Monday, March 24, 2014

Blessings, gratitude, and the overflowing glass.

March 24, 2014


Daughters of my heart, and other readers,

We've all heard or read that the optimist sees the glass as half-full, and the pessimist sees the glass as half-empty.  When it comes to blessings, my belief is that the glass is always, always, overflowing.

Many of us take the multitude of blessings we have for granted.  There is a passage in the Bible that says, "I will pour blessings down upon you, in full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing."  And the Creator has done exactly that.

If you are reading this letter in electronic or print form, already you have the blessings that you can read, which means you can see, understand the words, think about them, and decide whether or not you will accept this message.  In electronic form, there is the additional blessing that you were able to purchase the unit or use one that is available to you.  You have learned how it operates.  Your brain has stored that information for you to access whenever you have need of it.  In the meantime, without any direction from you, your heart is beating, your lungs are breathing, and blood is circulating to every cell of your body.  More blessings.

More than likely, you have a home that shelters you; food enough that you are not hungry; a table upon which you can put the food; a chair to sit on when you decide to eat; a body that will process the food and deliver nutrients to every part of itself; a bed to sleep on; hot and cold running water; a body that works 24/7 to keep you healthy whether you acknowledge it or not; clothes to cover you; friends to talk to; someone you can call when you feel lonely or afraid; family that loves you; a current job or retirement income that enables you to pay your bills; a mode of transportation, private or public; books to read for pleasure or knowledge; the list is virtually endless.  The glass is always overflowing.

Pick up a book on anatomy, read all that your amazing, incredible body does for you, and never again disparage any part of you.  Be grateful.  We are miracles in motion.  No one will ever convince me otherwise.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, and regardless of the state of your health or wallet, you are alive at this moment in time and you are able to see, think, read, and understand.  Consider how huge these blessings are by themselves, then take five minutes to look around you and be grateful for every single thing you see or touch.  Walk into any room of your home and, silently or aloud, thank the God you pray to for each individual thing you see or touch.  Include the room itself, the walls, the ceiling, the floor, the lights, the door, etc.  When you do this, you will realize, as others have, that we live in a sea of blessings above us, around us, and beneath us.  Be grateful.

Look out a window or go outdoors and see the miracle of Nature, Divine Mother Earth, in its infinite variety and beauty.  Plants, flowers, bushes, grasses, and trees, most of which produce food with the help of the insects and bees that pollinate them.  Butterflies and birds are little splashes of color, flitting her and there.  The sky is a constantly changing background of color, sometimes vibrant, sometimes subdued, and all the myriad shades in-between.  Be grateful.

There is the sun that warms us, the rain that falls so that plants will grow and all of life will have the water it needs.  The trees absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale, and release the oxygen that we may live and breathe.  Everything in Nature is a reflection of the Creator and beneficial to us in some way.  Be grateful.

Don't be too busy to acknowledge, appreciate, and enjoy who you are, what you are, what you have accomplished, and all that you have.  The planet will not cease spinning, stars will not fall from the skies, and civilization as we know it will not end if you stop and take five minutes to appreciate the never-ending blessings poured down upon us, in full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing.

Be grateful for all that serves you and gives you pleasure.

Be grateful for your amazing, incredible body.  Thank your body for its many years of service.

Be grateful for the job(s) you have or have had that enable you to pay your bills and take care of yourself.  Many cannot.

Be grateful for every bill you can pay.  Thank God for each check you are able to write, or electronic transfer of funds you are able to make.  Many cannot.

Be grateful for the Country you live in and willingly support it with your tax dollars, and your prayers.

Be grateful for the wise decisions you have made.

Be grateful for the lessons learned the hard way.  Nothing is a mistake if we learn and benefit from it.  Those 'mistakes' give us the wisdom to know not to go down that path again, and those 'mistakes' give us the empathy and compassion to help others.  When we are able to do that, the so-called mistakes become blessings in disguise.

They say the sweeping broom always finds more dust.  Blessings are like that; the more you look, the more you will find blessings, blessings everywhere.

Be grateful for all that is.  Gratitude is a prayer that quiets the mind and heart, allowing us to resume our daily work more peacefully.  When we are peaceful, the mind is clearer and better able to make wise choices, the body is more relaxed, the soul is refreshed, and more can be accomplished easily and effortlessly.  When we are truly peaceful, we can be calm in the midst of chaos and know instinctively what needs to be done and do it.

Daughters of my heart and other readers, let every breath, every step, every beat of your heart be a "Thank You, God."  Open your eyes and see that the glass has always been, is now, and always will be, overflowing.

Remember always to take care of yourselves with respect.  Walk in dignity and grace.  You are important to God, the Universe, and all those who love you, including me.

                                                                                              Love, always


                                                                                                Zizi

Copyright 2014

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(Zizi is a diminutive form of Zia, Aunt in Italian).


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