Pastor Ontonio left early this morning for a closed pastoral meeting with fellow clergy and the Bishop of the Florida Annual Conference. Meanwhile, I found myself sitting at a café overlooking Mirror Lake. 

The view is picturesque.

Heartshaped lotus leaves float across the water. Swans glide by gracefully. Seagulls offer their own version of a joyful noise. 

The longer I sit, my shoulders soften. I hear myself take a deep breath and realize just how at ease I feel. 

It is often easier to breathe deeply when we step away from our usual routines and demand of our carefully scheduled days. Yet after Pastor O’s sermon on Sunday, I’ve been intentional about practicing the art of joy right where I am.

Joy begins with gratitude.

So, this week, I challenged myself to notice the gifts woven throughout each day and write them down in my journal-- a journal I purchased from the Women of Wesley Craft fair this spring. 

What began as a simple Monday entry quickly became a ritual. 

After dinner, I carry The Masterpiece, a book written by Christian author Francine Rivers out to the lanai. I read until bats darted over the pond and evening settled around me. When the fading light no longer allowed me to see the words on the page, I closed my book. Then strike a long stem match, light a few candles, and watch the flames dance in the dark. 

In those quiet moments, I am reminded that gratitude doesn't require grand circumstances. Sometimes it is found in a good book, the flicker of candlelight, the chorus of evening creatures, or the simple gift of slowing down long enough to notice God's presence.

Joy, I've discovered, is often waiting in the ordinary moments we might otherwise rush past.

May you find reasons for gratitude this week, and may God's joy meet you in both the extraordinary and the everyday.

Grace and peace,

Kadine Christie