Gratitude

A small practice we try to keep—though we don’t always manage—is to give thanks at the end of the week. A few times a week, or at least on Fridays, we pause and thank the Lord: for each other, for the strength to parent well, and for making it through the work week.

Often, that moment of gratitude happens in the car on a Friday evening, classic station humming in the background, en route to a bite to eat. It’s simple, but it re-centers us.

Today, I found myself especially thankful for something I hadn’t done in years: playing tennis. A friend and I hit the court for an hour, and it was more refreshing than I expected. I don’t think I’ve played since high school. It felt good to move, to laugh, to be outside with the heat on my skin, the breeze cutting through it, and the birds offering their own soundtrack to the game.

Sometimes gratitude sneaks up on us in the form of a forgotten joy.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
—Psalm 107:1

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank You for the big things and the small. Thank You for the rhythm of work and rest, for friendships that refresh, and for the beauty of creation that speaks Your name. Help us to end our weeks with grateful hearts and open hands. Amen.