NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gratitude as spoken and written by artists and poets is express through specific imagery, detailed descriptions of simple blessings and themes of appreciation for life itself. Cornelius Vanderbilt Associate Professor and Chair of Black Homiletics and Liturgics Lisa Thompson cites Alice Walker's Color Purple "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field and don't notice it." She says noticing simple beauties of life is a way of praising and admiring God's creation. When one is not in a good place, she suggests turning to community. "Look for small opportunities and relationships, fellowship. Traditions and prayer orients us with perspective and grounding. Gratitude is a station of the heart that is available to us." She challenges ministers to incorporate a love of God and a love of neighbor when talking about current events in sermons, using Love as an action. "Because people do and say what we do at the pulpit."
Gratitude for the Little Things
Lisa Thompson, Associate Professor and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Black Homiletics and Liturgics illuminates us that gratitude is a community practice.
Associate Professor and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair Lisa Thompson is our guest.
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