors. Cathy & Arne are amazing.

I am grateful for you!

Ric

Grateful Me - Day 3

Midweek  Mindful Meditation

My gratitude journal - everyday for 30 days I find and post at least 10 things I am grateful for without repeating.

1. I am grateful for the desk officer at the Royal Oak PD who helped me make the report of yesterday's incident.
2. I am grateful for the more than Main St. feeling of downtown Royal Oak early this the morning
3. I am grateful that I can easily find food that works with my eating program almost everywhere.
4. I am grateful that there is some progress in discovering why Julianna has been so ill recently.
5. I am grateful for our growing Wed. ACIM discussion group.
6. I am grateful for lunch after ACIM today especially good conversations with Mary and Tom.
7. I am grateful for the friend request from Greg Barrette this morning.
8. I am grateful for the continued interest in our Midweek Mindful Meditation.
9. I am grateful fora text from Kevin saying he would be at meditation.
10. I am grateful for the dramatic change to cooler temperatures and drier air that greeted me when I left URO after meditation. Seems that Autumn is whispering, "I am close!"

I am grateful for you!

Ric

5 Day Positivity Challenge Day 4 of 5

1. I am grateful for this beautiful backyard view, almost another room - a sanctuary, which has anchored me for several years.
2. I give thanks for the unpredictable Michigan weather which has not brought the rain forcast for this holiday weekend.
3. I am blessed by the recent addition the technology of Fitbit and the way it integrates my MyFitnessPal.com to help me remain focused on health related goals.
4. I am deeply centered by the evening sounds of crickets and tree frogs which are powerful music for meditation.
5. I give thanks for the ability to "connect with" the Voice for God in the stillness of the silence.
6. I am joyously aware that summer is not over until 10:29 pm on September 22, 2014

Is Today the One Day?

Today, instead of spending countless hours watching news commentators dissect each moment and movement of the last week of Whitney Houston's life and creating stories about how/why she died; we actively looked for ways we could add some kindness to another persons life?

What if we each did what showed up for us to do? Check out this video:

What if we were aware enough to notice the opportunities that are showing up in our lives?


What if we stopped listening to political leaders trying to convince us that "they" have a plan to restore confidence/jobs/pride or the past glory of a bygone time--that only exists in retrospect anyway? What if we let go of thinking anyone else can fix the mess we are in but us? 


What if we took a one day break from our agenda about the issues that seem to divide us and put the same energy into finding ways to work together for our common good?


What if we dropped out story about everyone else. What if we turned away from whatever it is that we think "they" should or shouldn't do about this, that or the other thing? What if we released needing to get anything and focused out attention on what we have to give?


What if we each laid our carefully crafted, hand painted, designer logo life aside for one day? 

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." ~Jesus (John 15:12-13)

What if we took matters into our own hands and unleashed Love in our world? What if we stop waiting for someone else to do it?


What if One Day is today?




Only Love,


Ric


© 2012 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved 

Renewed Attitude!

Today I am grateful for: 

1. The song, You Are Loved by Josh Groban which is a welcome and healing reminder.
2. The end of the war in Iraq.
3. My sister calling (on my seldom used home phone) to check on me because my cell phone was going directly to voice mail for the past several hours. (The battery had run down)
4. Waking up at 3 am and going to bed so I didn't spend the entire night sleeping in my chair
5. A down comforter on the bed
6. Chicken soup for breakfast
7. Being able to program the oven to shut off so I can leave the butternut squash baking and head out for a walk downtown.
8. My sister asking if it was too late for her to go to college at 42. I said, "it is never too late," which spoke to my heart too. 
9. A slow and easy start to this day
10. The church absorbing the rate increase on our health insurance
11. Wonderful walk through downtown Rochester looking at the 1.8 million lights that are on the businesses for The Big, Bright Light Show. 

A Quiet Hush to Welcome the New Year

The last few months have been very busy for me. Early on December 30th, my Mom had a critical health scare and was hospitalized teh same day I was leading our church in a first ever Youth Ministry led service involving more than a hundred children. It felt like I was running hurdles, each event completed merely revealed the next hurdle to jump, so when we had finished the New Year's Eve Burning Bowl service at church I knew it was time "To Be Still and Know..."

I have always enjoyed a big snow storm. There is a magical quality for me in watching snow fall one fragile, unique flake at a time while everything seems to move slower and slower until there is so much snow the machine of civilization takes a break. Snowed in at home and all is calm.

Take a moment to allow yourself to be...