Gratitude

By Elizabeth Prata

I want to spend a few minutes recording some things I’m grateful for. I wrote these down in a journal I keep of short mementos of things for which I’m grateful. I’ve been writing about heavy topics, and there are heavy things going on in the world … so perhaps to brighten the atmosphere (even briefly) might be in order.

A colleague said she’s glad we’re close professionally but she also considers me a friend and she loves me. I’m grateful to the Lord for bringing good people to my life.

I’m grateful for my cat. He’s sweet and kind and no trouble. He snuggles with me and purrs and I can shower him with love and he purrs. (Update: I’m so sad that he has passed on now, but glad the Lord answered my prayer for a little fluffy animal to love and that I had him as long as I did).

I’m grateful for eternal life. What a blessing to know that I know there’s more, who it is with, and I won’t sin any more…someday.

I’m grateful for eternal life today. Imagine, we know where we are going, we know what it’s like (as far as the Bible describes it), and we know there’s bliss ahead instead of what I deserve: torment and gnashing of teeth.

I’m grateful that the Lord knows our needs and provides for us. The Lord helps me by making sure I pay what I’m responsible for and provides for all my needs- financial, professional, spiritual.

I’m grateful for children- precious students who care, their parents who help them show how to care. I love children. I pray I honor them the way the Lord desires me to.

Today I’m grateful for His blood, without which, there is no remission of sin. And, I was a huge sinner, deserving of the darkest cell in hell, the deepest abyss, the worst torture. But He allowed His precious blood to be shed on the ground. His holy fountain darkened the earth so that He would forgive ME, wretched me, of my sins.