Thankful, thoughtful Thursday

An iced skim "mint condition" coffee drink at Caribou Coffee: $4.21 (gulp)
A whole grain bagel, toasted with butter: $.96 (nice)
Sitting alone at a corner table, reading a book entitled Sanctuary, journaling, giving thanks to God for His infinite love for every person I see in this cafe, on the street, on bicycles, on foot, in the office buildings across the way: Priceless.

My gratitude moves me to pray.

On my husband and children, each in a different place at the moment.
On my family members near and far: in Qatar, in Peru, in Florida, in New York - and beyond.
On the friends I miss and love.
On my neighbor whose mother died last weekend.
On the woman who toasted my bagel and the man who mixed my drink.
On the boy I saw on his bike outside.
On everyone I have ever seen, spoken to, smiled at, hugged and loved.
On the people who survived the Minneapolis bridge collapse.
On the loved ones of those who did not.
On the farmers whose fields are cracked and singed by drought.
On the homeowners whose floors and walls are warped by flood waters.
On the families torn apart by abuse, addiction, bankruptcy, and despair.
On the families torn apart by wealth, greed, discontent, and the constant hunger for more things that never satisfy.
On the politically, socially, racially, religiously, ethnically oppressed people the world around.
On the rich and famous.
On the poor and obscure.
On the obese and the anorexic.
On the joyful and the sorrowful.

On these and all the rest of us who fall between the cracks on this list
and the cracks in this life,
On all of these, O Lord God of All Comfort, Love, Light, Grace, and Peace,
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy on us all.


(Photo is of a church in Cadiz, Spain.)