Happy Hearted and Fully Loved

From the day we heard about you,
we have not ceased praying for you…
Colossians 1:9

This past summer, we celebrated our two grandsons’ and a granddaughter’s birthdays. We also celebrated our own forty-something wedding anniversary and the anniversaries of our sons and daughters-in-law. In the midst of all of this revelry, my thoughts returned often to Mike’s and my wedding and our first encounter with parenthood…

I’ll never forget the day my doctor told me that, indeed, I was with child. This announcement came after a years-long struggle to have children. Yes, this news was most welcome! I also recall that from the moment I heard these words, I felt that I knew my baby. Though I had no idea of what he or she would look like and I had no idea of who this child would be, I couldn’t help loving this precious little one. It was on that day that I also began to pray, above all else, that this child would be happy. If God blessed this little person with a happy heart, I knew he or she would be able to handle everything else.

When our baby arrived, he proved to be all I’d hoped for and more. Still, I continued to pray for him every day; sometimes, several times a day. The truth is that this is my ritual regarding our second son, both of our daughters-in-law and our grandchildren as well. I do the same for my extended family and friends.

If I’m going to be totally honest here, I must admit that I call God’s attention to much of the world these days. If people were a bit happier, this world would be far more peaceful. It seems to me that it’s God’s wish for each of us to be happy. So I pray -often and with absolute faith- for just that.

Loving God, bless us all with happy hearts!

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Advertisements

I Give Thanks

Give thanks to God;
bless God’s name for God is good:
the Lord whose kindness endures forever…
From Psalm 100:4-5

As I consider the things for which I’m grateful, I find that I have more time than usual to compile a list. My husband and I aren’t cooking today. Our older son and his wife have taken on our annual Thanksgiving feast. His younger brother and wife will do the same for Christmas Day. I admit that I’m quietly rejoicing in response to this turn of events. Thank you, God!

The next point on my list of blessings is my family. That I married was a huge surprise to me. That my husband and I have children is a miracle, literally, from what the doctors have told us. I’m grateful to my parents who shared their faith with me through their practical daily lives. They appreciated God’s love and their resulting ability to weather any storm taught me to do the same. My siblings each contributed to who I am today in so many ways. Thank you, God!

I appreciate God’s love, too. When in doubt, I turn to Jesus who insisted that God loves us as we are with all of our frailties intact. Though Jesus provided a lifetime of very good example, he also assured us that God expects only what we are able to do, nothing more. Thank you for this, Dear God, because I sometimes forget that I’m good enough for you!

On this Thanksgiving Day, this reflection should be the longest I’ve ever written because my blessings are so numerous. Suffice to say that God knows them all and that I’m most grateful. I hope you find that the same is true for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Generous God, thank you for everything!

©2017 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Ever-Grateful!

Giving voice to my thanks,
and recounting all your wondrous deeds, O Lord…
From Psalm 26:7-8

I cannot tell you whose voice it was that I heard. I was in the other room during the telecast. Still, those words echoed in my mind throughout the day. Even today, I can hear, “A grateful soul is a happy soul!” Though I was too busy to run into the family room to see who spoke from our television set, I was not so busy that I ignored the message. As is usually the case when I hear or read something which gets to what I consider to be the heart of the matter, I mulled over this observation for days.

I’ve understood the value of gratitude since very early on in my life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve begun my prayers by saying “thank you” for blessings received. Even when the moment at hand seemed void of reason to be grateful something within always compelled me to say, “Thank you!” to God. These initial expressions of gratitude never failed to influence the tone of the rest of what I had to say. What might have been a litany of requests morphed into a conversation during which I spoke and then listened regarding the needs of others. Though I never actually heard another voice in response, I certainly felt the presence of our Benevolent God. It is no wonder that I wake up every morning saying, “Thank you for the sleep!” I simply can’t help myself for which I’m also most grateful!

Gracious God, help us all to be grateful heralds of your generous love.

©2017 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

B… Blessed Are We!

May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
Psalm 72:17

B is for Blessed. As soon as I acknowledged that “B” is the letter for today, I typed “blessed”. You are blessed and so am I. We wouldn’t walk this earth if we weren’t intentionally breathed into existence by our creatively loving God. I use the adverb “creatively” intentionally. You see, God’s blessings often befuddle me. Most of the time, I don’t recognize them until long after a given person or circumstance has moved on. A lifetime of chance meetings, one-liners which lodge in my memory, unexpected friendships, unexplained opportunities and seeming setbacks prove this over and over again. Though I don’t realize it much of the time, I am indeed blessed.

As I consider and offer thanks for the blessings in my life, I must acknowledge that these blessings include everyone around me. This is the challenging part because “everyone” includes those who occasionally give me a headache, a heartache, a soul-ache or worse. How can I look upon these people as blessings? God knows and I must know, too. So it is that I must gently remove the wrapping which conceals the blessedness hidden within myself and within those whom I pass along the way. Only then will I discover the fullness of God’s precious gifts.

Creatively Loving God, help us all to see our own blessings and those of others with your perceptive eyes. Give us grateful hearts that we may appreciate both fully.

©2016 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

A Birth and Re-Birth Day

Give thanks in all circumstances…
1 Thessalonians 5:18

I’m celebrating two special women today. This is my niece’s birthday. She is my brother’s first child and her arrival changed his life forever. My brother truly loved his wife. Yet, when his daughter was born, love took on a whole new dimension. Suddenly, this child’s happiness and well-being became his focus. Suddenly, nothing else was quite as important as this little girl. Though her parents smile upon her from above these days, I know they join me in thanking God for the gift that Sue is to us all. Happy Birthday, Sue!

My sister is also celebrating a birthday of sorts today. In her case, this is a “re-birth” day. Four years ago, my sister took her leave after raging a determined war with cancer. After doing her best to endure rigorous treatment and to remain hopeful in the process, the day came when my sister embraced another journey. When the medicine no longer helped, Cecele took over. After getting her house in order, she spent every minute with her children, her grandchildren and the rest of us. On the day she passed, I know that no one celebrated more than Cecele.

Though this event threatened to cast a shadow on my niece’s birthday, it did the precise opposite. Cecele had a special place in her heart for our niece Sue. I’ve often wondered if she did her best to share this special date with her. One day, I’ll know.

Loving God, bless Sue as she continues her journey here. Bless Cecele with your attention when she comes to you on our behalf. Bless the rest of us with grateful hearts as we celebrate every day we are given.

©2016 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved