gratitude : BouncebackCafe.com

Finding Joy

May 11, 2011 - Posted by PattiAnn

Photo credit: paul david (busy running!)

Joy is the feeling of grinning inside.

— Melba Colgrove

Joy is possible where ever and whenever you are. You just have to catch it.

There’s a story that’s been making the rounds on the internet. It’s about an experiment conducted by the Washington Post. You may have heard this story before… Continue reading » Finding Joy

Thanks for the Memories

December 7, 2010 - Posted by PattiAnn

The existence of forgetting has never been proved: We only know that some things don’t come to mind when we want them.

— Friedrich Nietzsche

While December is a joyous holiday season, for Catholics, November is the month of remembrance. It starts with All Saints Day on the 1^st and All Souls’ Day on the 2^nd. All Saints Day is when we remember all those who the Catholic Church has recognized as being holy. All Souls Day is for remembering everyone else who has died.

In a previous post I described how I use the Jewish tradition of Yahrzeit to remember my family and friends who have died. I learned about this tradition from Continue reading » Thanks for the Memories

Do I Make You Proud?

December 2, 2010 - Posted by Ellie

Photo credit: mlitty

Is someone in your life waiting and hoping for a well-deserved compliment that lets them know “I see you”?

Because of you I am standing tall. My heart is full of endless gratitude. You were the one to guide me through… the only question with me now is, “Do I make you proud?”

— Taylor Hicks

The season of giving is upon us and we – each and every one of us – have the wherewithal to give the most priceless gifts of all – honest and thoughtful compliments that show the special people in our lives “I see you”. Such gifts cost us but a bit of mental and social effort, a focused recognition of another person’s efforts and intentions… and a willingness to put ourselves “out there”.

And so I challenge us all (you and me) to step out of our own ego-centric bubbles this month, to look with new eyes, to listen with new ears, to perceive with new sensitivity… and to notice how we could gift our loved ones (and perhaps even some strangers who pop in and out of our lives) with priceless treasures only we can give… treasures that come from our Continue reading » Do I Make You Proud?

GA-ZOON-TIGHT!
The Blessings Among Us Make Jolly-ful Noises…

November 29, 2010 - Posted by Ellie

Photo credit: kodomut

This post is part of the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival hosted by Bridget Chumbley.

How do you celebrate your fellowship?

God is the God of tennis, brownies, and public speaking, and all those talents can – and should – be used effectively for serving him.

— Caryn Rivadeneira
Christian Journalist

It warms my heart when, in a crowd of strangers, I hear a chorus of “Gesundheit’s” and “Bless you’s” in response to an AH-CHOO! Why? Because it means that although somebody just blasted a burst of germs into our breathing space, we still offer them blessings. If that ain’t a sign of good fellowship, I don’t know what is…

Happily, I find signs of community and fellowship all around me… people who keep their faith in humanity by sharing their love and their tolerance in everyday places and everyday ways. They are “blessings among us making jolly-ful noises.” Continue reading » GA-ZOON-TIGHT!
The Blessings Among Us Make Jolly-ful Noises…

Deciding What Is “Enough”

November 25, 2010 - Posted by PattiAnn

Photo credit: woodleywonderworks

When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of “shoulds,” free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn’t right, we will have peaceful hearts.

— Anonymous

I have reached the conclusion that part of the reason that we get discouraged is that we believe that we’re supposed to be different than we are. One of my resolutions for Lent is that I will listen to audio books by one of the Christian writers that I like for 15 minutes each day. This usually works out pretty well because I walk the dog for 30-40 minutes each day and I can easily choose to listen to something for 15 minutes – IF I PICK Continue reading » Deciding What Is “Enough”