Celebrate this Week : February 25, 2017.
“You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” -Sarah Ban Breathnach
Give thanks for the abundance. Abundance. That word stirs a memory of summer morning when the tide was at low ebb and the village was not yet awake. We took a walk along the surf. We marveled at how far the tide had gone out. The waves were crashing a long way out, and the water was gentle by the time it swirled around our feet. It must have been one of the lowest tides of the year. We walked on beach where we’d never walked before.
That was when we began to notice them, a few here and there. Then by the dozens. And in the end, by the hundreds. Perfectly shaped. Not a crack nor chip. The whitened shells of sand dollars tucked into the still damp sand.
We began gathering them, stacking them into piles. We hurried from one sand dollar to the next, calling out to each other, like kids finding treasures. Finally, we decided we had to stop. There were more, but we had all we could carry back to the Inn.
So we tied up our sweats, knotting the bottom of each leg, and filled them with sand dollars. We cradled our makeshift sacks in our arms and started back. We had no idea what we would do with so many. We were just so excited to have found them. Usually we are happy if we find one or two unbroken on a single walk.
We piled them by our door, brushing off the excess sand. They dried out during the day, and in the evening, we put them into paper bags. The next day we looked for more. We looked every morning the rest of the week. But there were no more.
At home, we spread them in rows on our driveway. We counted them, and recounted them because we couldn’t believe we had so many. Nearly 500 whole sand dollars. Now that is ABUNDANCE!
This week I celebrate abundance, for I have never been in need. I have always had a place to stay, food to eat, clothing to wear, and enough to share with others. I have always been loved. For this I am grateful. I know that I am privileged.
“Give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete
withal it shall be measured to you again.”
Luke 6:38 KJV
You really must come on over and celebrate at Discover Play Build with Ruth Ayres and others who have linked in to share their celebrations this week.
Thank you, Ruth, for hosting a place for us to celebrate with you!
#Celebratelu
Loved your celebration of abundance today. It reminded me that I. too, live a privileged life. Sometimes we need to pause and express gratitude for the things we take for granted. Those sand dollars filling the pants leg . . . what an abundant haul.
Thank you, Ramona. May your week ahead be one of abundance!
“We walked on beach where we’d never walked before.” I love this line. It feels like a worthy quest to find those beaches.
Thanks for noticing it. I wrestled with a way to describe “beach” that is exposed when a super low tide is at its lowest point. Usually we have to get up very early to walk on such a beach.
Your words had me walking on that beach right along with you, Alice. They brought me back to my young days of shell gathering, my sister and I calling out to each other because each shell we found was “cooler” than the last. We do live in a world of abundance that deserves much gratitude. I am currently reading “The Magic” by Rhonda Byrne. Have you read it? It fits perfectly with your words today. Thank you, Alice!
Those are great memories! I’m not familiar with “The Magic.” I’ll check it out. Thanks, Jennifer.
A beautiful collection of sand dollars. I love the symbolism behind them. I know I also live in abundance. I am so privileged that sometimes I just feel plain guilty. But today I’ll remember to celebrate with gratitude.
Thank you, Margaret. I’m so glad you stopped by.
Alice, thank you for giving me a spiritual wake-up call this morning. Abundance is the sweet fruit the Lord gives to us.
Yes, it is, Carol. The sand dollars that morning were a sign, a lesson, a metaphor of His provisions.
The child like excitement is an amazing feeling to have as an adult. 🙂
Well said, Terje. I’m never too old for it. 🙂