“In you is all of Heaven. Every leaf that falls is given life in you. Each bird that ever sang will sing again in you. And every flower that ever bloomed has saved its perfume and its loveliness for you.” ACIM, Ch. 25, Section 4.5
Unexpected gifts are like little miracles we often don’t acknowledge. This past Thanksgiving, after ordering a pre-cooked turkey and some trimmings from Whole Foods, I arrived at the store at the pre-arranged time. To my surprise, it was swarming with people, some masked and others not, all in a long line at the deli counter. There wasn’t enough space to socially distance. When considering where to stand, a worker walked by. So I asked, “Is this the line for the prearranged meals?”
“Oh no. That’s on the other side of the store by the registers.” Relieved, I moved to a short line and when it was my turn, they had no record of the order. No name, phone number, nothing.
“Didn’t you get an email confirmation?” She asked.
MAINTAINING GRACE
My heart plummeted. How do I maintain a state of grace? Our company of two people (and Joe) would be at the house within the hour, and now we were not going to have Thanksgiving. Ha. Well, it’s going to be alright, I inwardly consoled myself. Had already put together a salad and the gals who were coming, planned on bringing stuffing and sweet potatoes. We are fine, I thought. We have food and plenty. There’s so much to be grateful for.
“No. Didn’t get a confirmation and I thought that was kinda weird,” I replied.
“Don’t worry honey. We’ve got you covered.” She must’ve seen my face drop as I calculated how to adjust to this information. She got up from the table and walked me back to a cooler where a few organic birds remained, along with the sides. “This is the same thing you would have ordered. It only takes an hour to heat,” she added.
Well, look at that.One expectation failed and another opportunity swooped forward. I picked out a few things and went to the register. No lines at that point. As I was preparing to pay, the clerk asked if I had pre-ordered anything. I laughed, telling her I thought I did but apparently it never went through. To my surprise, she pressed a button on the register and said, “Happy Thanksgiving honey.”
By then a big line of customers were behind me and I felt a wave of disbelief. “You’re kidding! What?! You’re going to make me cry,” I added.
“I’m not kidding, don’t cry. It’s Thanksgiving! Now go enjoy yourself.” Boom.
CULTIVATING GRATITUDE
What gifts are coming forward for you? Did you ever wonder how giving thanks prepares you for the rest of the holiday season? I’d love to hear about your unexpected gifts. When you cultivate “an attitude of gratitude” you infuse your life with an on-going experience of miracles. Even when things seem devastating or challenging beyond belief, do you wonder what is the gift in this might be? How quickly can you turn an experience into a valuable lesson and see whatever seems to be happening into how God sees it?
We’re all here practicing something that will yield results in our life. Abraham Hicks suggests we “get out ahead” of our desires and proactively expect good things by raising our energetic frequency. A Course in Miracles aims to help us release perceptions of a limited worldview, into that of the vision of Christ Consciousness. We are here to experience grace and miracles and to help others make their hearts glad. Your vision and determination to remember who you truly are, will help you trust in this loving universe.
When you cultivate gratitude and live as if life is working out for you, do you feel surprised when good things return? You set the stage for miracles to occur, with forgiveness and appreciation as a moment by moment decision. The Course promises that giving and receiving are one- and that when you give to another, you give to yourself. And when you find you’re on the receiving end of something mysterious and unexpected, it may just crack your heart open a little wider. And you may remember, that in you is all of Heaven.
Thanks for these great reminders sweet Kesha!