The Gift of a Grateful Heart

Table Talk


Setting the Table

You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment. 

Take a moment to consider how the practice of gratitude can open your heart and nourish your soul. 

“We take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” 
- Cynthia Ozick

“Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart.” 
- Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Psalm 95:2
“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”


Food for Thought

One of the first things I was told when I got sober, almost fourteen years ago, is that a grateful heart won’t drink. I took that extremely seriously. I have kept my promise to never pick up another drink of alcohol by reminding myself to be grateful every day. 
  
My practice of gratitude has been especially important for me over the past year. I did the thing that I had been most afraid of – my marriage of 25 years ended and I have started a new life on my own. During this challenging time of transition, gratitude has become a daily habit that I try to intentionally cultivate in my thoughts – in each moment and in all things.

When I began looking for a new place to call home, a friend and ministry colleague reached out through social media to let me know that she had a room available in her house. When my friend purchased this large home, it was only her spouse and her daughter in her immediate family, however she bought it with the intention that they would build a community of people who would rely on one another and share this space together. I am grateful for generous hearts.
 
Every morning, I wake up in a comfortable bed next to large windows. The first things I see when I open my eyes are the leaves on the trees – it’s like living in a treehouse! I am looking forward to watching the changing of the leaves throughout the course of the year. Right now, most of them are gone, but buds and new leaves are beginning to appear. I am grateful for change.
 
After I have had a chance to wake up slowly and intentionally, I stumble downstairs to the large and seriously-equipped kitchen. This house is full of cooks and coffee snobs – me included – so our kitchen is a treasured space where we all share meal prep responsibilities and treat ourselves to cups of high-quality coffee (brewed from freshly ground beans) and a variety of teas. I am grateful for nourishment.
 
With coffee in hand, I head back upstairs to my room, where I have a study nook, stocked with everything I need to comfortably work from home. I sit in my cozy chair and sip my coffee as I prepare my plan for the day. I have several “side hustles”, and while I am grateful for all of them, I need to be careful about becoming too busy. That is something I do to hide from my feelings. I learned this in recovery. I can become addicted to work just as easily as I can become addicted to anything. Thankfully, I have a group of people who know a lot more about this than I do, and I meet with them often to learn from their experience, strength, and hope. I am grateful for guidance.

During the most recent election, I gathered with my housemates to watch the results. And while it was a serious occasion, it was also filled with laughter – I haven't laughed that hard, with tears streaming down my face, in quite some time. I am grateful for kindred spirits.
 
This practice of gratitude has been a source of comfort and healing in this year of transition. Is my life the life that I thought it would be 25 years ago? It is not – and on some days that makes me so incredibly sad that I just need to lie in my bed being sad. And that is OK too. I’m still feeling and processing; it’s something I need to do to heal from this terrible grief. So, I breathe, and I pray, and I practice intentional gratitude, knowing that this, too, shall pass. This is just a season in my life, and there will be hard days and not as hard days. And I am grateful for all of them.


Maybe you find yourself in a place that looks different than the way you imagined. Take a few moments to notice the things around you, inhale deeply, and on your exhale express appreciation for something that's new in your life. 

If you or anyone you know is struggling through addiction, help is available to you through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline, 1(800) 662-4357. You can also use the “Meeting Guide” app on your mobile device to seek out an AA meeting close to you. 

For a printable version of today's reflection Click Here!


Blessing

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 
 - The "Serenity Prayer"


A little Table Talk for your table...

  • Talk to a friend about a scary or challenging change you have faced in your life.  

  • Was there anyone in particular who helped guide you through that transition? 

  • Where or how did you feel God’s presence as you were navigating that change? 

Try taking it to the Kids Table...

  • Talk to your child about change – how it is sometimes painful, but necessary. 

  • Have they ever faced a transition like that? Going to a new school, moving to a new city, the loss of a pet, etc.? 

  • Talk to your kiddo about similar transitions we see in nature – how change is a natural part of life. You can talk to them about changes in weather, the death and renewal of leaves and other plants, the migration of birds, the circle of life, etc. 

Meet Our Welcoming Voice!

Rev. Christine Keddy, MDiv. currently serves as Elder Ministry Coordinator for The American Baptist Churches of MA (TABCOM) and is the recently appointed pastor of West Acton Baptist Church. Her home church is FBC Jamaica Plain. She served as Associate Pastor for Family Outreach and Education at FBC Westwood from 2016-2019, where she founded the outreach programs “Kids in the Kitchen” and “Kids in the Story”. Rev. Christine received her Master of Divinity, Magna Cum Laude, from Bethel Seminary in 2015. She pursued Graduate courses in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Bridgewater State College, and holds her Preschool Lead Teacher certification with the state of MA. A passionate lifelong educator, she has been teaching students of ALL ages (from PreK to Seniors) her entire adult life, in a number of different secular and religious settings. In her free time, Rev. Christine enjoys thrifting, walking all over Boston, writing her blog, cooking, and having coffee with friends.

To hear more from Christine throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!

Here are Five Things to Remember When Setting Your Own Welcome Table!

Rev. Christine Keddy, MDiv.