Choose Day ---> Gratitude

Isn't incredible that almost half the year is gone already? I'm pretty sure I remember baking Christmas mince pies "just the other day"!

That being said, the past two weeks has seen me needing to dust-off my prayer boots for family, friends and friends-of-family. Interestingly enough, this time for quiet reflection and intercessory prayer coincided with a lack of ability to "get stuff done" because my right hand was quite out-of-action after the burning.

My bu always says that Tuesdays are Choose Days, and if that's the case, today is gratitude day...
Gratitude for my body's innate ability to heal itself, with fresh layers of pink skin growing up under a nasty burn.
Gratitude for my brother narrowly missing chopping off his one finger entirely in a freak light changing accident.
Gratitude for the cortisone which helped my Dad's gout attack brought on by the stress of his son landing up in hospital on a Sunday night.
Gratitude for my sister-in-law's medical test coming back all fine. 
Gratitude for family travelling through Christchurch narrowly missing the earthquake by a margin of minutes.
Gratitude for a child getting the help she needs after having a severe asthma attack.
Gratitude for my loving husband and family; my warm clothes and food; my bed to sleep in; my car to drive when so many, many people in South Africa (and the world) go without love, warmth, food, shelter, and transport on a daily basis.
Gratitude for the ability to use all my senses and limbs.
Gratitude for the faith that prayer holds, as well as the hope that prayer brings for the unsolved problems in this world that often times make you look around and say: "God, are you out there?"

Because at the end of each day, you have to believe in something. Make it good.


A few gratitude photos from the past fortnight:

The frivoloty of joining the Letter Writers Alliance and the joy of putting pen to paper for correspondence again.

All those rose buds blooming on one stem of the same rose bush that, a few short months ago, almost died from a fungal disease.

The magnet I made for my brother after he sent me a photo of his finger. The sentiment was as much for him as it was for me, because the photo was horrific.

The lunar eclipse from our courtyard, a reminder that this planet is very much a 3D object in a very large universe.

Beautiful roses from my husband, an intrinsic romantic, brought home for me as a "get well" gift.

A custom order finished for a new life about to enter this world, with every hand stitched inch of it celebrated as I could bend my hand fully again.

The last of our turnip harvest, a funny and misshapen thing to be sure, but it tasted so good in a warm bowl of vegetable-basmati rice shared with my sweet heart :)

The lovely grain of the wood on the work bench my bu planned and hand made from scratch. He's been talking about it for years, and finally made it....and it's nothing short of fantastic!

 P.S. Today, at 17:16 UTC, the June Solstice occurred. High fives to everyone in the Southern Hemisphere that we are past the mid-point of Winter!