Reflection - Sunday, October 11, 2026 "With Gratitude" - Jim Hannah

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Reflection – "With Gratitude"

Jim Hannah

May these words that I speak and these songs I sing be grounded in my soul encouraged by the spirit presence in me; and may these words and songs you hear be captured by your soul, enlivened by the spirit presence in you. Amen.

There is a true story of a female humpback whale that had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that cause her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of metres of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Faralon Islands - off the coast of San Francisco - and radioed for help. Within a few hours the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so badly off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her, a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them, and pushed gently, thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The rescuer who was cutting the ropes out of her mouth said her eye was following him the whole time and he will never be the same.

Oh if only each of us could have that kind of experience to realise how intimately connected we are to everything. Indigenous people have traditionally understood the deep connection, that to imagine that humans are somehow separate from the earth and its creatures is unimaginable. It is unfortunate that our western culture has lost its way in terms of deep connection to the earth. We need to reclaim that and it begins by being thankful for all that is – human and other-than-human. Our home is the earth and even more so the entire cosmos…

All is connected, the Cosmos is home.

Nothing is sep'rate, we're never alone.

So live every moment, be fully aware

That wherever we are, that wherever we are,

That wherever we are... love is there!

In loving union, the cosmos will sing.

Growing together, the best we can bring.

So live ev'ry moment, and banish all fear

Then wherever we are, then wherever we are,

Then wherever we are... love is here!

For deep compassion, the whole world awaits.

With our conviction, this promise creates.

So live ev'ry moment, yes, heed Spirit's call

For wherever we are, for wherever we are,

For wherever we are... love is all!

How different this world could be if we were all able to express gratitude regardless of what might be before us. There is a story told of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist, "Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. The other was a sad and hopeless pessimist. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist! The worried parents of the boys brought them to a local psychologist. He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins' personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure. The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results. When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, "I don't like the size of this computer monitor...I'll bet this I-phone will break...this video game is so lame...I know someone who's got a bigger remote control toy than this..." Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air. He was giggling. "You can't fool me! Where there's this much manure there's got to be a pony!"

I wonder why so many people find it difficult, or not important enough, to say thanks. Richard Wagamese reflects on feeling gratitude, not for the big things, but for what he calls the glory of the small - a touch, a smile, a kind word spoken or received, a hug, the sound of friends talking in our home, the quiet that surrounds prayer, sunlight on my face, the sound of birds and walking mindfully.

This next song I wrote with this in mind. First, we worry too much about the unknown future rather than being gleeful about the possibility of a “pony”. Second we worry that our past was not all that it should have been rather than being thankful for all that it was. And third we get so caught up in the chores and responsibilities of the day before us that we completely miss the moments for which to be thankful. So why not live? Why not live…with gratitude?

We rarely know what life will lay before us.

We seldom know what waits around the bend.

But what’s the point to worry ‘bout tomorrow,

Since worry brings us nothing in the end?

So why not live? So why not live?

With gratitude for all that life has been,

With gratitude for what is yet unseen,

With gratitude for every blessed moment in the day,

With gratitude for love that shows the way.

We sometimes look at all that we have lived through,

And wonder if we could have made it more.

But what’s the point to dwell on what is done now,

Instead of what is yet for us instore?

So why not live? So why not live?

We have a gift that’s called the day before us.

And yet we seldom see it in that way.

But what’s the point in paying no attention,

And wasting every moment of the day?

So why not live? So why not live?

With gratitude for every single moment in the day; with gratitude for love that shows the way. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of studies have been done to look at the effect thankfulness and gratitude makes in our lives. In every case, those who were thankful and able to express gratitude – even in very difficult circumstances – were healthier in every way. It seems to me that this is the lesson in Luke’s story this morning. Because I see these stories of Jesus’ experiences as metaphor, that they might point to greater truths, it matters not whether these outcasts from society were physically healed. What matters is that one of them was spiritually and emotionally healed. Jesus willingness to engage these outsiders brought one of the nine to his knees in gratitude. For me, this is the truth of the story; that thankfulness is expressed when we finally recognize our connections one to another and honour each human and other-that-human as worthy. That is the simple and profound way of Love…

Many different faces, gather here, (gather here)

From many different places, far and near. (far and near)

Every spirit knowing, love is come, (love is come)

And every heart is showing, we are one. (we are one)

For this gift, this treasure,

For this spirit free,

For this love beyond measure,

Oh, oh, thankful be.

Many different roadways, do we know, (do we know)

And many new and old ways, weaving so. (weaving so)

Every spirit growing, love is found, (love is found)

And every heart is glowing, love unbound. (love unbound)

Gratitude can be a challenge at some points in our lives. It is difficult to feel grateful when we are ill, but we can be grateful for the care we are receiving. It is difficult to feel grateful when we lose a loved one, but we can be grateful for the circle of family and friends that support us in those times. It can be difficult to feel grateful when a relationship sours, but we can be grateful for the moments we had. I believe that if we can find moments of gratitude in these times, we will be able to find infinitely more gratitude in the every day moments of our lives. May it be so…

Moment to Ponder

I wonder how I could find moments of gratitude every day…

Prayer…

Open your heart and your mind to the Love-presence in all of life and give thanks.

I invite each of you to take a moment to offer thanks for yourself...but not just a general thanks...rather think about something about yourself for which you are truly grateful and give thanks for the gift of you...

Now take a moment to search your heart for something in you that needs healing and open yourself to the power of the spirit...

Take a moment now to offer thanks for family and friends...but not just a general thanks...rather think about one or two people for who you are truly grateful, what it is about them that you love, and give thanks for the gift of them...

Now take a moment to hold in your heart those that need our attention, our compassion and offer them to the power of the spirit of Love...

Take a moment now to offer thanks for this world...but not just a general thanks...rather think about something in this world for which you are truly thankful and offer thanks for that gift...

Now take a moment to hold in your heart something in this world that is in need of healing and send out the power of the spirit of Love...

Lake Country United Church

Reflection - Sunday, October 11, 2026 "With Gratitude" - Jim Hannah

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