The next few issues of SPORTMOM E-votionals are a mini-series called "ULTIMATE" with this first one fittingly titled ULTIMATE GRATITUDE! My husband's basketball team just won another State Championship. His team represents a fledgling Christian high school that is 5 years old and has been in organized sport competition for 4 of those years playing 2 levels above their size. The first two years they were 2nd in State and the last two have brought home the State Championship trophy! That calls for ULTIMATE GRATITUDE!
As the pinnacles of life unfold, a stronger and deeper gratefulness takes root. Pondering this process a question came to mind: Am I grateful "for" or grateful "that" ? The answer is both! I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to play at the highest level of competition offered . . . and grateful that we played to the best of our ability-at the top of our game and beyond. The win? It was an amazing and stunning gift that we quietly and confidently hoped for and is now a cherished memory for which we are eternally grateful. As an old French proverbs says "Gratitude is the heart's memory."
Sometimes gratitude comes easily and sometimes it is difficult to muster. For instance, when the result of a game is loss it takes some work to allow gratitude to surface cleansing us from our pity party. Gratitude will come and with it new opportunities and amazing experiences. This process may take us by surprise just as it did for Benjamin Disraeli when he playfully wrote: "I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude."
The ultimate experience of gratitude comes when we experience God's forgiveness of our sin and shortcomings. It's in asking for our sin to be covered by His merciful grace that our hearts are ready to be deeply grateful. As we live in his plan our gratitude aptitude will deepen.
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with gratefulness." Colosisans 2:7
PRAYER FOR GRATITUDE: Father God, You have graciously given me all that I am and all that I have but for one more thing I ask - a humbly grateful heart. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Blessings . . . as ULTIMATE GRATITUDE makes it's home in your heart.
Click on Janet's BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG at the tab above for more on life at State Finals and our State Championship journey.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
As the pinnacles of life unfold, a stronger and deeper gratefulness takes root. Pondering this process a question came to mind: Am I grateful "for" or grateful "that" ? The answer is both! I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to play at the highest level of competition offered . . . and grateful that we played to the best of our ability-at the top of our game and beyond. The win? It was an amazing and stunning gift that we quietly and confidently hoped for and is now a cherished memory for which we are eternally grateful. As an old French proverbs says "Gratitude is the heart's memory."
Sometimes gratitude comes easily and sometimes it is difficult to muster. For instance, when the result of a game is loss it takes some work to allow gratitude to surface cleansing us from our pity party. Gratitude will come and with it new opportunities and amazing experiences. This process may take us by surprise just as it did for Benjamin Disraeli when he playfully wrote: "I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude."
The ultimate experience of gratitude comes when we experience God's forgiveness of our sin and shortcomings. It's in asking for our sin to be covered by His merciful grace that our hearts are ready to be deeply grateful. As we live in his plan our gratitude aptitude will deepen.
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with gratefulness." Colosisans 2:7
PRAYER FOR GRATITUDE: Father God, You have graciously given me all that I am and all that I have but for one more thing I ask - a humbly grateful heart. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Blessings . . . as ULTIMATE GRATITUDE makes it's home in your heart.
Click on Janet's BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG at the tab above for more on life at State Finals and our State Championship journey.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
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