Would Your Friends Say You Live on Gratitude Street?
Friends! If you could name the street you live on based on how you’re feeling, would your friends say it’s obvious you live on Gratitude Street? Forgive me, but this question makes me chuckle.
My family may declare I live on Grumpy Avenue....but only sometimes...I hope!!! In fact today, after spending the morning with our oldest grandchild, and taking her to the Library, to Chik-Fil-A, to my cousin’s playhouse for a picnic, surely my street sign would read: “Full-of-Joy.”
A recent book review I wrote, on May 3rd, was about a super heavy book, Hope Always: How to be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide by Dr. Matthew Sleeth. One of many perks the book includes is the “Hope Always Tool Kit” in the back, loaded with helpful resources.
Naturally I gravitated toward the book recommendation list which has fiction and non-fiction selections, including children’s books. I quickly ordered three that jumped out at me. One of these is what we’ll discuss today:
I Bought a House on Gratitude Street: And Other Insights on the Good Life by J. Ellsworth Kalas
Ellsworth (1928-2015) was a United Methodist pastor, a professor, and president of Asbury Theological Seminary, and the author of over forty-five books! I wish I could’ve known him. After just reading one of his books, I found his style enjoyable, encouraging, and equipping. More than once I asked John, my better half, to read a chapter.
My friend, Matthew Sleeth, was blessed to call Ellsworth a friend and mentor. Matthew even preached his funeral.
From the first page of the introduction, we readers meet a warm and welcoming Ellsworth who reveals he’s been a student and a child of the Bible since he was eleven years old. We journey with Ellsworth, finding his home on Gratitude Street. He defines gratitude as “love applied and love with a memory.”
One thought provoking idea after another caused me to highlight and earmark the majority of the pages. Here’s the first one that got me:
“I have felt, ever since moving to Gratitude Street, that it is my privilege to extend the mood of the street on which I live.” (This made me think of my neighbors....would they think we live on Gratitude Street?)
Ellsworth considers gratitude a way of life. He adds, “Always and increasingly I thank God. I need God for salvation and for a sense of forgiveness, for strength and insight to live the right kind of life; but above all, I need God as the recipient of my gratitude.”
Soon we learn a few requirements: “Gratitude depends on constant awareness.” The following eleven chapters offer loads of creative ideas to embed in your day, such as “Keep Confessed Up.” (This week we will get a taste of my three favorite chapters: 7, 9, and 11.)
Ellsworth is funny without meaning to be. Checkout Chapter 3’s title: “Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously.” Anyone?!!
Two quotes within this chapter are noteworthy:
“Many heretics would have been saved if they had had a sense of humor.”
Michael O’Carroll
“Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.”
G.K. Chesterton
Chapter 7, “Fall in Love with Your Rainy Days,” opens with the visual of Gene Kelly dancing to “Singing in the Rain.” When the writers of the movie musical showed the scene to Leonard Bernstein, he said, “That scene is an affirmation of life.”
We learn that like occasional bad weather (rainy days), we, too, experience challenging circumstances. It’s our attitude in walking thru’ them that makes a big difference. We’re reminded of several Scriptures where the Apostle Paul encounters rainy days.
Ellsworth teaches, “Paul learned the wonder of being in love with where he was.” He includes Acts 16:24, where Paul and Silas are thrown into prison. After being flogged and locked up, they begin singing at midnight. Now THAT, dear friends, is singin’ in the rain!!!
On days when we keep one of our grandchildren, I always pray to “wonder in the wandering” while with them. Everything is new and different to them and it’s fun to rediscover what we’d normally think is perhaps mundane.
The most helpful chapter, to me, is Chapter 9: “Get a Good Night’s Sleep.” Anyone else have trouble sleeping these days? Ellsworth’s secret to a good night’s sleep is this:
“I pray for persons, by name, beginning with my immediate family and moving then to whatever names come to mind. This is a healthy exercise. It turns my mind toward God and toward others, thus away from myself...the best way to avoid thinking about self is to think about others.”
Ellsworth points out that sleep is “one of God’s good gifts.” He concludes, “We’re on the side of goodness when we seek to sleep; we’re following the pattern of creation.” (see Genesis 1 and 2.) What a stellar conclusion!
“But,” you may say, “what about this situation, this person, etc.?” Ellsworth warns us of the “bedfellows” we keep such as:
1 - Anger
2 - Resentment
3 - Thoughts of revenge
4 - Worry
These bad bedfellows have the potential to wreak havoc with our night time z’s. Turn them over to the Lord. Lay them at His feet.
One of my friends years ago told me she and her husband pray for a good night’s sleep and good dreams before they go to bed. Novel idea!
Losing sleep is terrible for your health as well. It can put your physical, mental, and spiritual health in danger if it gets out of balance. I know for a fact when I’m sleep deprived, I tend to get sick. No fun!
Hold on to this beautiful verse:
And this one will warm your heart: Psalm 127:2 in the ESV says,
Finally, in the last chapter, Chapter 11, I could almost see Ellsworth cheering us on at the Finish Line: “Bring in God’s Kingdom Every Day.”
Allow me to offer you a couple of new-to-me phrases which I pray encourage you each day. Ellsworth teaches us Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than any other single subject. He says, “The Kingdom of God was the theme that ran all thru’ His teaching and preaching...” So obviously, it’s important to Him.
Ellsworth believes,
“It is a state of mind or
Of heart,
An attitude toward life...”
He adds, “It is my business to do everything in my power, every day, to bring the Kingdom of Heaven.”
How, you may ask, may we do that? Listen to this—a positive and a warning:
“I am convinced there is nothing in our lives so small that it cannot further the kingdom. And at the same time, unfortunately, there’s nothing so small that it cannot in some way delay or frustrate the kingdom.”
So, here’s a last “aha” for you from Fleming Rutledge:
“Cross-shaped acts of Christian courage, no matter how small, testify to the coming Day of the Lord, the ultimate triumph over evil.” Therefore, daily deeds are indeed, paramount to the Kingdom.
Ellsworth also loves the phrase, “cross-shaped.” He declares, “Now there’s a description that can keep my soul on its knees each day.”
Dear friends, may we keep our soul on its knees each day. Amen.
Now run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore and order I Bought a House on Gratitude Street!” You’ll be so blessed...
‘Til next time!
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