The shower is a very spiritual experience, isn’t it?   Our stinky dirty bodies climb into the shower and we emerge smelling like the morning dew.  As we stand in the shower we are washed by clean water. It is like a fresh baptism every morning.  Well, only if there is hot water.  Piping hot water.  Because if there isn’t hot water, there is a problem.  The problem is that a frustrated, irritated person now has to take a cold shower.  And cold showers aren’t for ninnies.

We’ve all had experiences when we wanted to take a shower and there was no hot water.  One of my most memorable was when I was a camp counselor when I was 21 years old.  The hot water went out at the camp, and with my oily skin and oily hair, after a couple of days I was desperate to take a shower.    We had a camper who was in the hospital, and I was so thoughtful to go check on her daily at the hospital.  With a bag with a change of clothes in hand.  Because her hospital room had a shower with piping hot water.

My fellow counselors got irritated at me, but what’s a desperate oily grimy woman going to do?  She’s going to take matters into her own hands.

My love for hot water has actually helped me to cultivate a thankful heart.  Many times when I climb into the shower and the soothing water runs down my back I say these six simple words, “Thank you, God, for hot water.”

Those six words start me on a journey.  They turn my mind from me and my problems and focus my mind onto the blessings that God has given me.     I will describe for you what this journey into thankfulness is like.

Thank you, God, for hot water.
Thank you for a shower to stand in.
Thank you that I have two legs to stand on in the shower.
Thank you for electricity to heat the water.
Thank you that the water is clean and not polluted.
Thank you for this bathroom and indoor plumbing.
Thank you for the roof over my head, my wonderful home.
Thank you for the family that lives here.  
Thank you that my home is in such a beautiful city.
Thank you that I live in the United States.
Thank you that I am free today and not in prison.

And the list goes on.

Standing there, as I wash my hair and lather up the soap, I have a holy experience with God.  I search my mind for all the things that I can be thankful for.  It is a journey where I can use my imagination and be creative. By the time I emerge from the shower, my mind has let go of the thoughts that troubled me before and laid hold of my many blessings.

I am now thankful for the dirty bathroom that needs to be cleaned where I take my shower.
I am thankful for the dirty clothes that need to be washed that litter the floor.
I am thankful for the electric bill for that means I have electricity to heat the water.
I am thankful for the water bill for that means I have water.
I am thankful for the mortgage for that means I have a home.
I am thankful for my argument with my husband for that means that I have one.

My shower encounter with God helps me to rediscover the blessings in my life that I usually take for granted.  And it helps me to be thankful for the negative things in my life, for they make the blessings possible.

What is it that you really value?  You can have a morning shower encounter with God, or you can begin your thankfulness journey somewhere else.  We all eat, so maybe you can start there.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

Thank you, God, for this food.
Thank you that I am alive to eat it.
Thank you for the electricity to cook it.
Thank you for the farmers that grew this food.
Thank you for the grocery store where I bought it.  
Thank you for a government that ensures that it is safe to eat.
Thank you for the roof over my head while I eat it.
Thank you for the table and chairs so that I can eat in comfort.
Thank you for the utensils so I don’t have to eat with my hands.  
Thank you for those who sit at the table with me.  

I encourage you to take a few minutes and go on a thankfulness journey with God.   Once your open your mind and begin to recognize your blessings, the difficulties in your life seem so much smaller.

A thankfulness journey will alter your perspective on your struggles, your circumstances, and even your pain.  All it takes is a simple “Thank you, God,…” and you are on the way to a cultivating thankful heart.

“Because a thankful heart is a happy heart…” – Madame Blueberry

What are you thankful for today?  Leave me a comment at

http://www.celebratingweakness.com/a-shower-encounter-that-create-a-thankful-heart/#respond

or on Facebook or Twitter.

Lisa

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