A Stone of Gratitude
Carol Condon
carolcondon.blogspot.com
He made a quick call right before his flight took off. He simply asked if I would go by the store and purchase a bag of smooth black stones. He was in a hurry and couldn’t explain but asked to please have them when we picked him up.
As we left the airport we were all looking forward to having lunch together as a family. Mark asked me to bring in the package of stones. I was still confused but did as he requested. Once lunch was ordered he looked across the table at us, reached into the bag, and handed each one of us a black, smooth stone. He began to explain what all he was thankful for. He said that as long as we maintain a heart full of gratitude there would not be room for a complaining and negative spirit. The smooth stone was to represent a reminder to stop and be thankful. He asked us to place the stone into a pocket or wallet that would always be within our reach and that every time we touched it to stop and take a moment to be thankful.
A few months later we came to Illinois to visit with my Mom and Dad. Mark brought two stones with him. As we were sitting together one evening he handed each of my parents a stone as he told them how thankful he was for them. He went on to share with them what he had shared with us months earlier. They took the stones and put them in their pockets. Throughout the visit they would pull them out and “was thankful”.
A couple years later my Dad became quite ill. His health was further complicated when he fell and broke his hip. As hard as he tried to recover he was met with a variety of health issues resulting in the weakening of his body. This strong patriarch that so many drew strength from became confined to his home and the freedom of coming and going was lost to him.
On December 14, 2008, I lost my Dad. How devastating it was to realize that he was truly gone. Months later my Mom came up to Mark and said she had something for him that she knew my Dad would want him to have. She opened her hand and lying in her palm was a smooth, black stone. With tears in her eyes she told us the story that as she went to put away the last outfit that he had worn she felt something in his pocket…it was his little smooth stone; his simple reminder to be thankful.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV
Thank you Carol for your moments of inspiration. I am always inspired and moved by your thoughts. Thanks for taking the time to share. Love ya, Julia
ReplyDeleteI love this story!! I am going to pass the stone on to those i am giving xmas gifts to. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteSo heart warming and encouraging!
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, we need to develop a heart full of gratitude bcos there are so many things to thank God for and if we start to count them, we will never reach the end.
God, I pause to thank you for Mark and Carol Condon,who have obeyed You and created this life-transforming site reaching out to innumerable peoples across the world. Thank You, Abba Father Bless them and in every way, help us to be more like You, IJN.