Strangely I keep coming up against this word this year. I am filled with gratitude. A recent comment on a listserv brought it to my attention that the words for “grace” and “thanks” in several non-English languages are very close. So perhaps using the words “gratitude” or “grateful” fit better in English. Anyway, I have been filled with thankfulness this year. Thankfulness that I had my daughter. Gratitude that I got to hold her for four months. Joy that I never spent a single day of her life apart from her. Despite all of the profound sorrow we continue to feel (and will for years to come) I can’t help but give thanks. Since we celebrated thanksgiving last week, I wanted to make sure I shared this thought. And today’s devotion brought it to my attention again. I’d like to quote a segment, from the book Simply Sacred by Gary Thomas:”Sometimes, in God’s providence, certain pleasures may be closed to us…God says, in effect, ‘This is not for you, at least not now.’ We have to trust him to provide alternate pleasures–perhaps of an entirely different sort–that will sustain us in our trials. Feelings of entitlement feed anger; feelings of thankfulness swell our souls and can make us tear up with overflowing gratitude.” It’s so true. I’m thankful that Gary put into words what my heart has been telling me this year.

Yes, I’m double posting today, but I had to share it. Thanks for putting up with me!