Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This morning, driving back from the store where I had picked up some lunch food, I ran through the day so far in my mind.

It started when my alarm went off at 6:30. I carefully perched myself on the edge of our comfortable bed while I put on my Apple watch, inserted my state-of-the-art hearing aids, and picked up my iPhone.

I then grabbed my clothes and walked across the house to set a pot of coffee going while I walked the worlds’s most amazing golden retriever through the historic district to the town common and back.

After a light breakfast I took a cup of coffee to Rebekah, changed into my cycling gear, rolled my perfectly balanced Trek carbon road bike out to the street and cruised over to the Tarboro Brewing Company where I met up with five of my friends.

We cycled 25-miles through Edgecombe County’s beautiful farmland, keeping up a steady pace but at the same time relaxed, enjoying the early morning light, the feel of riding in the open air, the quiet roads and the company of a few good men.

I arrived home to enthusiastic greetings from Rebekah and Max, drank some cold lemonade from the refrigerator and relaxed in a comfortable chair, enjoying the air conditioning in our beautiful home before taking a relaxing shower.

By then it was almost ten thirty which gave me time to sit at my desk for a few minutes, where I worked on the latest chapter of my new book.

That was when I remembered I needed to pick up some groceries before lunch and I climbed into the Subaru to drive to the store. Everything was conveniently on hand, so I dropped the food into my cart and loaded an ample supply of groceries into my back seat.

It was there, in the car that I had conveniently started from an app on my phone so the AC would already be running, that I had a beautiful epiphany. Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” had just started, the sound system caught every note with perfect clarity, the car felt smooth and comfortable and I was looking forward to making some delicious sandwiches for lunch.

The epiphany was simply a deep dawning of gratitude. Life may be difficult at times, and challenges abound, but here I live in this lovely town where everything we could possibly want or need is at our fingertips. And life is very good.

So, thank you.

Thank you, God, for this good life. I am truly grateful. – DEREK

“Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”

Abraham Lincoln