Savor... Don't Rush

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 311: Today, I am grateful for the chance to savor, and not rush the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. 

I am a firstborn. I am a rule follower. I adore Thanksgiving and Christmas is the most joyful time of the year. I used to have strict rules to protect my beloved Thanksgiving holiday. I have mellowed on this matter over the past fourteen years. 

Life goes by too swiftly to not squeeze out every sweet moment of the season and to delight in every decoration. For us, mixing pumpkins and Christmas is completely normal, as we live in the Pumpkin Capital. It can be done whatever your "style" of decorating might be. 

Letting go of the rules has freed us and allowed us to enjoy the season more. The only Smith house rule is that the tree comes down swiftly after Christmas, but that is only in the Smith house. You make your own rules.

 "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1

Today, I am grateful for the chance to savor, and not rush the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. 

Fire Refines

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 310: Today, I am grateful for fire.

"Fire reveals. Water restores. God uses both." 

We are doing a gratitude challenge at work. Someone shared a quote about dealing with hardship and adversity. He is a history teacher, so I know he has seen many good quotes. This one was succinct. 

"Fire will either burn your house down or refine you."

It is true. And somewhere in between, it can keep your house warm. 

Our current culture seems to perpetuate and glory in discord and disagreement. Disagreement can be like fire. It can help us explore what we know, what we think we know, and if we use conflict as a tool for growth, it can help refine. 

Power in any human's hand can lead to destruction. It can, also, be a path to solving big problems. When the Queen of Sheba of Ethiopia journeyed to meet King Solomon in Jerusalem, the ancient world watched. It is recorded in the Bible. It is repeated in a 1st-century account by Josephus. She is credited with bringing the first balsam trees to Israel. The account of her time there is interesting. I am reminded that we only see small parts of the puzzle in the story of God and man. 

I love this passage. 

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” – 1 Corinthians 3:13

We had a pastor who used to say in difficult situations, "Do you want to throw water on it or gasoline?" It depends on the situation. Burning road ditches is good for the land. Wildfires are not. It is situational. 

Water will be another day's discussion. 

Today, I am grateful for fire.

Temporary Shelter

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 309: Today, I am grateful for temporary shelter.

I loved this image of someone sitting on a bench under an umbrella beneath the flaming gold and orange leaves. What struck me was that the umbrella was not being used to go from place to place. It was acting as a temporary shelter. The person might not be waiting for anyone or anything. Perhaps, they are simply enjoying the scent, the leaves, and a misty rain. 

I have fond memories of going for walks with Randy in our days at Olivet. I always had a big golf umbrella with plenty of room for friends. It was a little like "Thidwick, the Big Hearted Moose" on the way to class some days with others joining under the umbrella. When it was just the two of us, there was plenty of covering for a walk in the rain to enjoy the scents, sights, and sounds that come with a gentle rain or snow. 

 Temporary shelters are for a certain time, place, or situation. When we need them, they are not a luxury but a necessity. Think of caves(not temporary, but can provide temporary shelter), tents, and other ways we escape the elements. Humans have been relying on temporary shelter to travel from place to place for all of history. Some cultures never build permanent homes the way we do. They move when it is necessary and for different reasons. 

I'm fascinated with Moses and the people of Israel in the desert years. Forty years of moving around because the time was not right. God led; they followed. They were fed, had water, and lived under temporary shelter. 

Leviticus 23:42-43 states: "You are to live in booths for seven days; all native-born Israelites are to live in such booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." This passage emphasizes the importance of remembering God's provision during their journey.

It has been a year of loss of two very special people who had a hand in raising Matthew, April, and me. Aunt Judy and "Aunt" Marilyn let go of their temporary shelters of their eternal souls. It was good for them, but we still miss them. I am grateful to have shared their temporary homes and their lives. 

Today, I am grateful for temporary shelter.

Soup Season

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 308: Today, I am grateful for soup season.  

"This and soup on the stove." 

The fall rains have begun. On Sunday, I was greeted by my  buddy Mike who is a farmer. I shared that we finished the harvest back home and only have the ground to work. Wind and rain on harvest ready fields is not always a good combination. 

Mike replied with the air of someone who has been on a tractor his entire life, "A farmer should never complain about the rain." I agreed 100%. The ground needs it to restore as do the wells and everything else impacted by rain. After the crop is out it is even better. We prefer the rain to come gently and with space in between the days. We don't want much, right? 

There is nothing like a cascade of fall color with soup on the stove or in the crock pot. I think I have even recently mentioned that chili is not seasonal at our house. We serve it all year round, just like Steak-n-Shake. We love it with cornbread, as a potato topping, and over spaghetti for chili mac. 

There are references to what we could consider soup in the Bible. Gideon's encounter with an angel includes broth, meat, veggies, and unleavened bread. 

"And Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread of an ephah of flour; the meat he put in the basket and the broth he put in the pot, and he brought them out to him under the oak and presented them." -Judges 6:19

Soup season is here! The scent, the flavors, and the way it warms us from head to toe. 

Today, I am grateful for soup season. 

The Good in Every Day

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 307: Today, I am grateful for the good in every day. 

"Find the good in every day. It's usually the little things that we overlook that we should be the most grateful for..."

Every day has something good. We may not see it, hear it, touch it, taste it, or smell it because we move too swiftly through our days. Our instant information, instant food, and instant communication have us moving at warp speed.

In the 1990s, Susan Powter was one of the original infomercial personalities. If she had a marketing tagline, it would be "Stop the insanity!" I don't remember much, as I was in my baby years, but what I do recall was her challenge to step away from instant and fast foods. I remember her saying, "If it doesn't grow that way, don't eat it." She didn't mean that everything had to be raw. She meant a carrot should be a carrot. Whole foods and good foods. Ultimately, her message was about slowing down, choosing good food, and prioritizing wellness. Funny how things come full circle.

The good in every day can be uncovered when we stop and explore our five senses. In our house, we are sensitive to scents. We want our house to smell clean and good. Our Walker once walked into the house and declared, "Mom, I love the smell of mopped." I hold on to that memory whenever I am performing that normally thankless and ordinary household chore. Perhaps there is a little extra gratitude that comes with that memory.

Don't miss the good in this ordinary day. We can only find it when we slow down. Psalm 46:10 is often quoted, but the whole verse matters:

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'" — Psalm 46:10

More than just a pause and a moment of thoughtfulness, there is a recognition of a mighty and powerful God who created the universe and then chose to have a relationship with His creation.

Today, I am grateful for the good in every day.

A Sharp Knife

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 306: Today, I am grateful for a sharp knife.

At the end of nearly fourteen years, I am not sure "a sharp knife" has ever made the list at the end of nearly fourteen years. A sharp knife is a kitchen necessity. Knife and blade making is an ancient art. It is necessary for cooking. Can be used for digging if it is the only thing you have on hand. I can chop, dice, and slice... as long as it is sharp. 

Not long ago, the kids gave me a knife as a gift. It is one of my favorites for chopping veggies and many other things. Every time I use it, I think of them and am reminded that the right tool for any job makes it easier. 

I grew up watching the original "MacGyver" on television. He can make anything and escape trouble with a Swiss army knife and a roll of duct tape. In that show, sharp knives saved lives in many episodes. When facing a difficult situation, the right tool at the right time is a game changer. 

Often gratitude inspires me to find a certain passage of scripture. Today, the scripture came first. It was in my inbox. I don't carry a sword, but I use a knife everyday. I am grateful when the knife is sharp. 

God's Word is the right tool at the right time. It is full of answers. There are times it cuts sharp and deep. If we read only the happy, feel good passages, we miss the meat and the heart of the scriptures. We miss the power, the wonder, and the wonderful. 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.  Hebrews 4:12

When a passage cuts us like a two-edged sword, we have a choice. Close the book and ignore the Spirit, or work through the discomfort and pain. I am not an athlete, but I know that when it starts to burn and hurt, the true athlete does not quit. In fact, they recognize that their bodies are being transformed by the training.  Discomfort during training isn't necessarily a sign that something is wrong. Sometimes it is part of becoming stronger.

It is the same with God's Word. Keep digging. Keep reading. Keep praying for discernment. When was the last time a passage of Scripture challenged you in a way that made you uncomfortable? Did you put it down, or did you allow God to use it to sharpen you?

Today, I am grateful for a sharp knife.

Gratitude Transforms

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 305: Today, I am grateful gratitude transforms. 

It is November. On this day, find a notebook page with 30 lines and record one thing you are grateful for the entire month. (Or post it in the comments here, if you would like to share it publicly. 

If you struggle for ideas (due to the pressure of a decision) I always turn to my five senses. What do I see, touch, taste, hear, or smell that inspires gratitude? It is a great way to get grounded when grasping for an idea. Gratitude changes everything.

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough." -Melody Beattie

I know this quote oozes with truth. We cannot always change our circumstances, but we can choose how we respond. Take the pause to ponder or pray. That moment can transform a clump of grump into a hallelujah. I've been accused of putting on "rose colored glasses" or people assume I've been spared the really hard stuff. Being grateful in all things is what turns what we have into enough.

My life has been full of blessings, but in truth everyone you meet... including me and you... has a story and a chapter in their lives that could break your heart. It is why we are told that "The greatest of these is love." It is love that carries us through the storms and goes with us into the deep valleys.  It is love that zips our lips and listens instead of sharing our own trials and hardships. Those who show up when we weep are the ones we want on the mountain top celebrations, too. 

Everyone has lived loss, struggle, disappointment, and trials that seem to never end in some seasons. To show grace and mercy when it is hard is good for the recipient, but it is equally powerful in our own lives. Expressing thanksgiving in all things is powerful. I've never thought about it before, but did Jesus's last words on the cross include gratitude, too? "It is finished." I cannot humanly grasp the weight or the layers in that statement, but I am a recipient of His work and His gift. 

Romans 12:15 is a favorite of mine. (I know... you see it often.)

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." 

If you have been walking this gratitude journey long, you might have it memorized, too. Let it guide this month of Thanksgiving. Who rejoiced with you? Who sat with you or hugged you in loss or disappointment. These are powerful gifts from a God who delights in our expressions of gratitude. 

"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." -Psalm 22:3 

He is enthroned by our praise! Psalm 22 is a statistical curiosity when you lay it beside the four Gospels record of the Crucifixion. King David, around 1000 BC, penned them prophetically;  Jesus spoke Psalm 22:1 from the cross. 

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Barely able to catch his breath, Jesus chose the words of Psalm 22. He knew the mission. He would have preferred to skip it, as is documented, but he went willingly. He walked the road of suffering in love, trusting that God would accept the sacrifice of the "perfect lamb" for all who choose Him. Fully man and fully God, he changed everything. And, in that final moment, he said in exhaustion, in pain, in victory, and might we suggest... gratitude? It is finished." 

However you record it, find moments to be grateful for this next month. 

Today, I am grateful gratitude transforms.