Gratitude and Thankfulness ~ Gail Kittleson ~ Devotional

Please welcome my friend and author Gail Kittleson to Whispers in Purple. I hope you will enjoy her devotional offering for today. The floor's all yours, Gail

In 1864, Folliott S. Pierpoint wrote the words to “Sacrifice of Praise,” which we often sing around Thanksgiving. “...Lord of all to Thee we raise, this our sacrifice of praise...” This old hymn lists many reasons to give thanks, even when troubles surround us. For more about this hymn, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_Beauty_of_the_Earth

 November naturally tips me toward thankfulness, so here I go again. Not a bad direction, especially with so much negativity and criticism in our society. 

Someone working on a memoir activity, said, “When asked to recall childhood holidays, something sad or unpleasant always comes up.”

I could relate, but also shared something I wrote recently titled Turning Around Our Memories. We have the power to revolve memories like shiny Christmas decorations and watch how at every angle, they reflect light.

Not one to promote less than honest perusal of the past,  I do believe we can shore up our ability to focus, like a movie director, on various aspects. And from spending more than enough time on the negative side of memory, I have learned how unhealthy downward spirals can be.

Gratitude can become a habit. How can I not be thankful to get to spend my time doing what I love? Writing has always been my vocation, though it took some time to give myself fully to it. But that makes the process mean even more.

Every new book release reminds me to give thanks. Melody Beattie, whose writing helped me a great deal a few decades ago, says: “Gratitude makes sense of our past, gives peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

What could be more important than understanding our experiences, enjoying the present moment, and embracing what is to come with clarity? Sounds like a recipe for satisfaction to me.

So, on this beautiful blog created by my fellow author, I salute gratitude. So much for which to give thanks—health, hope, work, family, our very life! None of these are perfect, but each brings joy.

Right now, I am grateful for another book coming out soon. This World War II novella means a lot to me because novella writing is new, but the writing process has been satisfying.

About the book: (coming soon!)

The heroine, a young woman who sacrificed her dreams for the war effort without complaint, has garnered my respect. Many of us may have made similar choices—hopefully, we have come to see that second chances abound and that we sometimes see the full picture a little later in life.

 My heroine makes this discovery in 1944, beset with worries about her little brother deployed in the South Pacific, her father, who stubbornly refuses to acknowledge signs of his own decline, and her future, not what she had hoped. But someone else is concerned about all of this, as well.

I hope readers enjoy traveling through this season of life with her. It gives me pleasure to share this glimpse of the cover, which I just received last week.

Last but not least, thank you, Peggy, for allowing me to share.

About Gail:

When Gail's not steeped in World War II historical research, writing, or editing, you'll find her reading for fun, gardening, or enjoying her grandchildren in Northern Iowa. She delights in interacting with readers who fall in love with her characters.

Women of the Heartland, Gail's World War II series, highlights women of The Greatest Generation: In Times Like These, April 2016, With Each New Dawn, February, 2017 (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, and Word Crafts Press, December, 2017.)