When I received Rob’s email asking me to write a Daily Reflection on gratitude, I was filled with, well, a deep sense of gratitude! I have been inspired and encouraged by the essays written by members of the St. John’s family during this trying and troubling year and am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the cause.

I have found so much to be grateful for this holiday season. My family, friends, dogs, spending time in nature, delicious food, community. I hope that wherever you are this holiday, you see that whatever you are separated from, those places, people, things, you call home- they are always with you.

Let us reflect with gratitude on the happiness of the past, on this moment, and for the light at the end of the tunnel.

When I was seven years old, I am told, I started sitting down at that organ - picking out notes and attempting to teach myself to read music (with the Lowrey color-coded music left in the organ’s bench). I quickly found myself taking organ lessons with a graduate student in the University of Iowa’s Organ Department.

Maybe, because of how we need to give thanks and celebrate this year, we will create a new tradition or will be more grounded in focusing on how much love there is right around us.

Practice gratitude - - it makes you feel good! Pay it forward… Thanksgiving is the perfect season for showing your thanks. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.”

Many of these people I have yet to meet as I have been an 8 o'clocker for years. But they have found their way into my heart and I will search them out when we can gather again. God has showered me with blessings, I just had to stop and be still and listen for His voice in others.

The only way I will know is when I enter into dialogue with someone on the receiving end of racism and understand their perspective. It is only then that I can see the issue more clearly through a wider lens and become an effective participant in carrying on Jesus’ work in the world.

Via media, is not about compromise, but about achieving a better path through consideration of different, valid points of view. Importantly, we are not doing this on our own. Remaining Christ centered and Spirit led can both give us the solace to navigate the day to day, but more importantly, find where God is calling us to make a difference to help find the middle way.