Gratitude Works: Open Your Heart to Love [Paperback]

Katherine Scherer (Author), Eileen Bodoh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2004

"Gratitude Works" is a treasure trove of memories, insights and inspiration. The daily readings and practice of gratitude will transform you and open you to experience each precious, present moment in the light of life's blessings." Dr. Gisela Sannar, CA

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Eileen Bodoh

Eileen retired from her career as a legal secretary and devotes much of her attention to volunteering. She coordinates many events for the Austrian community in Milwaukee and has received the Decoration of Merit in Silver from the Republic of Austria. Among her many other activities, she acts as hostess for those who walk the labyrinth and greets participants at her church as they arrive for service. Eileen is a member of New Thought Community, the Milwaukee church of Religious Science. She is married to Robert Kalupa, who serves as Consul of Austria for the state of Wisconsin, and has one son, David.

Kathy Scherer

For 28 years Kathy has been an active partner in the family business of painting and staining new, high-end homes. She is the mother of three sons and one daughter and has nine grandchildren. Two of her sons are in business with her. Kathy has facilitated various self-improvement groups over the years. She was a religious education teacher for grades two through twelve while her children were growing up. Her training at Family Service helped her lead parent education groups. She continues to be an active volunteer as well as a member of New Thought Community, ministered by Reverend Gwen Gillespie.

Kathy and Eileen met when they volunteered for the marketing committee at their church. Under the direction of Dr. Tom Sannar they were instrumental in putting together a highly successful holistic health conference. Before they met each had attended a number of workshops and personal development classes. As their friendship grew they continued to attend workshops, classes and seminars together. Realizing that gratitude was an area in their lives that needed further development, they decided to expand their awareness of gratefulness. They began by writing five gratitudes a day as Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests in her book Simple Abundance. As their list grew, it developed into a book. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION:

Gratitude Works is an easy way to access the power of counting our blessings. Through the eyes of gratitude we open our hearts and bring joy into our lives. There is an awesome force in the universe that steers the stars and guides the planets. We marvel at the wonders in our world and sometimes question where they all come from. It is said that we already have everything we need. Everything has been given and nothing is expected in return. Everything is a gift! What is often missing is our appreciation for it. Our inner world of thought creates our outer world. Words of thanks can change our thoughts, and by changing our thoughts, we can change our lives.

Gratitude Works is more than a pretty book to set on the shelf - it's a book to be used. This collection of three hundred and sixty-five short stanzas explores what we have to be grateful for in our lives. Each day focuses on one main thought, and the four lines that follow expand on that thought. The book can be read from beginning to end or opened at any page and used as a daily guide. It takes you through the seasons of the year month by month and inspires you to think of the things in your own life that you are grateful for.

Gratitude Works helps us stay in the present moment by being grateful for what we have now rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming into the future. It helps us learn to stop taking so much for granted. It reminds us to give thanks before our prayers are answered knowing that the blessings will come. When we realize how much there is to be thankful for and recognize the ways we are already blessed, we feel closer to God. When we feel gratitude for each moment, we enrich our souls.

Everything is an opportunity for us to expand, to learn, to grow, and to love. We hope the gratitudes we've written resonate with your life and prompt you to remember to be thankful. We hope being grateful for one thing leads to two and three and more until it ripples out and enhances your whole life with deeper meaning. We hope gratitude speaks to you and touches your soul. The world is rich when it's seen through the eyes of gratitude!

THEMES FOR EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR:

January: Reflection
February: Heart
March: Balance
April: Growth
May: Beauty
June: Love
July: Nature
August: Fun
September: Transition
October: Harvest
November: Thanksgiving
December: Gifts --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 398 pages
• Publisher: K & E Innovations LLP (March 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974855006
• ISBN-13: 978-0974855004
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,667,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eileen Bodoh and Katherine Scherer have realized their mission of "Touching lives with the spirit of gratitude." Using their book as a vehicle to inspire and motivate women, 1400 copies of "Gratitude Works" have been donated to women in shelters and prisons. This gift is now used as a daily devotional and here's one comment that says it all: "It helps me open my heart to love others and to love myself." They also donated over 500 books to the I AM Foundation.

Eileen and Katherine have been featured as guest authors in the "Allbooks Review" newsletter, "Eaglezine" Newsletter, on www.terrikay.com, and as authors of the month on www.BoomerwomenSpeak.com. Excerpts/writings have been featured in publications in Florida, California, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada.

They are also authors of "Gratitude Works Journal" and "Gratitude Works Prayer Book." Contributing authors in "101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health" published by selfgrowth.com, Eileen and Katherine are also featured on their website as gratitude experts. Katherine's story is included in Book One of the ThankGodI book series.

Eileen and Katherine's diverse background include owning and operating a business; chairing non-profit groups; hospice training; facilitating self-improvement groups; training in parent education, and developing a holistic health conference.

The purpose of their writings are to inspire in the reader a new appreciation for life's everyday treasures.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gratitude does work!, March 5, 2006

By 

Aunt Laya Saul "Laya Saul, author of the best... (http://www.auntlaya.com) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gratitude Works: Open Your Heart to Love (Paperback)

Gratitude Works-Open Your Heart to Love is a small gift book with a beautiful cover that reflects the sentiments on the inside. Each section of the book, divided by month, has a theme: reflection, heart, balance, growth, beauty, love, nature, fun, transition, harvest, thanksgiving, and gifts. Each day has an entry with sentiments that vary from simple to profound: people who serve us, road signs that guide us, music and garden tools, to the power of song, living with integrity, or ancient wisdom.

Ever want to keep a gratitude journal? There's enough white space on these pages that you can add a little something each day. Gratitude Works is like a love note in book form. It's clear to me that the authors put a lot of heart into this book.

I wanted this book because I'm interested in teaching my children about gratitude. And I'm interested in expanding that quality in myself too. I'm too often quick to notice what's hard or what's not working and I want to notice more of the blessings in life. Sometimes when I sit with my family at the dinner table, we like to say what we're grateful for (why wait until Thanksgiving?).

This is the kind of book you can judge by its cover. It's feminine, nurturing, and poetic. It would make a sweet gift to give to someone you feel grateful for and a nice indulgence for yourself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you love an emotional tug!, November 1, 2005

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gratitude Works: Open Your Heart to Love (Paperback)

The two authors saw the Oprah show when Sarah Ban Breathnach talked about her book, Simple Abundance. She suggested that listeners keep a gratitude journal by writing down five things that they are grateful for. They did and Gratitude Works is the charming results.

"Gratitude," the authors say, "is a direct path to your heart. As we give thanks, we open our hearts to receive more live into our life."

Shine a spotlight on a your blessings!

I have found that many people need big things to be grateful for. I am sort of a small-stuff person, like a clear night so I can marvel at the humor of the Big Dipper when I walk the dog; a friend who calls when I need to hear a friendly voice; and for old traditions that tug at my heart and new traditions that need care to grow. Mushy stuff!

The authors, with their involvement in holistic healing and hospice work, really talk about the small stuff--and I loved it, and you will, too.

Following each day's headline are four lines that complete the thought of...I am so grateful for (a sampling):
-- Differences
-- Eternal optimism
-- Composure in tragedy
-- Serious conversation
-- Special greetings

Many are so special, but I guess my favorite is:
I am so grateful for a tug on my heartstrings.
I keep a loving memory in my heart
of the very last hug my mother gave me,
The older I am the more appreciative I become
Remembering my dear ones and how much I love them.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love to have an emotional tug or two, this day-by-day recap of gratitude is perfect you for and for gifts to someone you are grateful for in your life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bookwired Book Review, September 14, 2005

By 

BookWired.com Book Review "Bookwired Review" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gratitude Works: Open Your Heart to Love (Paperback)

Gratitude Works

One of the things we as people seem to do regardless of faith is ask the powers to be to help us. Authors Katherine Scherer and Eileen Bodoh remind us of the things we should be grateful for and depending on your faith, give thanks.

This is different than any book we have ever read. A page for each day of the year covers many things we take for granted, giving us a new perspective of the world and life around us.

Following the 394 page daily would be the good start of anyones day, even though it was basically designed for women. Most men we have met would get a new perspective of life by using this book each day.

This multicultural book, is not a religious book, fits in to anyone's daily faith and will maybe give the hope and faith in something more just by reading its pages. It teaches us to be thankful not only for the great things in our lives, but the small ones we take for granted. This is not a page turner per say, but a page you will want to turn every morning!