Gratefulness: A Prayer of the Heart
Church Ladies Retreat to the Campion Center in Weston


gathering for coffee and pastries.

Our altar with symbols of our gratitude

The last few autumn-colored trees

Thanksgiving

cornstalks once tall and green
are now brown, dried, surrendered,
ears of corn with full kernels
shaped and turned golden
in a summer of sunshine and rain.
the fill to fullness wide wagons,
falling now into tall, round bins,
copious in their generosity,
abundant in unrestrained harvest.

this plentitude of the land
signal my own gathering of grain
as I turn to the bounty
found in the field of my heart.

all those daily gifts
that grace my humble path,
come rumbling forth,
like a corn harvest
of golden goodness.

they are my bin-full,
my thanksgiving treasure,
my wide wagon of richness.
they are my sureness
that the god of the harvest
still hurrahs.

(By Joyce Rupp)

I ask the grace for "an intimate knowledge of the many blessings received, so that, filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve God."
(St. Ignatius, Contemplation to Attain Love)



Beaders busy at work.
Loving God, you so generously lavish our lives with your goodness; create in our hearts a deep center of gratitude, a center that grows so strong in thanksgiving that our lives are a song of praise. Remind us often of how much you cherish us, of how abundantly you have offered gifts to us, especially in the hours of our greatest need. May we always be grateful for your reaching into our lives with surprises of joy, growth, and extravagant love. Amen


Most sunsets are pretty.
This is the one we were given on Saturday night


we didn't check this out.


The Church Ladies