RevGals Friday Five: Thankfulness

List at least five things people, places, graces, miracles for which I am thankful...

People I am thankful for:
1. My husband. He is a hardworking, kind man of high integrity, the love of my life.
2. My daughter. She is a beautiful young woman dedicated to her work with horses and to Ryan, who is safely home on leave from Afghanistan (for which I am grateful).
3. My son. He is a joy.
4. Our Dogs, the keep me healthy with their playfulness and love of life.
5. Steve the Chiropractor and Steve the Jungian who have helped through the dark ages.

Places I am thankful for
1. My house. We don't own it, the church does. But it is the biggest house we have ever lived in. Large enough to be comfortable for 5 adults, two dogs, two cats, and a bird.
2. Small church. I am thankful for the people here, the church itself, and the 5 acres of land which house the church and rectory. A lot of creative energy and potential.
3. Chicago. It is one of the best cities anywhere. Great museums, beautiful lake front, landscaped sidewalks, clean, and vibrant. And not far from where I live.
4. St. Benedicts, a retreat center north of me. It is quiet and peaceful, beautiful. I go there every year with the vestry for a retreat.
5. The room where I sit in the mornings and read, blog, or write. My daughter did a home-make over on the room last summer. It is a lovely space with a comfortable chair and a great view out the window. Some days I a work here for hours. Being a solo pastor I do not keep many hours in the office where I am all alone in that big building. I do a lot of my work at home. And this room is my office.

Graces I am thankful for...
1. Finding RevGals. Reading, writing, being a part of this community is, and has been, a profound grace in my life.
2. The potential to remain at small church which enables my family to be stable and offers the hope of some real growth.
3. The dedicated hard work of the Bishops in the Episcopal Church who struggle to be together as a whole even as there are things they (we) disagree on. The fact that most of the Bishops are willing to walk together is Grace. Our Presiding Bishop is a sign of Grace as she works to heal the fractured. Despite some of the mean-spirited behavior of a few Bishops the overall Church in this country is learning how to be together in a new way. Yes. We have a long way to go...
4. That the darkness has lifted and I feel hope and energy in my life again.
5. God's quirky sense of humor...

Miracles I'm thankful for...
Miracles are far and few between. I dare not suggest five of these in my life. But there has been one, recently. Which I wrote about in my post below...which is what I mean by God's sense of humor - gone from my life for two years and then BAM hits me over the head with a 2X4...here I am, God says...and here you are...

Comments

What a wonderful post and the photo at the top is stunning. So glad to hear there is light in your life again...and humor.
Jan said…
It was truly wonderful to read your lovely writings about your gratitude. I'm so glad you are seeing more light in your life. I echo your appreciation for Katherine--"Our Presiding Bishop is a sign of Grace as she works to heal the fractured." You expressed that so well! Thank you.
RevDrKate said…
Picture and thoughts..... simply beautiful...here God is and here we are, indeed. So, so, so glad that the light is coming back up for you!
Unknown said…
I love the sound of your office space, full of peace and light.
Anonymous said…
Yes, God does have a quirky sense of humor. I'm beginning to appreciate that more and more.
So glad that small church is becoming a source of gratitude instead of distress; hope and pray that that continues....
Diane M. Roth said…
mompriest, you are overflowing...thanks so much for this
RevRosa said…
Mompriest--I have finally figured out how to come visit and leave a post on your site--google is sort of wierd with non-google bloggers. Earlier, I had wanted you to know that I was both moved and saddened by your struggle with the "dark night". Today, reading your blogs, I am so glad for you! Yeah God!
Iris said…
Beautiful, Mompriest.
Katherine E. said…
Absolute JOY to read this, Mompriest!
CoG said…
Wonderful. So many things to be thankful for. God's peace be with you.
John Shuck said…
Thank you. Prayers for energy for you!
rev h-d said…
Thank you for this offering. It and the post before, have helped me today. Blessings to you friend!
(and thanks for the comment)
Lori said…
I am so happy to hear you are feeling better. This is a beautiful post. And that picture is stunning. Thanks for sharing with us.

I loved Chicago too when I toured with Covenant Players. Even in the winter with wind coming hard off the lake. It's so fun there.
Terri said…
Thanks everyone for stopping by, another "something" to be grateful for...
zorra said…
I know what you mean about God's sense of humor...
This is a great play! You put so much thought and love into it.
Thanks for stopping by today!
P.S. I would love to see a picture of your dogs.
Rev SS said…
The picture is an awesome image of the words that follow. What a joy to read this!
zorra said…
You're right, Roxie does look like a beagle on stilts! Such good dogs. Kiss them on the head for me.
Terri said…
Zorra, LOL...they are good dogs...kisses coming!
Rachel said…
love your words about the Episcopal church, and your 2x4 of God grace. Brilliant.
DogBlogger said…
Really nice play!

And I'm with Zorra on the dogs, of course.

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