Today’s lectio divina phrase that stood out to me, “They grumbled against the landowner….”My friend I am not cheating you.” It is a parable/story Jesus told about a landowner choosing to pay all his employees the same daily wage even the ones that only came the last hour.

Lord, I don’t want to grumble against You. I don’t want to even think I am being cheated or robbed. It is so easy to live in a place of grumbling/complaining/whining. I want to live from a place of immense gratitude realizing I have been given far more than I could have ever imagined. If I never received another gift from You, I would still be so very rich in blessings. My cup is full and overflows with good things:

• the breath in my lungs
• the health of my lungs
• the view of these grand mountains
• the cool breeze blowing through a house that I get to call home via ownership
• a ceiling fan to keep me cool
• ability to read and write and record these gifts
• a gorgeous, full tree outside my bedroom window to look upon and listen to as I write
• the luxury/space/margin to listen to your Word from a cuckoo fancy smart phone (it was Jim Gaffigan’s Dark Pale comedy that reminded me that we have become numb to how much $ we spend on these devices)
• blue skies
• peace in our nation (we are not in a war torn place or live in fear of an uprising of rebels)
• a spiritual director/friend on the faith journey to led me through St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises
• the ability to hear Your voice
• Your desire to speak to us and lead us
• Your kindness and generosity to us
• Thank you that You call me “friend”

Truly these kind of lists could go on and on and on. May my gratitude go on and on and on and may complaining be far from my lips.