by Lilly Lewin
It’s been a hard week for me. I have been very angry at governmental leaders acting like the economy matters more than people. I’m angry that people with loads of privilege don’t seem to get that others don’t have as much and need help and need more protections. I’ve had friends lose their parents and grandparents to the virus.
I’ve watched and read way too much news.
I’m longing for Friday at 5:30pm when I will take a break from Social Media and News for at least 24 hours of the weekend as a part of my Sabbath practice. It’s really helped me stay sane in the last few weeks. I’m thinking it may need to be longer.
In the midst of this anger and frustration, Jesus is reminding me to be thankful.
Jesus reminds me of Philippians 4:4-7
Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.
The Passion Translation
Be Anxious for Nothing
But in Everything Give Thanks…
So I’m giving thanks today for a beautiful Spring this year in Nashville. We’ve had Spring as a season, rather than just jumping straight into Summer.
I am very grateful for running water and soap, especially when so many around the globe don’t have this basic.
I’m grateful for sunsets and beautiful evenings.
I’m grateful for butter on toast.
I’m thankful for FaceTime and Zoom gatherings and text messages from far away.
I’m grateful for Jane Austin movies and Downton Abbey.
And Friends who pray.
As a part of my gratitude practice, I’ve made signs for my mailbox and for my trashcans to thank the mail carrier and our garbage collectors and recycling guys for taking good care of us! I’ve left snacks to add to my thank you notes just to remind them that someone cares about their service. I know people have done this for delivery people too. Which is awesome!
Maybe you’d like to print out some signs and use them in your neighborhood to thank people on the frontlines where you live. Here are some PDFs ThankYou! 
TAKING CARE OF US and Praying for YOU that you can print out, decorate and put on your cans/bins, your mailbox or to give away! And really take time to pray for these folks who are on the frontlines taking care of us behind the scenes!
We have a practice in our thinplace gatherings of making a cup with our hands and picturing all the heavy stuff we are carrying around with us being heavy in our hands.
Then we imagine giving those things into the hands of Jesus and letting him hold these things for us. We can let Jesus hold them. We can let Jesus carry these things for us. And we don’t have to take them back!
Make a list of all the things you are carrying around. Those things that are heavy, the things that are making you angry or anxious and give them to Jesus.
Make another list of all the things you are thankful for today. Thank Jesus for these things. The big things and the really small things!
I’m praying for us all to take time to rest this weekend. To take the time to be thankful and practice gratitude for the little things along our way. And I’m asking Jesus to show us that he wants to carry all the junk for us so we don’t have to be carry or hold it anymore. Amen.
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
1 comment
Well said!