Call Me Pollyanna If You Want

I was able to be part of a conversation today about pastoral care, and encouraging people to find God's grace and gift even in the most tragic circumstances. I absolutely believe that this is part of what Christians are called to do when we are hurting, and the community of faith can help us do that. Since family health issues are pulling more of my strings recently than I would like, I thought I'd work on looking for a few of those graces and gifts. So, from the midst of a not-so-good-day:
Thanks be to God that a friend planted the idea in my head of running as prayer time... and that I made it to the gym this morning and found out that she was right!
Thanks be to God that I have landed in an incredibly supportive and wonderful placement for my field ed. We may not always be the most organized, but I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.
Thanks be to God for reminding me that I have really great friends - ones who I can show up at their door because I need to, even though I said I didn't need to and wasn't coming on the phone ten minutes earlier. Its so easy to forget that we really can count on a little help from our friends.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
-Phillippians 4:4-7