Good Hydration

 Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 119: Today, I am grateful for good hydration.

Never underestimate the power of good hydration. Athletes, farmers, and "Dr. Mom" know that hydration is a game-changer. 

We need to be well watered. Humans are about 60% water. That is more than half. It is why we must drink when we exercise and even on ordinary days. 

Our bodies respond in many negative ways when we are dehydrated. One of the early signs is often a headache. How many days do we get "too busy" and forget to drink? It is easy to do. 

Jesus spoke of the "living water" only He could give. 

" The Lord will guide you continually,    giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden,   like an ever-flowing spring." -Isaiah 58:11

We can hydrate by reading our Bibles, praying, and spending time in fellowship with those who encourage our souls. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps us rehydrate. 

While that coffee is brewing, drink a glass of water. Before a meal, a glass of water is good for many reasons, as different studies indicate. We can easily misinterpret thirst as hunger. Some suggest water before snacking. 

The reminder that fresh, clean, and available water is a luxury many of us live with everyday is something I do not want to take for granted. 

 Today, I am grateful for good hydration.

How Far You Have Come

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 118: Today, I am grateful for a reminder to celebrate "how far you have come."

I think that with age comes nostalgia. There are many modern conveniences we would miss if they were gone. I remember when long distance calling was a big deal. Now, we can call other countries and even talk to people on the other side of the world often and with big phone bills. I miss real, handwritten letters.

Nostalgia, some have said, is more about longing for a more simple time and the people we miss from that season. In our moments of nostalgia, let us not forget to celebrate "how far we have come." The can live side by side.

I love the smell of laundry hung on a line; I am grateful for the dryer that dries clothes quickly.

I love that we can call long-distance inexpensively; I love a real letter that comes in the mail.

I love that fruit and vegetables are easily available all year long, but now I take them for granted. 

Let us remember the sweet and the simple and delight in the modern conveniences. We can be grateful for both. 

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."   1 Thessalonians 5:18

All things! 

Today, I am grateful for a reminder to celebrate "how far you have come."

True Humility

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 117: Today, I am grateful for true humility.

Pride is such a high price to pay, yet we cling to it. Pride costs us relationships, the joys of living in community, and so much more. 

Years ago, I saw a quick clip where actress, Amy Adams, gave up her first-class seat to a soldier traveling home. The people in the coach seats with her were delighted. She did not buy him a seat next to her in first-class (as there may not have been one available), she gave up hers. 

Celebrities are followed by cameras all of the time. Many buy their own planes or charter private flights to not be bothered. When asked about the incident, she said she did it to bring attention to our soldiers, not to herself. 

It was her trading places with him that made it extra special. She inconvenienced herself, took the lesser seat, and made herself vulnerable. 

I do not think we can fully understand what Jesus gave up to come and be the Lamb of God. His presence was charismatic. The people in power did not know what to do with him. Acting with love, kindness, healing toward the "untouchables" in that society was offensive to the affluent and powerful. He knew the scriptures better than the scholars. He was "The Word" in flesh form. Still, He gave up his place in Heaven to take our place on the cross. 

This is my verse for today:

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross." -Philippians 2:5-8

He is the perfect example of a servant leader. He showed us the way to walk, live, love, obey, and serve... even, to death on a cross. He gave up his first-class seat for you and for me... and took our cross. 

Today, I am grateful for true humility.

Restores the Stolen Years

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 116: Today, I am grateful our God restores our "stolen years."

Here is the actual scripture:

"The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you." -Joel 2:25 NLT

Look it up in several translations. Restoration is such a beautiful thing. 

In truth, we learn much in the trials and we forget to give thanks in the good seasons. Still, our God longs to bless us with restoration. The "lost years" and the lessons learned have value, but restoration and abundant blessings are His desire. 

We are told to ask to receive... and to trust Him in the hard times. He will restore what the enemy attempts to destroy and renew what seems impossibly broken.

Today, I am grateful our God restores our "stolen years."

Completely Saved

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 116: Today, I am grateful we can be "completely saved."

Mama would up-recycle clothing and things to bring an item to new life, long before it was the cool thing to do. Hand-me-downs were treasured. Garage sales were one of her favorite fun things to do. 

Mama loved to save things. Mama could see the potential in the torn, broken, worn, out, and discarded.  (Have I ever mentioned that she was the most Jesus-like person I have ever known, and I lived with her 24/7.) That spilled into items that could be saved, recycled, renewed, and restored. She was handy with a sewing machine like she was in the kitchen. 

Jesus came to save. 

Not partially. Not temporarily. Completely, wholly, holy, and forever saved. No broken is too broken for His healing. What is He waiting for? Belief, confession, and the invitation are key. 

Whatever we see in the mirror, He has seen it before. Our consequences and bad decisions are no surprise to an omniscient God. Adam and Eve thought they could hide. Others did, too. It never worked. It still doesn't.

He sees our potential and wants us to return to a relationship with Him. 

"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." -Hebrews 7:25 

He wants to completely save us. He wants to fully restore us to a full life full of purpose. How?

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -Romans 10:9

Today could be the first day of new forever. 

Today, I am grateful we can be "completely saved."

The Best Friday Ever

 Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 115: Today, I am grateful for the Best Friday Ever!

"Most Fridays are the beginning of the weekend. There was one that was so good, it was the beginning of eternity." 

Fridays are good. Weekends are better. One changed the scope of eternity. We are only a week past "Good Friday." It is good to not forget the magnitude of the gift, the promise, and the purpose. 

We cannot manage spiritual obedience at times, let alone perfection. His sacrifice makes us perfectly restored. His holiness was laid down to take on our human form for the purpose of being the Messiah, the Lamb, and our rescuer. He did that on Good Friday. It was the best Friday ever. 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. -John 14:1-3

Rest. Restore. Remain in Him. 

Today, I am grateful for the Best Friday Ever!

Safety Pins

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 114: Today, I am grateful for safety pins. 

I decided to do a little research on the safety pin. Sometimes it is the best solution to a problem. We use them for everything from managing clothing issues to making jewelry out of them. 

When I was a little girl, diaper pins were given at most baby showers. They were jumbo safety pins that kept diapers in place. Manufacturers did their best to make them cute, but it was the functionality that kept made them great. 

It was invented by Walter Hunt in 1849. He sold the patent to W.R. Grace Company for $400 to pay a draftsman he owed $15. The design is relatively unchanged today. Tension wire made into a spring and the physics of tension and we have a product we use often and take for granted. These are some of my favorites. 

Think about it. The safety pin is wire wound tight and held together by tension. A safety pin is a wonderful thing for problem solving, but humans were not designed to live in that kind of stress daily. Fresh air and deep breaths. We are not made of wire and tension gives us headaches. 

I searched the scriptures for the word "safety." I found it 33 times in the Old Testament. Only one time in the New Testament. Interesting, right?

We just celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. There is no guarantee of peace and safety. There is a promise of His return. 

" for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief." -1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 

As tension builds and the world seems crazy, I cannot help but smile and cling to C.S. Lewis's words when he came to the conclusion after much study that Jesus was either "a liar, a lunatic, or who he claims to be." He is who he is. He is who he claims to be. Lewis, also, penned, "Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King"

And... He holds us together. 

Today, I am grateful for safety pins. 

Perspective from a Cactus

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 113: Today, I am grateful for the perspective from a cactus.

This cute image has some great points. I am pretty sure everything in nature points to God if we look for the lesson. Jesus used the birds, the lilies, and the stones to teach about the character of God. I am sure there are more examples, but that came to mind in an instant. 

It was a donkey that had never been ridden that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. Do not try that on your own. You will be bucked off. But the donkey recognized and submitted to the King.

Back to advice from a cactus:

• Emphasize your strong points.
• Be patient during the dry spells.
• You will bloom when it is your time.
• Always stay sharp.

So many times God is looking for us to use our natural gifts or blessings to His glory. He knows our souls. He knows the "clay" we are  made from and our potential. We only see an unfinished or half-formed blob. Be patient. 

Be patient in the "dry spells," too. Our dry spells may be someone else's shaping season. We have to wait until they are ready to come together for His glory and purpose. In the waiting seasons, we wait. We are called according to His purpose and things will bloom in His perfect timing. 

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

Stay sharp! That is always good advice.  Be watchful. We miss things if we become distracted. 

Today, I am grateful for the perspective from a cactus.

Matthew

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 112: Today, I am grateful for Matthew.

He is full of adventure and far more daring and courageous than I am. It always amazes me how children can share DNA, but be so different, too. Six years my younger, he is not only my brother, he is one of my favorite people. He makes my Randy laugh like few others, outside of his own siblings. 

He is smart, sincere, observant, loyal, and wise. I have very few memories without him. Keeping him alive when he was little was great preparation for becoming a "boy mom." Keeping company with him as an adult always makes my heart smile. 

He was Mama's all-time favorite birthday present! His birth was Dad's dream come true. He learned his colors and to read by tractor and seed company colors and logos. Matt loves the land just like Dad, Grandpa Lindgren, and Uncle Mel who came before him. 

He loves his wife deeply and his girls and their guys, too. He treasures his nephews, nieces, and our extended family. He sees God in every sunrise, sunset, and each gentle rain that refreshes the soil.  I have loved him from the day he was born. 

"Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching." -Proverbs 1:8

His life reflects Mama and Dad's instructions in so many ways. I am grateful he was born. I am grateful we still have each other to remind us of the home and family that grew us. 

Happy Birthday, little brother! Enjoy this next trip around the sun. I love you.

Today, I am grateful for Matthew.

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Mama's Wisdom

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 111: Today, I am grateful for my Mama's wisdom.

I do not know how many times this past few weeks I have said, "I wish I would have written more things down from Mama's tips, tricks, and Godly wisdom. 

With her April birthday, gardens being planted, and new life springing up all around us... I cannot help but miss her a little bit more in these next few weeks from her birthday to Mother's Day. 

I am grateful for her heavenly healing. I am grateful for her sweet reunions around the great table in heaven. Still, it is only natural to miss the people who loved us, shaped us, and modeled Christ in her daily walk. That was my Mama! 

To think that God chose her womb to grow April, Matthew, and me. 

"For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together in my mother’s womb." -Psalm 139:13

She loved being a wife and mother. She never took the gift for granted. Her brother, Paul, was born before her. He did not live 24 hours. Her little sister, Helen, suffered an illness that left her with cognitive limitations and a special cousin's son arrived with Down's Syndrome. She taught us to treasure and embrace those with differences. 

Mama did not count the sunrises and the sunsets in her days, but she loved them. She made sure her kitchen had a window to the west and dining room had a huge window to watch the sunset in the east every evening. Fireflies, crickets chirping, birds singing, and the sounds of the farm were her favorite daily melodies. Even the winds were part of the sounds of the prairie. 

She studied the native plants before us, because she did not want to lose the knowledge. We drank dandelion tea and she would use food and vitamins as medicine. She would always look to God's design for answers first. She tested the old wives tales and they often had truth and efficacy.  The "science" behind would often come later. 

On the celebration of the day of her birth, I want to pause and give thanks for a one-of-a-kind Mama Ina Mae and all of the wisdom she left behind. 

Today, I am grateful for my Mama's wisdom.

He is risen, indeed!

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 110: Today, I am grateful "He is risen, indeed!"

This image seemed to sum up Easter perfectly for me. Jesus always had a choice. Remember, he came from Mary's womb with human DNA merged with God's. Fathom that! Oh my goodness. 

Nails did not hold to that cross. Love did. He said, "Not my will but thine be done?" He taught us to pray that way in what known as "The Lord's Prayer" and then He lived it out. 

Wood... used for building and for burning a sacrifice. 

Nails... used for holding the wood together when building a house... or a cross. They typically would tie the crucified to the cross, Jesus was nailed. He was "pierced for our transgressions. 

Crowns... worn by kings. A crown of thorns was used to mock Jesus and inflict pain. He spoke no curse upon them. His gentle acceptance of His purpose must have shocked all who watched who had witnessed His power over healing, multiplication of food, and raising the dead. Is it a wonder nothing made sense?

I have to wonder what I would have seen and believed if I had been there witnessing it all as they did. We can only imagine. 

Then, after the tears, the mourning, and the sorrow... His body is no longer in the tomb! The blood stained linen is folded up and Jesus is not there. At that moment, what did they believe?

"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."  -Matthew 28:6  

Come! Look! See for yourself! He is not here. 

Faith, hope, sacrifice, forgiveness, resurrection, and reconciliation for those who accept the gift. 

Today, I am grateful "He is risen, indeed!"

Silent Saturday

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 109: Today, I am grateful for silent Saturday.  

It was the day after the crucifixion. The disciples and those who knew, loved, and had been changed by Jesus were mourning. They were mad at the government, although it was the church behind his death. The governmental leaders might have preferred Barabbas.

They were broken-hearted. There were sobs, sighs, and silence. Some did not know what then would do when the sun came up the next day. 

What next? Did they pray? Did they ponder who they would be without Jesus? Did they think they picked the wrong guy?

Saturday was silent... but "The Grave" was getting nervous. Soldiers were sent to guard the door of the tomb... the Government was getting nervous. There were believers in the ranks of the Centurions. Did they warn their leaders that they had witnessed Jesus's power over life and death?

Did anyone bring up Lazarus? How dead is too dead?

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”-John 11:25-27

Did they sit in silence?  Were any of them waiting with hope? Did they think it was over? It was a Passover they would never forget. The worst one ever, or was it the best?

"Earth's saddest and gladdest day were just three days apart." 

This is where I always suggest listening to Carmen's "Sunday's On the Way." It is from the 80's, but for me... it is Easter! 

 Today, I am grateful for silent Saturday.             

                                                                

Good Friday: 4-4-33 AD at 3pm

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 108: Today, I am grateful for Good Friday, 4-4-33 AD at 3 pm.

Today, we remember that day so many years ago that changed everything. Some Historians and Biblical Scholars calculate the day as April 4, 33 A.D. at 3 p.m. They used the historical figures who ruled, and other details given in the Gospels to calculate the date. I am intrigued by the many "threes" in the date. Three is the number of the Holy Trinity. 

My curiosity made me look deeper into the 4/4 date. I know that numbers are significant. I found this at freebiblestudyhub.com :

"In Biblical numerology, the number 4 is associated with universality, completeness, and creation. It often signifies something that is full, complete, or globally encompassing, reflecting the way God created the world and governs it. Throughout the Scriptures, this number represents both God’s creation of the physical world and His divine order. Understanding the number 4 offers believers deeper insights into God’s creation, His covenant with mankind, and His sovereignty over all things."

I decided to dig a little deeper into the number three because there is always more to learn. Here is what I found: 

"In biblical numerology, the number three is one of the most significant and frequently used numbers. It symbolizes completion, perfection, and divine intervention, serving as a profound indicator of God’s presence, work, and purposes. From the Holy Trinity to key events in the life of Jesus Christ, the number three holds a deep spiritual meaning that reflects God’s nature and the structure of His creation."

Wow! Read it again and ponder the perfection. If that date is indeed the actual date, it is God's intervention and completion as the date Jesus was crucified. Jesus said in John 19:30 "It is finished."

Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled and so much more. 

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)

How can we not believe? 

Today, I am grateful for Good Friday, 4-4-33 AD at 3 pm.

 

Maundy Thursday

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 107: Today, I am grateful for Maundy Thursday. 

On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus washing his disciples feet.  He shared his last meal before his crucifixion and reminded them to "love one another as I have loved you." 

Our church continues the practice of washing feet. Other churches have returned to it. I have loved seeing it at weddings. It seems odd to those unfamiliar with the practice, but there is something very special about that act of service. To act as Jesus, with love, sacrifice, and service is a way of honoring Him. 

When Jesus said in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." He was commissioning them to go out and live as he lived. 

He washed the feet of Judas who betrayed him for wealth. 

He washed the feet of Peter who would deny him before the rooster crowed. 

He washed the feet of Thomas who said he would have to touch the nail scars in Jesus's hands to believe came back from death. 

They doubted, He forgave. They betrayed him, He still showed love and forgiveness. They sought to be elevated about the others, He wanted to see them act with humility and seek to serve others. 

To go and live as he lived requires intention, service, love, and humility, but those things are a response to really, truly, and deeply loving someone. 

Today, I am grateful for Maundy Thursday.

Understanding Currency: Thirty Pieces of Silver

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 106: Today, I am grateful for understanding the currency of "thirty pieces of silver."

Traveling outside of the United States can mean investigating a different currency. The conversion charts can be confusing. It is important to understand the value when doing the translation. 

Today is Wednesday of Holy Week. It is the day Judas cut a deal. For 30 pieces of silver he betrayed Jesus. 

"Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him." -Matthew 26:14-16

I found this quote from "The Woman By The Well." It is a powerful perspective, clarification, and confrontation of our very real struggles with sin. 

"For Judas it was greed, for many it is lust, for some it's laziness and for others it is jealousy, anger, and pride. But the sin you refuse to depart from is your thirty pieces of silver. The more you're entertaining that sin, the more you're trading them for Jesus."

It is easy to look down with condemnation for Judas.  He is the worst of "bad guys." He betrayed a friend. He betrayed the Son of God all for thirty pieces of silver. Personal wealth was more important than Jesus.  

When we look in the mirror, what currency are we willing to trade for Jesus? Before we condemn Judas, a little self-reflection is good.  

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight." -Ephesians 1:7-8

Today, I am grateful for understanding the currency of "thirty pieces of silver."

Holy Week

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 105: Today, I am grateful for Holy Week.

Holy Week is a time of remembering the gift, the purpose, the sacrifice, the forgiveness, and the resurrection of Jesus. So much can happen in one week. What was meant to be an end to Jesus's teaching and the disruption to "the norm" was really a new beginning. 

In Matthew 26:1, Jesus tells the disciples exactly what is about to happen.

"When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

After Sunday's entrance into Jerusalem with palms waving and loud "Hosannas" filling the air, Friday seemed so far away. The disciples did not understand what He was telling them. The disciples had witnessed so many miracles. They had been a part of them. They knew Jesus, but somehow could not see the prophecies unfolding before their eyes. 

How many times are we like that? Do we miss prophecy being fulfilled? Do we not recognize what is unfolding before us?

Holy Week takes us back to the heartbeat of the gospel. It was the unfolding of the many prophecies. Psalm 22 always makes me say, "Wow!" Did anyone recite as they watched Jesus submit to the will of the Father on the cross for our reconciliation? 

May your Holy Week reminders fill your heart with wonder, love, and gratitude. What was meant for harm and destruction brought new life. 

Today, I am grateful for Holy Week.

Clean, Running Water

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 104: Today, I am grateful for clean, running water. 

For us, what seems so ordinary is a luxury in other places. Clean, running water is a blessing we take for granted everyday. 

Water is essential to life. Many across the world suffer from a lack of water. Some have water, but it is not clean. We take it for granted every day. 

Imagine needing to boil water to make it safe or having to go to a well or a spring to draw water for ordinary chores. It is one thing to do something for a week or in an emergency, but for some it is a daily chore. 

I cannot help but think of Moses during the forty years in the desert. God provided what needed in every way, including water from a rock. 

"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” - Exodus 17:6

In the beginning, they recognized the miracle. How long was it before they took the running water for granted.

Enjoy your clean, hot water for showering today and your clean, cool water for drinking. 

Today, I am grateful for clean, running water. 

"God Provided the Lamb"

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 103: Today, I am grateful God provided the lamb. 

It is Palm Sunday. Today, we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on an unridden donkey as the people shouted, "Hosanna!" while waving Palm Branches.  Let "Holy Week" begin.

A recent devotional pointed out the many parallels in Genesis 22 to the birth, redemption/sacrifice, and sparring/resurrection of Isaac/Jesus. From the donkey, the son carrying the wood for the sacrifice, and God providing "the lamb", there are powerful parallels. At least 30 of them that I have seen noted. 

Did you know that they both happened on Mt. Moriah? What are the odds statistically? So many years from a promise... a covenant... to fulfillment. 

Abraham believed in the power of God to resurrect the dead. God has the power to resurrect the dead. His faith was big, bold, and God provided a way. 

"So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” -Genesis 22:14

For the father, Abraham, who did not withhold his son, God provided the lamb. For the Heavenly Father, who provided the lamb, he did not spare his son. Abraham became the father of many nations, and Jesus made a way for all nations to come to the Father as his children... joint heirs with Jesus. 

Today, I am grateful God provided the lamb. 

A Dog's Perspective

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 102: Today, I am grateful for a dog's perspective. 

Our dogs can teach us so much about faithfulness, love, and devotion. They love to be with us. Being close enough to touch is enough. 

This cartoon cracked me up. 

Then I thought about it a little more. Do we seek the presence of our Lord the way our dogs long to be with us? 

"And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." -Matthew 22:37

What does that look like? With all of our hearts, soul, and mind means all in and holding nothing back. Is our deepest desire to be near Him? Do we rest in His presence?

When He said, "I am with you always." he meant it. When he said, "I am coming back.", he meant that, too. 

Today, I am grateful for a dog's perspective. 

In His Time

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 101: Today, I am grateful for "In His Time."

I have an old song running through my head that is taken directly from Ecclesiastes 3:11. 

"In His time. In His time. He makes all things beautiful in His time." I think it is an early contemporary praise song, but I honestly cannot remember. It is slow and worshipful. My "Earworm" is singing it this morning. 

The passage reads a little differently in the New Living Translation. It reminds us that we cannot see the big picture. He can. 

"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) 

We cannot see the future. We cannot see how the pain, darkness, or sorrow we face today is a part of a bigger picture. The coal under pressure has no vision of becoming a beautiful diamond. The grain of sand that irritates the oyster cannot see it will one day become a pearl and a treasure handed down. 

Eternity is planted in our hearts, but will we be able to find the path with so many distractions? 

Turn off the television. Put down the phone or other device. Step out into nature and look. What is beautiful? Did the flower bloom overnight? Was the baby bird beautiful on the day it hatched? Our friend Robin says, "Look for something beautiful every day." It is a great recommendation. You only need to look out the window and into your backyard. 

True beauty takes time. Some require pressure, pain, and even brokenness. Patience, prayer, and seeking out the positive in even the biggest struggles. 

Today, I am grateful for "In His Time."

Today, I am grateful for "In His Time."

Signs of Spring: Bunnies, Birds, and Squirrels

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 100: Today, I am grateful for lessons from the bunnies, birds, and squirrels. 

One morning this past week, I looked out the window to see a bunny, cardinal, and squirrel within a few feet of each other. They were taking in the change in the seasons. 

The bunny probably has a nest, as we see her returning frequently. The cardinal sang his best song bravely from the top of a fallen branch. The squirrel played as squirrels do. Nature cannot help but sing when there are signs of spring. 

Humans, on the other hand, find reasons to be anxious in every season. The struggle is real. 

"You are afraid of surrender because you don't want to lose control, but you never had control. All you had was anxiety." -Toby Mac, Speak Life

What a great quote. I needed this one today. I have been learning much about surrender, but I certainly have not mastered it, so He continues to reassign the lesson. 

I need the constant reminder that we do not have to have it all figured out. We do not need a perfect plan. We do need to surrender  and make ourselves available to His purpose and His will. He can do much with little, but we have to let go. 

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?" -Matthew 6:25-26

The birds, bunnies, and squirrels know it. We can know it, too. Trust means surrender. Surrender is the antidote to anxiety. Do our best, but leave God to take care of the rest. 

 Today, I am grateful for lessons from the bunnies, birds, and squirrels. 

Signs of Spring: Asparagus

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 99: Today, I am grateful for asparagus.

Asparagus is a sign of spring. It sweeps me back to my childhood. Grandpa Lindgren loved asparagus. He would send us out to the ditches to look for some. He acted as if we had discovered gold when we found some and brought it home. Dad liked it, too, enough to eat it from a can. Trust me, they are not the same. 

There is something about the hunt and the find that makes it extra special. You have to find quite a bit to make a meal worthy. We savored every stalk. 

For my adult life, fresh asparagus has been easily accessible at the grocery store. Frozen is okay, too. It is packed full of vitamins and other health benefits. It is low in calories and simply delicious. 

I am so grateful for the food from the land. If you want to grow it in your backyard, it takes time. Newly planted asparagus plants may take 2 to 3 years to start producing, so patience is truly needed! Once established, however, asparagus can be productive for decades. It is worth the wait if you have the room to plant it. 

Scripture speaks of patience during trials, but the promise of better things ahead. 

"You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever." -Hebrews 10:34

Some things are worth the wait. 

Today, I am grateful for asparagus.

"Sonrise" at Sunrise

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 98: Today, I am grateful for the 'Son"-rise at sunrise.

There is something holy about sunrise. It is the gift of a fresh new day. The colors are magnificent. The earth wakes up gently. 

You cannot and should not hurry a sunrise. We can move our clocks back in the fall and forward in the spring, but we have no power over the moment the sun comes up to warm another day. 

"His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden." -Habakkuk 3:2

Each day is wonderous. When on vacation with Matt and Jennifer, Matt and I love to watch the sunrise together. Randy likes to walk the beach (Jennifer needs a little more sleep.) It is a holy, shared moment. On ordinary days, it is easy to focus on the morning destination and the work planned for the day. 

I cannot help but think of the Sunday morning at the tomb when the women who loved Jesus went to properly prepare His body for death. It was at sunrise, and they found the stone rolled away and the body gone. At first, they believed it to be stolen... until they came face to face with their risen Lord. 

The risen Son at sunrise. He broke the power of death and darkness like the sunrise breaks the death of night. One "Son"-rise changed everything. 

Today, I am grateful for the 'Son"-rise at sunrise.

 

God Sends the Rains

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 97: Today, I am grateful God sends the rains.

I grew up on Paul Harvey. I loved his voice and "The Rest of the Story." He would dig into the lives of famous people. Some were heroes, others world changers, and a few were criminals. Every time he took to the airwaves, I learned something. Paul Harvey had deep respect for farmers. He observed this about the rain and the soil"

"Despite all our accomplishments, we owe our existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains." -Paul Harvey

His letter about the American Farmer ended up on a truck commercial. He said it was from an anonymous listener. It sweeps me back to my childhood. Grandpa, Dad, Uncle Mel, and the good people who worked and cared for the farms around us. 

Paul Harvey made this speech to the FFA in November of 1978 in Kansas City, MO.

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker"

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board"

-- so God made a Farmer.

"I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon -- and mean it"

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt,  and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say, 'Maybe next year.' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe scraps; who, planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then pain’n from tractor back, put in another seventy-two hours"

-- so God made a Farmer.

God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadowlark."

It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life "doing what dad does"

-- so God made a Farmer.

A farmer can do all of these things right, but God must send the rain. The soil, the seed, and the rain are a necessary combination to feed the world.  

"...then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil."  -Deuteronomy 11:14 

Farmers are itching to break the top soil and plant the seeds. It will happen very soon. Then they will pray for rain and sunshine at just the right time. 

Today, I am grateful God sends the rains.

 

Who Do You Live For?

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 96: Today, I am grateful we can answer, "Who do you live for?"

This scripture struck me in a different way than it has before. This question came to mind, "Who do I live for?"

"Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15     

For many years I did not regularly wear a cross as jewelry. I know some might think that is strange. I know many who wear it every day as a statement of what they believe and who they believe in. 

For me, I was fearful of bringing shame to the cross he carried and died on for my sins. I did not want my sin and imperfections to bring him shame when people saw a cross around my neck. I did not want to be the one who failed to be a good example of His love, mercy and grace in a moment of a quick tongue or short patience. I did not want to be a failed testimony. 

 Then I had a friend who wisely said, "Valerie, that cross is your price tag."  Wow! It was such a fresh and different way of looking at it. I wear it often now. I worry less about bringing shame to the one who purchased my sin debt and focus on the gift that came in the ugliest and most brutal sacrifice of the One who did not deserve it. 

We proudly wear the names of our sports teams, designer labels, and favorite musicians. Our t-shirts bear the names of our favorite games and beverages. We show who we live for by how we spend our time. 

If we attend a worship service every Sunday that is 52 hours a year. We give our jobs 40 or more hours a week. Add in Sunday School and it is only doubled. Going to church is not evidence of who we live for, but it is a sign. 

What we wear on our clothes is a sign. Do we "enter in His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts? Do we enter his courts with praise?" Do we wear a cross as a lucky charm or as a reminder of the price he paid?

I am still very serious about not misrepresenting His choice that gave us a pardon and a way, but I wear the cross anyway, with understanding and humility. I did not deserve his gift, but somehow... He thought I was worth it. He thinks you are worth it, too. 

He lived in uncomfortable human skin and endured the cross for you.

Today, I am grateful we can answer, "Who do you live for?"             

Everything Will Be Fine

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 95: Today, I am grateful everything will be fine. 

 "The LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” -Exodus 33:14 (NLT)

I need to memorize this verse. If you have followed "Daily Gratitude" very long, you know I love Moses. 

Jill and I took our Wednesday night kids at church through the Old Testament. We both learned so much, even though we were both raised in the scriptures. Somehow, I think she and I learned as much as the kids that year. God is always good. God is always faithful. In the hardest seasons we can know that He goes with us. We can trust in His rest, even when struggles come. 

Always. Everyday. Through every trial. Everything will be fine with you. Everything. That phrase is unique to the NLT translation, but it is simply another way of restating that he will bring us to a place of rest, restoration, and for the Israelites, the Promised Land. 

As the blood on the door protected the firstborn sons from death, the blood of Jesus protects those who believe and call him Lord. Another echo from the Old Testament into the new. We can learn to rest in him, because he keeps His promises. 

Through the Blood of the Lamb, death is merely a door. It is why Paul and Silas had no fear. Nearly all of the disciples died for sharing the Good News. The world prefers negativity, hate, and self-serving goals. 

Jesus offers restoration and life, but that does not mean there are never hard times. But He goes before us and with us. He is not bound by time and space. 

Today, I am grateful everything will be fine. 

Vision

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 94: Today, I am grateful for vision.

"Be Thou My Vision" is one of my favorite hymns. The words perfectly focus on a heart that focuses to see God. It is excellent. 

As we get older, we often require help with our vision. My readers are always nearby. I have many pairs. I can see far away, but I cannot read or see well up close without them. 

How many times is life like that?  When trials, struggles, and hard times are up-close and personal, we do not understand. Our vision is blurred by what is happening in the present moment. 

God sees both. Let Him be our vision. In the distance, there will be some clarity. Some things may never be entirely clear to us, but when we ask Him to "be our eyes," the world looks different. 

"My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies." Psalm 6:7

In the trials and the celebrations we can pray "Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Time to take on the day! 

Today, I am grateful for vision.