What inner stirrings are beginning to surface as the season shifts?
As September emerges, the air carries a quiet invitation —not loud, not urgent, but insistent. Something is turning. Not just in the trees or the calendar, but in the soul.
What might it be?
This is the season when we begin to sense what’s ready to fall away and what longs to be gathered. Perhaps what’s falling is the need to explain ourselves. The striving. The stories we’ve outgrown.
Perhaps what’s gathering is a deeper trust. A gentler rhythm. A readiness to receive what’s next.
Or maybe it’s subtler still:
-The falling of old defenses -The gathering of courage -The falling of urgency -The gathering of presence
This is not a season of answers, but of attunement.
The Tuning begins—not to perfection, but to resonance.
Image Credit: Creative Commons Public Domain: At the centre of the tuning fork by Hubble Space Telescope / ESA is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
May you honor the stirrings that ask nothing but attention- As you listen to what the season is telling you.
Are you excited to join us in this series?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment and “like” this post.
September is the season of tuning. Tuning in to where we are. A check and balance. A check-in to the soul.
Silver light casts across the fields as the moon begins her slow ascent toward fullness.
There is a call to balance. A whisper to unveil.
This series is a gentle recalibration. Each post will offer a question to ponder, a reflection to sit with, and a blessing to carry.
We won’t rush the rhythm. We’ll listen for what’s shifting—within and around us. We’ll honor the sacred tilt, the quiet unveiling, the slow return to center.
Let this be a month of tuning. Not to perfection, but to presence.
Let’s tune together!
Image Credit: Creative Commons Public Domain: At the centre of the tuning fork by Hubble Space Telescope / ESA is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment and “like” this post. Are you excited to join us in this series?
In Part 4, we saw gratitude in action at Snowbird Mountain Coffee in Newport, TN. The owners reminded us that small acts of kindness, like “Pay what you can,” provide us with hope. When we face a disaster, a hot cup of coffee can be a source of comfort and connection.
But what happens when a crisis strikes on an overwhelming scale?
Like Hurricane Helene, which was devastated by hundreds of square miles when two reservoirs failed.
The Cajun Navy responds.
And they respond promptly! No wonder. This group, now called Pinnacle Search and Rescue, is an expert disaster response team. Its name officially changed in 2019. Yet, they still seem to be referred to as The Cajun Navy.
According to their website,
“When disaster strikes, we are there to respond to help those in need.”
The Cajun Navy was born after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It happened serendipitousiously. Local officials called for immediate help. Anyone with a boat was urged to assist in rescuing thousands of stranded people. Since then, this volunteer group has mobilized time and again. Showing up wherever they’re needed.
This search and response team sprang into action when flooding and mudslides ravaged North Carolina. They worked alongside first responders. They cleared debris, salvaged homes, and provided supplies for recovery.
Their work is a powerful example of being the “hands and feet of Jesus,” offering hope to those in dire need.
Faith Through Works
This group of unique rescue workers shows compassion and love for strangers, one person at a time. Through their efforts, they embody the essence of gratitude. As James described it: a faith that is alive through works. This response team has a heart of gratitude: selfless, resilient, and ready to serve.
How can we help in times of need?
Snowbird Mountain Coffee and the Cajun Navy remind us how impactful serving can be. How can we embody gratitude in simple, everyday ways?
Perhaps lending a hand to a neighbor or offering support to someone in need. Volunteering is another excellent way to put gratitude into action.
No matter how small actions are, each one creates a ripple effect. Ripples of hope, resilience, and connection reinforce a community. It is a living testament built on love and generosity.
Showing kindness and compassion need not be complicated. Nor does it need to be outwardly displayed. It can be as simple as paying for the person’s coffee behind you in line.
Pay What You Can
Snowbird Mountain Coffee Company has always been more than a café; it’s a community hub where friendships are formed, and where a cup of coffee represents comfort and connection, especially in times of need.
In Newport, TN, the owners of this haven for coffee waded through water and debris to ‘unflood’ their store. Not just to reopen for business, but to restore a sense of normalcy and community support after the storm. And because they wanted to give back to the people they serve each day, they created the “Pay What You Can” to give back to their community.
What an awesome way to show compassion.
This hands-on approach to gratitude invites us all to experience the warmth and hospitality of those around us who show gratitude with action.
What unique ways can you offer kindness?
While some acts of gratitude are small and spontaneous, others are part of organized efforts, where groups prepare for the worst to bring hope in the darkest times.
Encourage and Uplift Others
Gratitude and kindness come in many forms—sometimes as a warm cup of coffee, other times as an organized response to disaster. What unites them is the desire to uplift others and provide a glimmer of hope when it’s most needed.
How might our simple acts of kindness, or even our preparedness to help, create ripples of gratitude in our own communities?
In Part 5 we will look at how the Cajun Navy prepares as it responds to disasters.
Image Credit: Cadence Captures dot com found on Snowbird Moutain Coffee Facebook page
Gratitude is more than a feeling or an emotion. It is an action. It is a way that we can speak our faith through our deeds. Through a faith-based lens, gratitude isn’t passive; it’s an active expression of love and kindness. James emphasizes this with the reminder that ‘faith without works is dead’ (James 2:26).
The faith-based approach seeks to put our faith into service. And we do it through kindness and compassion.
How do you show gratitude?
Gratitude Amid the Hurricanes of Life
There is no doubt that Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton left indelible marks on families. From the beaches in Florida to the mountains in North Carolina, the hurricanes left a trail of devastation of unprecedented proportions.
It was unexpected. It was quick. It was devastating. Many experienced the loss of family members and friends. People lost their homes. Businesses. Livelihoods.
Gratitude For Humankind
Yet, amid such devastation and tragedy, so much kindness and compassion poured out from so many. Neighbors, relief organizations, and the anonymous donated time and resources to a myriad of groups to show gratitude.
Often, in moments of crisis, love and compassion shine bright. The worst of times seems to draw people together in unity. It helps us to realize how essential our basic needs are as opposed to all of the materialism that is around us.
Gratitude for humankind.
This type of gratitude causes me to pause and reflect. It reminds me of the thought that has been on my mind for a few days now…“Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus.” It is as if a voice whispers this to me as I wake up.
Christianity.com does a beautiful job of answering the question: What does it mean to be the hands and feet of Jesus? Being the hands and feet of Jesus means that Christ’s followers, past, present, and future, are obedient in their commission to preach the gospel and co-labor with Christ to love, serve, and heal the broken, hurting, and hopeless of this world.
Joel Ryan, Contributing Writer -www.Christianity.com
As we walk through the hurricanes of life, let’s remember to show kindness and compassion. Why? Because actions speak louder than words.
How can we bring kindness to our own situations as well as to those walking through their own storms?
In Part 4, we will look at how the Snowbird Coffee Cafe became the hands and feet of Jesus.
In the last post, we compared the ups and downs of life to a bowl of strawberries. Just as each strawberry represents different aspects of life, our attitude towards them can take on various forms. In other words, gratitude can be an emotion, a feeling, or an action.
Today, we will define gratitude from two different sources.
Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative and is associated with several mental and physical health benefits. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.
The first source suggests gratitude is a positive emotion. But is gratitude only an emotion?
What do you think?
GRATITUDE (εὐχαριστία, G2374, [1] thankfulness, gratitude; [2] the rendering of thanks, thanksgiving; [3] Lord’s Supper, Eucharist, 1 Cor 10:16). The condition or quality of being grateful; an emotion or sentiment of thankfulness. A warm sense of appreciation for a kindness received; accompanied by a feeling of good will toward the benefactor, and a desire to repay the favor.
Let’s picture luscious fresh strawberries in a beautiful crystal glass bowl. What do you see? I see about fifty strawberries with green stems. Some are perfect, and some have leaves that are wrinkled or missing. I see strawberries that are large and some that are smaller. Then, I bend down and take a whiff and smell that heavenly strawberry aroma that dances in the air and into my nose.
In every bowl…
Every once in a while, a small, almost rotten strawberry gets mixed up in the bunch.
Just like our lives
Some lives have more rotten strawberries than others. But what if we were to be grateful for all the strawberries, no matter their condition? You may ask, how can I be thankful for the rotten strawberry? You have a choice to make. You can eat it and maybe get sick. You can throw it out. Or you can toss it out the door for insects to have a feast.
What do you see when you see a bowl of strawberries?
What would life be like without a few of these rotten ones?
Could they actually serve a purpose?
And, how would you define the ups and downs in life?
In Part 2, we will define gratitude and dig a bit deeper.
O mighty Spirit of the Diamond, Cast your spell on us, humble mortals. Majestic heavens embrace your power, Where galaxies collide, and stars ignite.
Reveal to us your universal secrets, Magnetic forces under your command, Guiding planets in their cosmic dance, Around the blazing orb of day.
Pull us toward the gravitational center, Infuse us with your holy Spirit, Impart your wisdom to us, we pray, Renounce the demons, cleanse our souls.
Mesmerize us with incandescent brilliance, Chip away our dark and hardened shells, Revealing the authenticity within, An unadulterated mind, free to soar.
Your flawlessness radiates purity, Summoning Angels from realms on high, To join us in celestial harmony, Welcoming us with such delight.
Sanctify us with your transformative power, Pour forth the nectar of the gods, Nourish us on this spiritual journey From now until the end of time.
Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world. Each year, it celebrates its diversity by acknowledging the integration of migrants into its community. It supports the value of unity.
Belonging
What I love about this event is that it draws attention to how important the sense of belonging is to all of us. How do we as a society foster belonging? Let’s start with empathy and compassion. Then, we can throw in honor and respect for good measure. We must work on ourselves first to move forward as individuals, families, communities, and nations. Mindfulness, reading self-help resources, and engaging with others can help us become comfortable in our skin. Build up tolerance. Learn the tools to communicate effectively. Practice acceptance. Once you have done the introspective work, lean into your strengths and identify your weak spots. Know what they are. So you can work on becoming a safe person. A person who receives others without judgment.
Building Bridges
Building a sense of belonging requires effort and, thus, action. Belonging doesn’t just happen. Yet, you can make it happen by being the honey bears want. Draw people toward yourself, don’t push them away. Focus on others and practice active listening. Try new things. Do something different. Get out of your comfort zone.
Concentrate on what you have in common with others. Not what you might differ on. Build bridges with an attitude of acceptance. Validate yourself and validate others.
Respect
You, my friend, are a child of the Almighty God. Yes, you are. Shouldn’t you respect yourself and others if God created and respects you? We can choose to be optimistic and forgiving or miserable and bitter. Remember, if you want to have a sense of belonging, you need to accept others so they feel like they belong. In so doing, we build communities where diversity is valued and differences are embraced.
Many of us are familiar with the 1993 film, “Groundhog Day,” starring the famous comedian Bill Murray. In this flick, he plays a weatherman sent on assignment to Punxsutawney, PA, to cover the annual Groundhog Day event. Does the groundhog see his shadow for six more weeks of winter, or does he not indicate spring will arrive shortly.
Groundhog Day,
“is a tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year starting in the 16th century. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den, and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.”
Wikipedia
The movie begins with the clock turning 6 a.m. and the alarm playing “I Got You Babe,” a Sonny and Cher certified Gold hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Bill, who plays Phil Connors, wakes in his hotel room, only to repeat this segment many times in the movies. Finally, Phil realizes he is caught up in a time loop, with the same day playing over and over.
In psychological terms, he experiences a personal transformation. Phil’s character matures from an arrogant, self-centered one to a more authentic human being who genuinely cares for others. His pursuit of love offers comic relief to the often awkwardness of dating.
Lessons Learned
Lesson #1: Be Open to Personal Growth
Phil has an incredible opportunity to reflect on his day, reassess, and make changes for the next day. He learns to be kinder and compassionate by listening more and seeing life through other perspectives.
Lesson #2. Embrace the Present
The endless loop Phil finds himself in allows him to live in the moment. He learns to find joy in simple pleasures
Lesson #3. Find Purpose
Phil falls in love with one of his colleagues, and in his pursuit of “winner her over,” he realizes that love gives purpose and fulfillment to his life.
Reflection
This movie provides an opportunity for all of us to pause. To Pause and reflect on how we would live our lives differently if we knew what was coming next. How often do we say to ourselves, “If only I’d known?”
This movie serves as a reminder to live life fully. To be our best selves. Not mediocre selves, but our best!
What does your best look like? And, would your best be the best for someone else?
Living my best self taught me to think more and talk less. I have learned that my words matter. My actions matter. My intentions matter. I want to make this place a better place and impact lives. The lives of friends, family, and strangers. I want us to come together as one. One people. One God. One love.
I and Thou Reflections 