​I’m just recovering from one of those nasty Gastro bugs and some home-made chicken soup tasted so good! It seems the ‘little things of life’ often bring the most joy, especially when we are needing a boost.
As mid-winter sometimes gets us down, it is beneficial to reflect on the little gifts and graces we can take for granted. Some of my winter joys are:

• Sitting in the winter sun and enjoying its warmth penetrating my body.
• Good, deep sleep coming easier.
• Vigorous activities sustained for longer, defying the coldness.
• Time to enjoy soups, roasts and casseroles, especially around a fire with friends.

Winter is the season of hibernation, or at least a time to slow down and regain strength for the impending spring and summer. It’s easier to make time for family and friends when outdoors looks threatening, or to immerse ourselves in a good book. Let us heed the gift of seasonality and incorporate its rhythm into our lives.
There is an inherent grace and goodness in life which can be found and appreciated. Gratitude is good for your soul and is music in our Creator’s ears. Common grace is a theological concept which includes all of the simple pleasures we enjoy:
‘Yet (God) did things to prove he is real: He shows kindness to you. He gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times. He gives you food and fills your hearts with joy.’
‘The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.’ [From the Bible, Acts 14:17 (ICB) and Psalm 15:9 (NIV)]
Note the good to ‘all’. There are no limitations here concerning religious alliances – God’s grace extends to the whole of creation. May our graciousness also extend to all creatures, especially our own kind, that we may all benefit from the warmth and wholeness of a loving community.