I am grateful for the change of weather this week, from the beauty and harshness of blowing snow on a gray Monday to the warmth of melting snow sparkles under a clear blue sky this morning.

I am grateful for a sister with a huge heart, always willing to help.

I am grateful for medicine and lots of vitamins to cure me of illness, healing from God in the form of pills and nurse practitioners and pharmacists.

I am grateful for sleepless nights, prompted by worries and flipped into constant prayers.

I am grateful for a nervous stomach that is from conviction and remorse and finally, repentance and forgiveness.

I am grateful for a close circle that confides in us when life is hard. Listening is our gift to give, prayer is our call to arms.

I am grateful for bacon crumbles on baked potatoes, two of my favorite foods. Dad, you don’t know what you’re missing.

I am grateful for the privilege of birthday celebrations. It does a soul good to celebrate others.

I am grateful for clean everything. Clean face, clean floors, clean appliances, clean hands, clean living, clean sheets, clean flower beds, clean conscience.

I am grateful for lessons taught, even when they are subtle, even when they are painful, even when they are uncomfortable. Lessons are not learned when it’s easy. That’s when we think we don’t need to learn anything. My brother Ron taught me many years ago that we can always learn from our circumstances – we just have to be open and willing.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. – Philippians 4:6

I am grateful for so many lessons I am learning. Mostly, that in order to follow Jesus, I must love people, no matter what.

I must love the ones who do not believe the way I believe. I must love the leaders who do not lead the way I think they should lead. I must love the ones who irritate me. I must love the ones who have hurt me or those I dearly love. I must love the ones who can’t seem to say anything nice. I must love the ones who relish in the undoing of another. I must love the ones who seem to be headed down a path that is not going to end well and refuse to listen. I must love, no matter what. I have not done so, and I am dealing.

I am grateful for so many lessons I am learning. Mostly, that in order to follow Jesus, I must speak love, no matter what. Complaining is poison. Negativity is poison. It spreads like a fire and causes destruction. I have allowed this attitude to grow, and I am dealing.

I am grateful for so many lessons I am learning, again. And again. And again.

I am grateful for the reminder this week that my mom must have worried about me and my two little girls A LOT when I was actively parenting. I am grateful that she mostly bit her tongue and let me learn by experience, although I now know the pain of a tongue bite. Parenting is difficult at every stage.

I am grateful to be paying attention on several fronts this week. From the message on Sunday, to my conscience, to a refreshed resolve to just love everybody, no matter what.