If you feel your heart closing for any reason, making the conscious choice to take a moment, sing HU, and focus on gratitude can help open it back up. This is no small thing. Your day will be fundamentally different if your heart is open versus closed. God speaks to and delivers His blessings to an open heart.

Excerpt from “Testimonies of God’s Love – Book 4.”  AVAILABLE NOW

One recent morning I made a special effort to get out of the house early. I planned to stop at a large home improvement center on the way to work. I love to walk the long aisles of lumber and hardware, happily imagining all the things I could build with them. I see not just stacks of lumber, but future sheds and snug homes for my animals. I also see other projects to enrich the lives of my wife Diane and me. My intention that morning was to check out aluminum fascia and soffit for a project I had in mind. I had about fifteen minutes or so to spend in the store.

I was greeted by a friendly store employee who directed me to the aisle where he thought I would find the aluminum soffit and fascia. There I found the same products in vinyl but not aluminum. I spent about ten minutes fruitlessly searching for either the aluminum or someone else to help me. I was aware time was running out and felt some irritation creep in, it was about time to go on to work. On the way out I encountered the same helpful man who had originally sent me to the wrong location. He still wanted to help. Although skeptical, I decided to give it one more try. I followed him to another location where he thought we might find the aluminum. It was not there either, but we did encounter another employee who informed us the aluminum I sought was only available by special order. I thanked the first man who had twice tried to help me, wished him a good day, and left for work. I knew it would be tight, time-wise.

As I drove to work I was aware that I was a little irritated over the lost time. I did not want to arrive at the school where I work under the influence of irritation. I chose to sing HU, a love song to God, to improve my mood and perspective. I also played a CD of a large group of students singing HU at the Nature Awareness School. At the beginning of the CD Del Hall, God’s Prophet, suggests we think of something for which we are grateful. This would open our hearts to better express our love for God when singing HU. He reminds us “Gratitude is the secret of love.” Del has taught me to sing HU and practice gratitude. He has shown me to see and appreciate how these and other spiritual teachings transform lives. My life is richer and happier for it.

Hearing the physical voice of Prophet, God’s distributor of blessings and grace, triggered a wave of gratitude for the countless blessings in my life. Hearing HU opened my heart more and more as the song continued. Each remembered blessing was connected to still more blessings. I thought of my growing love and appreciation for Prophet. I savored the love of my family, friends, and pets. I was on my way to my new job. The job is literally an answer to a prayer to work in just that school. I gratefully considered the attitude of gratitude that sweetens my life. Gratitude transforms day, upon day, upon day; a result and gift from Del’s teachings. So Del’s seemingly simple, yet very profound, suggestion to think of something I was grateful for released a cascade of remembered blessings. My earlier irritation was gone. I felt a sense of joy and gratitude for the day I was about to experience. I could not wait to get to school and see the kids and teachers.

Blessings were everywhere I looked. As I drove I saw more clearly the beauty of nearby farms and distant mountains. I took notice of the horses and cows in the pastures and the mist on the hazy mountains. I actually arrived at school a few minutes early since I sailed through several intersections on green lights, something else to be grateful for. I gave further thanks for my relocation to Virginia. I arrived at work with a lighter step and a smile on my face. Gratitude made a profound difference in my interactions with others that day. Through the attitude of gratitude I experienced each moment as a gift to be savored. I saw each person I encountered as a fellow Soul on their own life adventure. A few moments of gratitude transformed my whole day. This ongoing gift of living with a sense of gratitude is changing my entire life. Gratitude allows me to see God’s blessings more clearly and for what they are, gifts from our loving Heavenly Father. I know I am blessed with a life of lasting abundance.

Written by Irv Kempf