Grace and Gratitude

Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Gratitude evokes grace like the voice and echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightening.
-Karl Barth (Anti-Nazi; anti-Nuclear Weapon Theologian featured on the cover of Times 1962  from https://www.azquotes.com/quote/592850)
 

Been away and had the opportunity to do something I had on my bucket list for years: get close to a whale.  We went whale watching and what an experience it and the two days we were away was.  D. spoils me but I enjoyed the trip too much to feel guilty. lol. 

I felt gratitude...immense gratitude for him, these magnificent marine mammals, the opportunity to get close, my camera, the experience and ultimately God for the "grace" that was provided.  Thus my topic for the day: Grace and gratitude.

Grace and Gratitude belong together like heaven and earth.

Gratitude is so much more than the words, 'Thank you." It is a feeling that has an amazing healing capacity.  According to Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey in the second mediation of their "energy of attraction" series, gratitude is a gentle warm feeling in the heart that leads to a smile on the lips and ultimately the experience of grace.

Grace is the support, provision and knowledge that we are loved.  We experience it as a return of our deeply felt gratitude.

In Bhakti Hinduism this is known as Kripa.  God's Grace is provided with every experience of gratitude. When we express gratitude fully we are given even more experiences in which to be grateful by Grace.

Hmm!  So not only is gratitude such a wonderful experience to feel...and that in itself is enough...the more gratitude we feel, the more rich our lives become. It pays to be grateful! We open ourselves up to the sureness of God's Love when we are grateful. How cool is that?

And let me not forget my hourly thanksgiving that You have remained with me, and always will be there to hear my call to You and the answer me.  As evening comes, let all my thoughts be still of You and Your Love. -ACIM-W-232:1:3-4

All is well!

Worth Reading or listening to...

ACIM

Karl Barth Biography. Center of Barth Studies. http://barth.ptsem.edu/karl-barth/biography

Kripa. Yogapedia. https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5572/kripa

Oprah & Deepak, Energy of Attraction 22-Day Meditation