“Praise the Lord,” the psalmist sang, “Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!” (opening lines of Psalm 148)

A older gentleman that I frequently see, when I ask him how he is today, replies with a mischievous grin, “Well, I above ground and still sucking in air!” He is grateful for every day. To him, any day–even the worst of days–is better than no day at all. He should know because he has seen the best and worst of life; he buried two wives and a child. He knows that it feels like to be promoted as well as to be fired. Like the Old Testament figure Job, he’s seen all sides of life. Still he is grateful.

So how does he do it? He’s in constant conversation with God. He keeps asking, “What are you up to now, Lord? What should I do next?” Long ago he quit trying to understand what God is doing. Now he simply looks for God in the midst of the Present moment. He doesn’t ask why something happened to him. Instead, he asks himself why something shouldn’t happen to him.

There is no better way to begin your day than with a simply “thank you”. Listen in the momentary silence of the morning. Reflect upon the marvel of your life, of your mind, and of your blessings–be they great or small.

Let the psalmist’s song be your song. Praise the Lord!

Lord, let me look for you in the Present moment of my life. Teach the things that I need to learn. Make me into the person You created me to be. Amen.