A few years ago, I read everything I could find by Henri Nouwen. His writings were formative and very encouraging. On one occasion, I read his book Gracias. The book is actually a journal chronicling Nouwen’s time spent in Peru and Bolivia. Near the end of the book, he writes: The title of this journal summarizes what… Continue reading Is Your Gratitude Obvious to Others?
Category: Gratitude
What is a Gracious Person Like?
Gracious. Now I like this word. Like you, however, I have been around some people for whom the word “gracious” doesn’t seem to fit. It was a busy evening. This particular church was attempting to feed a lot of people. Volunteers had been working in the kitchen in their church building throughout the day to… Continue reading What is a Gracious Person Like?
Grateful People Are Refreshing
Now this was refreshing! The other day I was in Wal-Mart. I had my three or four items and found a checkout counter with no line. The checker was a Hispanic woman in her late 30s. I asked her about her day; “I’ve had a fantastic day!” she replied. Then I asked her, “What happened… Continue reading Grateful People Are Refreshing
The Importance of a Thank You
Today, I heard a “Thank you.” The gentleman who said these words did so as a weekend of training for our small group leaders came to a close. He thanked the speaker, the leaders of our small group ministry, and all of the life group leaders. I really appreciated what he said. Expressing gratitude to… Continue reading The Importance of a Thank You
The Apology
I used to drive a UPS (United Parcel Service) truck. Really. This was the job I had when I one day received an apology. I had been working for UPS during college. I was a student at the University of North Texas I worked at the Dallas location in the evenings, loading and unloading trucks.… Continue reading The Apology
Thankful
Today, I am thankful. I am thankful to God who is the giver of everything else I am thankful for. I’m grateful to him for the relationship that I enjoy with him. Through it all, he has stayed with me, sustained me, prodded me, and has shown his grace in so many ways. … Continue reading Thankful
Grateful Today
I am grateful today. I am grateful as I pay attention to what I can see God doing around me. I am grateful as I see what God is doing in the midst of people I love and value — people who are in the middle of my life. I am grateful not because everything… Continue reading Grateful Today
Graciousness
Gracious. Now I like this word. No, this word is reserved for people who recognize that they are privileged to receive what they have been given. Or as Fred Craddock once said, "The final act of grace is graciousness." So what is a gracious person? A gracious person is slow to take credit and quick… Continue reading Graciousness
When You Feel Frustrated
This conversation has taken place many times. Only this time, the setting was a living room. I sat across from this woman who was many years older than me. In front of her was her walker. She had seen some difficult days, in terms of her health. At one point in this conversation, I asked… Continue reading When You Feel Frustrated
Gratitude
I returned yesterday after spending a couple of days in Florence, Alabama. The alumni association of Heritage Christian University (formerly International Bible College) invited me back to speak on their annual alumni days. The invitation came at the request of former students who were in some ministry classes I taught as an adjunct teacher while… Continue reading Gratitude