Ten Favorite Things

These are ten favorite things that I come back to frequently: (there are more that I will probably share over time)

1. For laughing: 25 funniest auto-corrects (strong language)
2. For the song, Seasons of Love, from the play/movie Rent. Measure your life in Love.
3.  Jami Lula singing Love Is My Religion
4. Renaissance Unity which is both my spiritual home and employer.
5. Attending our Volunteer Christmas Potluck this afternoon.
6. Grateful for the memory of Frank Firek sharing "Twas The Night Before Christmas" with us at so many previous years at Christmas potlucks.
7. Will Tillander
8. Sloane Tillander
9. First Birthday Parties
10. Adele's voice.

Day 26 on this Grateful Journey

My top ten for today:

1. I am grateful that I survived the years in school when I was bullied.
2. Long handled ice/snow scraper
3. Rear window defroster in my car
4. A quiet day off, spent mostly at home
5. Realizing that the only item on my calendar for the day had been rescheduled.
6. Compliments from folks about the way I looked last night in my new Tuxedo, the first I have ever owned
7. My pharmacist, Anna, who always makes things work somehow.
8. Health insurance that covers prescriptions
9. Wonderful aroma of a pot of Boiled Dinner simmering in the kitchen
10. Finally catching up with Extreme Makeover Home Edition since the move to Friday night.

World Aids Day - I remember

Grateful for the life journey we shared, for love, friendship and memories:

• Douglas J. Arsenault
• Dr. Eric Loranger
• Richard L. O’Dell
• Jon Rowe
• Pat Lee
• Woody Lee
• Joe K. Grantham
• Tracey Mae Artinian LaCroix
• Larry Gaynier
• James Proffit
• James Holman
• Rev. Roger Webb
• William R. Fischer
• Rev. James Sandmire
• Phillip Gallnitz

First Snow

Nov 30, 2011 - First Snow

My Gratitude Spills Over ...

1. The quiet blanket of the first snow.
2. My dental office sends text messages as appointment reminders.
3. Only got up once last night to pee.
4. Having two permanent crowns seated this morning
5. Incredible improvement (I may post the before & now pictures) in oral health and appearance over the last three years..
6. Meeting the family of an amazing woman whose life we will celebrate tomorrow.
7. getting my hairs cut
8. being able to listen to an audio of  the lady whose funeral I am officiating tomorrow.
9. I love serving as a pastor.  (may be a duplicate).
10. I appreciate Google and the access to information of so many kinds it makes easily accessible

Copyright (c) by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Rain into Snow :-)

11/29/11 Rainy day turning to snow later.

Grateful, even now ...

1. Forecast of snow tonight - I prefer snow to cold rain
2. Always changing weather
3. Payday
4. Direct deposit
5. My eye doctor telling me that my challenges with glaring lights when night driving, especially when it is wet, are from cataracts and not any of the number of stories I had made up.
6. Driving surface roads home tonight.
7. Bought my first tuxedo today, the salesman was awesome. Thanks John.
8. My neighbors, Fred & Alice, are safely home from a trip to New York
9. Enjoyed a belated birthday lunch with my friend & coworker Mike
10. Grateful that two of my standing weekly meetings have been canceled this week.
11. Happy to be home on this rainy, windy, cold  & dark night.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Cyber Monday, really?

Today I am grateful for :

1. Connecting with my dear friend Jo Horn this morning!
2. Getting a 30 day license plate and almost getting the title issue resolved with my car.
3. Introducing a couple to The Work as a tool for working on their relationship.
4. The passion Carole & Denise have for our Christmas Outreach program
5. Divine ideas that emerge to allow us to assist more people
6. Opportunities that arise to make some extra cash at exactly to most opportune moment
7. Ben calling to share favorite memories of dancing and laughter
8. The guidance that always comes when I listen and take time to notice
9. Making the healthier choice to buy roasted turkey breast over the ribs
10. Quiet moments in a very busy week
11. The deep knowing that everything I need to be happy now, I have now.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Three Grateful Weeks ...

Today, I am feeling grateful for:

1. The opportunity to share some ideas and conversation with our Youth of Unity chapter.
2. Christening babies, I love to christen babies and adults.
3. The tunnel linking the parking structure and hospital at Beaumont's Royal Oak campus
4. Rainy days that offer the opportunity to curl up, reflect & read
5. The first Sunday in advent
6. Being able to return Chef John's knife to him
7. The amazing multifaceted diversity of our spiritual community
8. Remembering to take lunch to work with me
9. Actually having blogged for 21 days in succession
10. Singing aloud while driving and not caring what the other drivers think.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Twenty Days of Gratitude Consciousness

Rochester Municipal Park, 11/25/11

Gratitude flows from my heart for these reasons today ...

1. Going to dinner and the theater (All Night Strut Holiday Show) with friends tonight in celebration of my birthday
2. Mini Pumpkin Cream Cheese Creme Cake
3. Taking a nap in the morning (may be a duplication)
4. Embracing the flow of this journey in gratitude for twenty days.
5. A clean kitchen
6. The "Rudolph" van in my neighborhood that has antlers sticking out off the side windows and a red "nose" on the grille.
7. The giant pine tree outside my office window that is home to so many birds and squirrels
8. Getting a hair cut.
9. a two days in a row break from the recent frenzy of activities.
10. This amazing  Rochester/Rochester Hills area I call home.
11. I need to purchase new underpants because they are so big that are falling off, yeah!!!

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved

Another day of Thanks Living

Today, I am grateful for:

1. The lesson I learned from eggs while making an omelet this morning: I had two white shelled eggs left and added a brown shelled egg from the new dozen just purchased. Interesting thing about white eggs and brown eggs; they look different until you crack them open.
2. The joy of delivering the surplus from our Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday to the kitchen at Grace Centers of Hope, the largest shelter here in Oakland County, Michigan.
3. The rich smell wafting through the house from turkey soup stock simmering on the stove.
4. Realizing that Christmas is one month away.
5. The Memo from God which is included in the Og Mandino's classic book: The Greatest Miracle in the World
6. 59° weather on November 25, 2011
7. A wonderful walk on the Paint Creek trail and through Rochester Municipal Park.
8. Yummy taste of Rutabaga's in my soup
9. The smell of clean towels
10. An card from a dear lady I met when I officiated her sisters memorial service letting me know that prayers had been answered for her son. She has asked me to pray for her 48 y/o son who had been recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. His most recent PET scan shows the cancer has been shrinking and they now label it stage 1. Alleluia!
    

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved

Happy Thanksgiving Day

On this day we dedicate to giving thanks, I am grateful for:

1. Getting to the church to open it on time today.
2. Wonderful mixture of seasoned volunteers and brand new folks created an amazing energy and excited.
3. My dear friend Rev. Karen Boland who started this Community Thanksgiving Feast 37 years ago.
4. The great honor of continuing in her footsteps (although not in her shoes ☺)
5.  Being able to step back from the kitchen and attend to the big picture of the event this year.
6. The way that this established event shifts slightly to accommodate new ideas and energy while retaining its essence.
7. The generous outpouring of support, turkeys and mashed potatoes that our Renaissance Community delivered in waves of plenty and abundance.
8. The idea that we all cooked our turkeys, mashed potatoes and stuffing at home individually and brought the dishes to church where a dedicated group of volunteers mixed everything together with love. What a modeling for sharing our resources for the good of all.
9. The 325 people from every age group, family & marital status, sexual orientation and gender identity came together in celebration and as family for a few hours top share a meal and their presence. Wow!
10. Being joined by Jim Lee, daughter Tracy and two of her kids for dinner. So very sweet!
11. The most amazing slice of homemade apple pie, little sugar allowing the natural apple flavor through and such a flaky crust.
12. A dear lady who came up to me as she was leaving to express her gratitude. She said she had resigned herself to not having a "Thanksgiving Dinner" this year because she couldn't afford it. One of her friends had told her about the church and she really enjoyed to food and companionship.
13. The movie Wally which so many stayed to watch.
14. Cindy staying to the very end to help make sure what needed to get done was done.
15. I give thanks for you who are reading these ramblings,
16. A sense of happy exhaustion as I locked the doors and drove home with unused food to take the Great Grace Center of hope tomorrow for one more day of Thanks Giving on this journey of Thanksliving. 

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Eve of Thanksgiving

I am Grateful for:

1. The question "What would happen if you woke up this morning and all you had was what you thanked God for yesterday?" ~Martha Creek
2. Being able to laugh at myself. I was cracking three eggs to scramble for breakfast, the first two were uneventful; crack an egg on the edge of sink and deposit in bowl. The last egg, I cracked and promptly deposited into the sink. I looked down at the egg and started to laugh, belly laugh. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants.Thank You God for laughter and not taking things too seriously.
3. Remembering to check my medications and order the refills
4. Having a dishwasher
5. the ability to change my current focus quickly
6. Beautiful drive to my brother Matt's home
7. a sweet Thanksgiving Eve service this evening
8. The opportunity to preach
9. amazing coworkers
10. knowing when it is time to go to bed.

Grateful to Be & Happy Birthday to Me

On my birthday, I am grateful for:

1. Thank You God for this fifty sixth anniversary of my birth into our world. It has been an amazing ride so far and I feel like we are just getting to know each other and I am starting to get the hang of it. Thank You for the Life of me. Your life expressing in, through and as me. I give myself back to you. What is my role this coming year? How do I add value to the souls who cross my path? I love you Love! Looking forward to the second half. I am living in a state of Grace ...
2. Fifty Six Years and approx 9 months ago in an impulse of divine creativity via my parents passion I was conceived.
3. The flowers Cindy brought me and her ongoing friendship and support
4. 20,440 brand new days so far in this lifetime.
5. Martha Creek's friendship and mentoring.
6. Scrambled eggs
7. An awesome outpouring of Love on Facebook today.
8. Great eye exam this morning
9. Finding 5 people to take part in our faces of RU Video project
10. Getting the shopping done for our Thanksgiving Dinner
11. The reawakening desire to be in a relationship

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved.

Gratitude Journal Day 15

Things I am grateful for today:

1. Enjoying the last day of my 55th year.
2. My Droid powered Samsung Galaxy S 4G Phone
3. Awesome neighbors: Fred & Alice
4. Having my folding chairs home after 1 1/2 years
5. Finishing the Order of Service for Thanksgiving Eve
6. Topic and ideas for my Christmas Day message
7. The radio in my car
8. The Angry Birds game
9. Finding my blue tooth ear piece.
10. Successfully avoiding Christmas carols being played way too early for my taste.
11. Three amazing nieces: Ashley, Alicia & Jordan.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Second Grateful Week!

Today, my heart is happy about:

From my friends at http://www.fellowshipfortoday.org/

1. An Awesome Youth of Unity bake sale today
2. Cake auction success and fun, who knew I could be an auctioneer?
3. The Interfaith Center for Racial Justice annual Interfaith Thanksgiving service this afternoon.
4. Being invited to share as a part of a Prayer Forum at Fellowship for Today.
5. The marvelous way everything turned out around the Flute Concert which I had not properly entered in my calendar. Cindy, April & Kathy had a good time and the day was not wrecked for my friend.
6. Meeting author Sal Sapienza and his partner Gregg Smith
7. The idea that Mark Fuss would ask Sal to make sure to get me to the next GLBT retreat at Unity Village
8. The energy & friendship of Brad Miller
9. Realizing more and more that life is a process of prayerful awareness and fun!
10. A beautiful, just over an hour, drive home from Fellowship For Today last night.
11. Great conversation with my sister-in-law Stephanie.
12. The happy glow I feel as I reflect on the activities of this day.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Grateful on this Thirteenth Day

Today, I am deeply grateful for:

1. You
2. Going out for breakfast on Saturday morning.
3. Taking a morning nap just because.
4. The song "Firework" by Katy Perry.
5. High speed internet access at home
6. Being able to visit my Mom and tell/show her how much I love her.
7. Having learned how to cook & bake from my mother and both grandmothers as I grew up.
8. An ongoing love affair with Life that has served me so well for almost 40 years.
9. Reading Rev. Troy Perry's book "The Lord is my Shepherd and He know's I'm Gay" back in the early 70's which allowed the small god of my childhood to shatter, revealing a larger reality.
10. Giving up trying to get stuff because I know that I have everything I need.
11. Going through my Grandmother Miller's recipes.
12. Baking her Fresh Apple Cake

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved.

Twelfth Day of Gratefulness

New Year 2005 trip to Anchorage, Alaska

On this Twelfth Day of Gratefulness, I am thinking of:

1. Being up and awake to see this mornings glorious blue, purple, lavender sunrise.
2. Having Friday's off
3. Being part of a spiritual community that accepts and celebrates me as I am.
4. Waking up with the car in the driveway
5. My awesome neighbor Danny who mulched all the leaves in my yard.
6. Buckwheat pancakes
7. Fond memories of my last really went somewhere vacation to Anchorage Alaska in January of 2005.
8. Not having to replenish coolant before every trip in my car.
9. Not being concerned when the Warren PD pulled me over to check my ID (they thought I was someone with a warrant, NOT)
10. Lots of projects to work on which prevents boredom.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved.

Attitude of Gratitude Day 11

I will not drop my leaves just because the others have.

Be Yourself

1. Albert Einstein quotations which seem to capture the essence of spirituality and science.
2. The ability to imagine something different
3. Watching a huge flock of Canada geese waking up and beginning to graze, gaining strength for the journey south.
4. Dear friend Liz who touches my heart so deeply with her kindness.
5. This tree on my street which still is arrayed in fabulous fall finery while all the others have dropped their leaves and have slipped into winter mode.
6. Getting a new high score in Zuma Blitz
7. Hazelnut flavored creamer for my coffee
8. Electricity
9. Insurance is rewritten and in for the cabin (hooray!) my sister and brothers and I have.
10. The ability to celebrate myself and to decide what that means as I choose.
11. Memories of my grandma Ledger watching the geese leave for the season. It was hard for her to stop feeding them so that they would head south. 
12. Telephone conference call technology that lets me attend a meeting when I am not able to be present in person.
13. Car repaired for approx. $150 less that estimated!!
14. The winter coat I could barely zip up last year fits wonderfully.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie

Day 10 of this gratitude experience

Beauty is Everywhere. Notice ...

1. Sunlight streaming in my office window
2. Denise and Doug treating me to dinner
3. Sweet potato fries
4. Friends I haven't physically met yet.
5. The movie "Shelter."
6. The Internet
7. Facebook
8. Ideas and creativity that flow when Linda and I focus together.
9. Dear friends who are getting married.
10. Alaska's mountains

From Pity Party to Gratitude - Day 9

Giving Thanks in All Things

My story this morning: I don't have time to walk, I have a full day of important meetings, I need to get to work early.

Reality: The water pump on my car has been failing for about two  weeks and I had been hoping to make it to payday (the 15th) updated to hoping to get to Friday so that I didn't need the car and could put it in the shop.  In a stroke of Divine Order, today is payday and the water pump failed. I got the car to the garage and walked home. Coincidence? I live in a friendly universe that conspires to help me love myself. 

When the mechanic called me this afternoon with the estimate of more than $500 (Chrysler connects the water pump to the timing belt) , I had a pity party. Perhaps some of you can relate maybe to the story: Why me? Why now. Why after all the money I had to put into my teeth the last two months and the roof on the cabin two weeks ago. I am a minister, don't you know I need the car for God's work? Why? Why? 

Fortunately, I stopped short of inviting others to my party. As the belief "my car shouldn't break down now" flooded my mind I found another set of questions rising up:

1.  Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? 
4. Who would you be without the thought?

Deep breath and the sanity and peace are restored as I used The Work of Byron Katie  to question my belief that the car shouldn't break down. Afterward   I got so much done, walked, did laundry and created a plan for getting to work tomorrow. 

I found many reasons to be grateful as well:

1. I had the opportunity to walk home which took 59 minutes and my goal is to walk an hour every day.
2. I have the funds to pay for the repair.
3. I was not far away from home when the failure occurred.
4. I have prior satisfactory history with the mechanic.
5. Got some housework done.
6. Was able to complete paperwork from my brother's case worker
7. Two friends stepped forward to give me a lift to work tomorrow.
8. Another friend committed to taking me home after work
9. Another friend called to see if I needed a hand or a loan
10. The experience has been useful as a teaching opportunity
11. Part of a larger demonstration of having my needs met this year.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Gratitude Week 2 begins

. Amazing!

Summer dreaming on an almost winter day!

1. I woke up this morning
2. Brand new baby week
3. Summer memories
4. Chicken & rice soup cooking in the slow-cooker waiting for me to get home
5. The Work of Byron Katie which helps me remain centered and honest with myself.
6. The Jerusalem Bible.
7. Michael Bernard Beckwith's new CD, TranscenDance
8. Direct deposit of my paycheck.
9. My credit union, Genisys. I love being a member/owner.
10. Affirmations, the GLBT Community Center in Ferndale
11. Antonio David Garcia, the new Executive Director at Affirmations.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved.