Year 6 - Day 250: Today, I am grateful we can choose to fix our eyes.
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. -2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT
This is the passage from 2 Corinthians 4 that I am pretty sure inspired one of my favorite songs in recent years. "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country. These guys nail it with this song. It is one that will get your arms pumping and hands raised if you let the music take you away.
Look at these powerful lyrics then take a listen. I savor the energy and confidence! It makes me want to take on the world, turn the other cheek and celebrate that "this, too, shall pass".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2we03Sy4I
Our troubles may be hard, but they are only temporary. There is victory in faithfulness. We can't always change the world, but we can do our best to make a difference. We can't change someone else, but we can change how we view them. Do we have eyes of anger and frustration or with eyes of compassion.
Today's hardest moments are not God persecuting us. They are our training field. This mission to go... teach... live... and love is not an eyes one. It matters where we fix our eyes. To embrace these lyrics can be life changing.
"And love like I'm not scared
Give when it's not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on you, on you"
Songwriters: Joel Smallbone / Joel David Smallbone / Luke Smallbone / Seth Mosley
How does God see the grace he bestows on each of us had any effect? By the love we pour out on others. The time to love, the fight for the weak and unprotected, taking an unpopular stand.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. -1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)
Paul penned that verse. The same man who had murdered Christians in his previous life as Saul. His letters are full of encouragement. And with fixed eyes we go...
So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. -Colossians 1:28 (NLT)
With the our eyes on the horizon? No. With our eyes on the Master. We can trust his hand to work out the things seen... because of things unseen. We focus on the chapter and page, but he is writing our story. Spoiler alert: the end is glorious... beyond what we can imagine.
Today, I am grateful we can choose to fix our eyes.
Year 6 - Day 249: Today, I am grateful for a few days under 80 degrees.
Spring and autumn are my favorites. I worked hard to not complain about winter last year, but after the three Sundays of snow on Easter and after... it turned hot. We had like five days of Spring. I wanted at least five weeks! I am ready to turn off the air and open the windows for those sweet days of no air and no heat. Is it too much to ask?
The next few days, it might be a little cooler. Rainy, but cooler. The earth needs the refreshment. So does our grass. Henry David Thoreau says it well"
Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink (apple cider slushies), taste the fruit (apples and pumpkin), and resign yourself to the influence of the earth."
King Solomon said, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." -Ecclesiastes 3:1
His wisdom is not lost today. It is celebrated. We delight in the changes. Sure, winter will follow, but for now... fall is on the horizon. We can delight in the scents of cinnamon, apple, clove, vanilla and more.
Today, the temperatures will stay in the 70's! The low 70's are my favorite. What's a little rain? It will keep the flowers growing and the King Tut grasses poofing. And... perhaps the pumpkin harvest workers will get a much needed rest in the middle of harvest.
Today, I am grateful for a few days under 80 degrees.
Year 6 - Day 248: Today, I am grateful laughter is good medicine.
Humor and laughter are related but not the same thing. Humor is an opinion and a perspective. Laughter is the emotional response to when we see something as funny. Laughter is good for the soul, blood pressure and attitude.
Ever have one of those days that has more of the absurd and ridiculous than the norm? I imagine we all do. We come face to face with the decision to get grumpy or laugh. One of those choices will improve the day.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. -Proverbs 17:22
This simple truth can be fuel for the day and a warning, too. A broken spirit sucks everything out of us.
At our beautiful family wedding on Saturday, the pastor spoke about laughter in the marriage. From what I have seen of this young couple, they've been practicing laughing together for quite some time. I wonder if they have any idea as newly weds how far it will take them in their new married life? Laughter recharges and rejuvenates. It decorates our days. Yes... decorates. Adds the something extra that makes a time and space special. We should not neglect laughter.
With children, you will see them move freely between tears and laughter. Everything is big to children. They feel deeply and express what they feel. The belly laugh of a child easily goes viral on social media. There is nothing like it. It is good for the soul.
When stress comes your way today... look for the humor, the absurd and the ridiculous. It is never far away. Don't let the troubles suck the life out of you. They are temporary. Guard your spirit fiercely. Laughter is a great weapon in the survival of life's plot twists.
Today, I am grateful laughter is good medicine.
Year 6 - Day 247: Today, I am grateful for countless things.
A few years ago, my girlfriend, Julie, inspired me to save "awesome" for God. For something to be deemed awe inspiring, most often has a glimpse of the hand of God. It is my own self imposed challenge with no right or wrong attached. It has helped me to really sit back and consider the moments in my world where the hand of God is so near and so bold that "awesome" is brought out to glorify his goodness.
Job, who suffered more than most of us can imagine on our worst day, is a powerful example of trust in the valleys and gratitude in the good times. The book of Job, in the midst of the deep sorrows and laments, is a book that points the mighty power and wondrous love of our God. Verses like this one:
He does great things too marvelous to understand.
He performs countless miracles. -Job 5:9
On the Nichole Nordeman project "Songs inspired by The Story" album, Broken Praise is Job's song. It was not a favorite at first, but perhaps another season of broken praise illuminated the power in the lyrics and music. Todd Smith of Selah sings the song. It begins:
"If one more person takes my hand and tries to say they understand,tells me there's a bigger plan that I'm not meant to see. If one more person dares suggest that I held something unconfessed,tries to make the dots connect from righteousness to easy street."
Job was the most Godly man walking the planet at the time God allowed Satan to test him. It was horrible. Beyond what most could endure. Still, he remained faithful. Even when he was broken. When Todd Smith was asked to sing this song on the compilation project, he and his wife had recently lost a baby. He knew the brokenness of the loss of a child. He had glimpsed Jobs heart. You can feel it in the song as it builds. It is powerful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6PP-YS-FqU
Job knew in his heart that when bad things happened, there was evil involved in an imperfect work. He trusted when most would have quit. He had his moments of deep discouragement and anger. Who wouldn't after losing your entire family and the wealth you had honestly accumulated? But Job didn't turn from God, even when human doubts surfaced in his very real suffering.
Job stayed true and God blessed him in the end beyond anything he ever imagined. His faithfulness was not overlooked or forgotten. Did the grief still echo when he remembered his first wife and their family together? His first love and his biggest loss? He was human.
We don't go through hard stuff without a few scars. Still, I think that God was with him and the deep sorrow changed... with time and with tears shed... to melancholy moments of sweet remembrance. Job plowed through the grief and God did not abandon him at his darkest moments. Job found a beautiful, broken praise.
Job found goodness and joy after the countless troubles. The blessings poured out on his faithful life, after that season of trials, were too many to count. He wasn't excused from the hardships. He trusted God and was obedient through suffering... and survived them. In fact, he thrived as a result of all he learned.
We can't count the goodness and grace God extendeds to each of us over the course of a lifetime. His faithfulness was, is and will always be one of the great wonders of this life. We can seek him in the brokenness and find strange joys in the broken praise.
The earth is just the right distance from the sun. The atmosphere is perfect for our lungs. The fresh water sustains us and the salt water provides so many good things for life as we know it. The seasons change and the earth renews itself each spring after winter grants it some rest.
To make a New Testament connection...
"Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." -John 21:25
We could write for days and days and never exhaust His goodness.
Today, I am grateful for countless things.
Year 6 - Day 246: Today, I am grateful that gratitude is inexhaustible.
It is true. There is always something to be grateful for. We just have to focus and redirect our thoughts. The list goes on and on.
Today, it might be gratitude for a long weekend, a rare chance to sleep in, someone else running to the grocery store for the staples like milk. These are all points of gratitude that pour light into our ordinary days.
Gratitude doesn't change God it changes us. When we grow in gratitude, it strengthens our hearts. Courage takes root in a grateful heart. As we grow in gratitude our vision clears and we begin to understand that we have a God who provides all of our needs. He is our enough. That was a nutshell, Sparknotes version of "Daily Gratitude" years one through five.
We are two thirds of the way through year six. Guess what? Each day still brings new reasons to be grateful.
In this sixth year, savor has been a theme. Learning to savor my blessings and to let them fuel a grateful heart. There is much to savor.
This past weekend, we savored our time Friday night Smith/Leander traditions with the whole crew (we are up to 12). We added in time back home with family celebrating a new marriage, singing with Mama and time with Lindgren cousins from far away. My sister-in-love (Jennifer's) birthday seemed to happen twice since we were still awake at midnight for early birthday wishes. Sunday morning brought coffee and conversation with my brother and two nieces. Time with long treasured friends and catching up with some I've not seen in years was an added bonus. The weekend was full... and I still have a Monday to prepare for the new week. My gratitude cup overflows.
Gratitude does not have to be fancy. In fact, some of my favorites are the most ordinary and simple.
"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" -Psalm 150:6
Let each breath be celebrated and each moment recognized as the gift that it is. We are here to learn to love Him... and each other. Heaven is only one last breath away. Every day is a new chance to seek his face, celebrate his grace and embrace this time and place.
I am grateful for those who are taking the gratitude journey with me. I learn so much from you. Together is the best place to be. I love Paul's greeting to the Philippians:
"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God" Philippians 1:3(NLT)
Doing life together... in a community... is how we learn, grow and go on to live the gospel. One day at a time. Gratitude doesn't change God it changes us.
Today, I am grateful that gratitude is inexhaustible.
Year 6 - Day 245: Today, I am grateful for my nook.
Do you have a nook? A place that you can sit cozy and content. This image represent the perfect spot. I do not currently have a window seat like this one, but I have my own cozy spot. Most of us probably do.
One Christmas, after Walker was off to college, my guys decided to move my writing spot and crafting table upstairs. It was such a sweet gift, knowing how much I need light and a spot to write. It is my special place to study, read reflect and savor that first cup of coffee.
This image grabbed my eye because of the window, the light, the French press and the shoeless girl with a mug in hand. Yes, a slice of heaven. Be sure to look up the artist online if it speaks to you, too. This image reminds me to rest and recharge. We all need a recharge at times.
Jesus gave us a wonderful example to follow. When life got loud... or felt like too much... he would withdraw to the wilderness to pray. The crowds pressed in... as did the reality that his ministry was urgent and would be short. The people were starting to see his power and the church leaders were becoming more upset with him. When overwhelmed, he went somewhere quiet to pray.
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. -Luke 5:16
In the wilderness, did he fully relax and savor time with the Father? Did he pray with tenacity for the mission ahead, that his human weaknesses would not interfere.? I don't know what he prayed, but I know the act of slipping off to a quiet spot is of great value. It helps us recharge and rekindle our passion and purpose.
A little nook time has restoration power.
Today, I am grateful for my nook.
Year 6 - Day 244: Today, I am grateful for stained glass.
I am drawn to glass art. Stained glass is in the family. It dates back around 5000 years. The process is hot, brutal and time consuming. There must be determination and tenacity on the part of the artist and patience in the patron. It happens when it happens. Something can always go wrong when you are dealing with glass and it takes time to fix it. Time is precious, but the end result is worth the wait.
Stained glass isn't just beautiful, it often tells a story. My Dad always pointed out the stained glass window in the little Clifton church he grew up attending. It is a precious, old, wooden building full of history and hearts seeking to know God. There is a window that shows Jesus knocking on a door. The door has no knob. It must be opened from the inside. Dad said, "Jesus won't push, he has to be invited into our hearts. We have to open the door." It reminds me of the scripture "Knock, and the door will be opened." Also, the parable about the persistent neighbor who kept knocking until the door was answered. Persistence and patience. A perfect story told in stained glass.
Like the raw, unrelated materials that create stained glass come together in the furnace at high temperatures melt into something new, beautiful and useful, so we come together in Christ, with our unique experiences, talents and passions. The church is not a building, although it is good to come together under one roof. The church is like a stained glass masterpiece. Each one’s unique story, like the individual pieces and colors, is a part of the picture. Jesus is the lead and the light. He touches every piece, uniting us and holding it together. He is the light that illuminates and brings it to life. Broken people come together in Him; broken to become beautiful.
The Master loves the masterpiece. All of the pieces. Non is too small or unimportant. They all work together to tell the story. In fact, some of the tiniest piece take the longest to bring to perfection. He never gives up on them. He just keeps working it out until it is finished.
I came on this verse today:
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. -1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
We are all different. Yet, we are by the authority of Christ, we are called to live in harmony. Harmony is not everyone singing the same part. It is the melody of all the voices coming together. Harmony is my favorite. Solos are great, but harmony gives me that tingles down my spine when it is perfect. Seeking him... together... in harmony. One part is not more important than the other. The sound man is as important as the soloist or pianist.
It all comes together, in Him, as beautiful as a stained glass window, door or lampshade.
If you are unfamiliar with the stained glass process, you can link to it here: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Stained-Glass.html
Today, I am grateful for stained glass.
