Sacred Heart Families,
We hope you enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with your family. The students at Sacred Heart have spent the past few weeks talking about gratitude and what it means to see God’s work in our life. They are so sweet and can quickly think of all of the gifts God has given them to make their days special. The students easily offer the many ways God has blessed them.
They are grateful for loving parents, warm coats, pets, delicious homemade dinners, friends, school, teachers, books and so much more. Their hearts are full of God’s abundant love for them and they are able to see their days as special. What a gift of gratitude they have been given from their parents and their faith!
What about when things go wrong? How do you feel when you are left out of a game a recess? Or you did poorly on a spelling test? What about when you trip on the sidewalk, walking to lunch and fall hard, scraping your knee and it really hurts? What if your family is having a very rough morning and people are yelling and we are late for school? How do we find gratitude during these moments?
We are practicing a meditative gratitude prayer in the morning. The students (and teachers) say it really helps to give them extra power from God too persevere past these difficult times.
1. Cross your hand tightly across your chest in a firm hug.
2. Shut your eyes
3. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose.
4. Say “Come Holy Spirit”
5. Let the Holy Spirit fill your body with calm, controlled peace.
6. Think of the power God has to love you. Let this love be your response to the trouble you face.
Gratitude comes directly from believing that God is in control. Sometimes, we just need to give it to God and bring this moment to the foot of the cross. It is a reminder that Jesus died for you and you can handle this trouble with grace and love. That is why people find comfort in wearing a crucifix around their neck. It is a constant reminder that we are loved in a way that can be a source of power over everything. What a beautiful gift! We are grateful!
God bless,
Anne Atkin, principal