Flowers Along the Way

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 150: Today, I am grateful for flowers along the way.

This time of year, the purchased flowers have had a few weeks in the pots and are starting to fill out. The pops of color in other people's yards always make me smile. Flowers add so much color to our world. 

As you make your daily drive or walk to the ordinary places, don't forget to enjoy the flowers growing. As spring flowers turn into summer's blooms, there is a kaleidoscope of colors. 

"The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."  -Genesis 1:12

It is very good!

Today, I am grateful for flowers along the way.

No Bake Cookies

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 149: Today, I am grateful for "No Bake Cookies."

If whimsy was a cookie, I think it might be a "No Bake Cookie." It has been a long day, so I am writing this post quite late. When pondering my post, this recipe came up. Oh, how we love this cookie.

I grew up with it. So did the love of my life. It is a fan favorite for many generations. No matter the weather, these are always a hit. As Americans, it holds many of our favorite ingredients including peanut butter and chocolate. The fact that they end up on wax paper to cool means a few disappear before they are ever put away. Does oatmeal make them a breakfast food? 

One time we made them with all of Randy's siblings at Lola's house. We had the best time. Some of life's best memories are made in the kitchen. 

Today, I am grateful for "No Bake Cookies."

Whimsy

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 148: Today, I am grateful for whimsy. 

The world needs more whimsy! The thought in this image is really talking about the whimsy that makes the difference in our days. 

"I cannot stress enough how important it is to do silly, frivolous things that serve no other purpose than making you happy." 

I love a rainbow of pen colors and a world filled with glitter, sparkle, and sunshine. Fresh flowers are good for the soul... and dandelions are the first flowers a child ever collects for a loved one. 

Wildflowers are full of wonder. They grow in unexpected places. They add color to the landscape. They are surprisingly resilient.

And... to top off my morning... one of my forever favorite verses was my verse of the day: 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." -Romans 12:15

It feels like a gift when a favorite verse pops up. Earworm is singing "You make me feel like dancing... I wanna dance the night away." (Leo Sayer- 1976) I guess it doesn't matter if it is morning. Plan for dancing in the kitchen (or work hallways), spin in sunshine, and invite others into the goodness so easily missed. 

Today, I am grateful for whimsy. 

Finished Courses

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 147: Today, I am grateful for finished courses. 

A finished course can refer to many things. A finished race, a finished academic class or grade level, or ending up where you want to be at the end of the road. 

In every endeavor, there is learning. Every course has its struggles and learning spots. From a 10K race to a trip across America on old Route 66. There are things to observe, learn, and when necessary... recalculate. 

Anyone else remember GPS practically shouting "recalculating" if you take a wrong turn or intentionally go off the instructed course. It could be annoying, but the goal was to keep us from getting lost. Sometimes there is joy in the unplanned and unexpected detours. Other times, we end up where we do not want to be. 

Luke reminds us in the Book of Acts to live our lives with real purpose and finish the course. Know what matters. There are times the detours bring important moments. Unexpected in our plan is not a surprise to the One who set the stars in the sky and the earth the perfect distance from the sun. 

How many times did Jesus connect with people in places that the disciples did not expect him to lead? Our God shows up in unexpected places on the course with strength, encouragement, hope, and purpose. 

Press on. Finish today's race with the confidence that He will provide a way. 

"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." -Acts 20:24

Today, I am grateful for finished courses. 

Those Who Save the Day

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 146: Today, I am grateful for those who save the day.

They come with extra sunscreen, extra water, the safety pin, and the Tylenol. They have dental floss and rubber bands, too. They are always prepared. You know who they are. They are the ones who "save the day." 

"Let's Make a Deal" was a game show that used to see what women had in their purses as part of the game. It was a fun part of the show and reminded us of the crazy things that end up in a woman's purse because someone said, "Hold this." On occasion, those items come in handy. Other times, they get lost in the crooks and hidden pockets. Sometimes, they save the day. 

This verse reminds me of the One who really did save the day. Isaiah, Psalm, and other prophecies fulfilled beyond what would seem mathematically possible. Two thousand years later, the name of Jesus is still echoing into a world that is broken, lost, and very dark. It would have been easier to walk away when you have the ability to start again. Yet, the idea of a relationship chosen... not forced but by free will... it was different. His gift became our choice.  

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." -John 3:17

It is the choice that saves the day; it saves eternity. 

Today, I am grateful for those who save the day.

Remember and Honor

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 145: Today, I am grateful for a pause to remember and honor. 

There is something deeply humbling about the one who is not only willing to give their life for another human being, but then does. They did not know on a "last phone call" or the "I'll see you see you soon." would not be as they had anticipated. 

For the soldier, situational awareness can be the difference between life and death. Even then, the unexpected happens. It often comes with a choice. 

The phrase "no man left behind" is often associated with the U.S. Marines, but it really has roots that go all the way back to the Revolutionary War where everyone was considered important, including the musicians. There were no troops to spare. The Marines were the first to include it in 1889 landing party rules. It stated, “No man shall be left behind on account of darkness or the advanced hour of the night.”

A Great Jubilee Day, first held on Monday, May 26, 1783, in North Stratford, now Trumbull, Connecticut, commemorated the end of fighting in the American Revolutionary War. The Rev. James Beebe's son was a Captain with George Washington at Valley Forge. 

May 30, 1868, is the first record of a national "Memorial Day" declaration, but it was called "Decoration Day." The country was still united in name, but divided in the hearts of those who had lost so much and so much during the "The War Between the States" that we now call the Civil War. The South set their own days, as did many communities across the nation. It took 100 years for it to become Memorial Day as we know it today. 

"Decoration Day," the name "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882. It grew in popularity after World War II and was legally declared the official name by federal law in 1967. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the federal legislation that officially changed the holiday's name from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, cementing it as a national day of remembrance. 

It is a day to remember the lives, the loss, and the time it takes to heal after war. The empty seat at the table is real. It is a reminder that freedom is not free. 

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." -John 15:13

That is the ultimate in human love. 

Today, I am grateful for a pause to remember and honor.

Genuine Affection

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 144: Today, I am grateful for genuine affection. 

I am currently reading a series by Lynn H. Blackburn. It is the "Gossamer Falls" series. It is set in North Carolina. It is full of big families, humor, family feuds, and complicated relationships, because real life is messy. 

In the series, the patriarchs and matriarchs are respected. The long, deep, lasting relationships go back for generations. Genuine affection is present in how they "deal" with and protect one another. The men are faithful, fierce, and protective. The women are smart and strong. The southern sense of being good neighbors and hospitality runs through each story. Faith is a part of how they manage family, relationships, and community. I love good fiction with vibrant characters. 

This was my verse of the day:

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." -Romans 12:10

In real life, genuine affection is a beautiful thing. It brings people together. It makes communities strong. We can have differences but still have a deep, genuine love for each other. Most families are an example of this every day. So are our work families, church families, and in our neighborhoods and communities. To take delight in honoring each other is to pour out genuine kindness and caring. 

Some of our most precious friendships grow out of ones that have a tenuous beginning. It is so easy to see our differences first, but when we are intentional about honoring each other with the same kind of grace we like to receive, genuine affection grows. 

Love big. Love genuinely and with humility. Savor the sweetness that grows from that kind of love. 

Today, I am grateful for genuine affection.