The Sunrise of God's Faithfulness

 Year 8-Day 226: Today, I am grateful for the sunrise of God's faithfulness. 

The sun will come up tomorrow. It is something we count on. The day might be bright and cheery or it might rain. Whatever the weather, the sunrise is sure. There are times I think God placed the sun in the sky not just to warm and light the earth, but to give us new hope with each daybreak. 

"Just as the sun is faithful to rise, so too is God's faithfulness." -Michelle Bengston 

Nature can't help but reflect His glory. He loves order and whimsy, too. The earth spins and makes it's way around the sun in a way we can predict and observe. That is the order. But our God is so much more. While keeping the earth perfectly positioned to support life on this planet, he paints a new sunrise every morning. That is the whimsy.

Frankly, I find the orderly ways of nature as intriguing as the watercolor skies. 

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. -Psalm 9:1

All of his wonderful ways. They delight the senses and hope is renewed at each sunrise. 

Today, I am grateful for the sunrise of God's faithfulness. 

Roasted Veggies

 

Year 8-Day 225: Today, I am grateful for roasted vegetables.

We all know we should eat our veggies. Nutritionists, doctors and mothers constantly remind us to that vegetables are our friends. Honestly, I love veggies, but have discovered that roasting them makes most of them better. 

If we pay close attention to our bodies, most will find that when we increase the vegetables on our plates, the health results are very real. They show up in our skin, digestion improves and often on the scale. 

I remember the documented story of the Hebrew boys taken into captivity in Babylon. 

"“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” -Daniel 1:12-13

The boys shined at the end of the testing period. God blessed their faithful heart and gave them wisdom and understanding, including what to eat. They did not want to eat food that had been offered to idols for blessing. They did not want to eat things that made them feel pleasure for a moment, but miserable later. I need to read this story often and take notes. 

The good news is that veggies do not have to be awful. Roasting them enhances the flavor. A little olive oil and seasoning brings them up from tolerable to crave-able. 

Try something new... or mix them together in new ways. Summer is at its best. 

Today, I am grateful for roasted vegetables.

Grit

  Year 8-Day 224: Today, I am grateful for grit.

Grit is word seldom used these days. The truth is, we need more grit. 

True grit is a combination of courage, bravery, spirit, strength of will, still, fortitude, hardiness, determination, tenacity, endurance and perseverance. Someone with grit is not afraid of hard work and difficult tasks.Grit doesn't give.

Joseph and Noah are two of my favorite people from the Old Testament. They both showed grit when people were laughing at them or putting them down. Most would have given up, but Joseph and Noah pressed on. Their faithfulness was rewarded. 

Grit is the thing that makes us keep going when it doesn't make sense. 

We were never told the road would be easy. Only that it would be worth it. 

"Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us."-Colossians 1:9-12

Today, I am grateful for grit.

Firstborn

 Year 8-Day 223: Today, I am grateful for Chase.

My first born is twenty-nine today. How can that be possible? I remember the night he was born. I remember the long hours that led up to the miracle. I remember the way he would study the world around him with a curious mind and an intensity that should have given us clues about his future and the man he would grow up to be. 

He always asked big questions... hard questions... beyond his years about God, the stars and dinosaurs. He would line up his cars and tie them together with strings long before his high school physics Rube Goldberg assignment. 

He is programmed for critical thinking and enjoys problem solving. He is equally capable of putting pen to paper with ease. Okay, he uses a computer, but you know what I mean. He never tires of learning new things, and remembers most of what he learns.

He has always loved animals... big and small. A fluffy, senior Rottweiler named Penny has him wrapped around her paw. I love that he (and Emma) rescued an older dog from the local shelter. Of course, I am a firm believer that our pets rescue us right back. Penny looks at him with adoration and I can't help but smile. He is so much like his Dad. 

He loves his wife with his whole heart and treasures their days together. Being a husband has added a new dimension to his personality and we can't help but smile. 

I am grateful God placed him in our arms and protected him from our inexperience as parents. I am grateful for the many who loved him with us and helped him grow. Birthday are a wonderful opportunity to express gratitude for the many blessings on our lives. 

Today, I am grateful for Chase.

Courage

 Year 8-Day 222: Today, I am grateful for courage.

Most of us don't think of ourselves as courageous. Courage rises when love conquers fear. The courageous are not fearless. They taste the fear, but do not let it rule in their hearts and lives. 

We see courage in our soldiers, police, firefighters and healthcare workers, but many would not describe themselves as brave. They want the world to be better, safer and healthier. They offer their lives as living sacrifices every day as they stand in the gaps, advocating and seeking justice for those who have no heroes to defend them. 

This year, as schools across the nation are making decisions to open or remain closed, our educators are on the front lines, too. The world as our children have known it has changed in what seems like a heartbeat. Some parents will become their children's educators as each family decides what is best for their family. CS Lewis has a simple quote that struck the right chord with today:

"Courage, dear heart." -CS Lewis

Simple words. Encouraging words. We all need encouragement these days. 

Everyone these days is making hard choices. Be kind. Everyone is faced with new challenges. Offer grace. Everyone is testing new waters. Be forgiving. Everyone needs a little courage. Let love conquer fear.  

This scripture hits the mark perfectly:

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” -Deuteronomy 31:6

Today, I am grateful for courage.

No Water In The Boat

 

Year 8-Day 221: Today, I am grateful there is no water in the boat. 

"Ships don't sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what's happening around you get inside you and weigh you down."

That is certainly a good message for these times. 

Each morning, we wake up to a new day... a fresh start... and a clean slate. Yesterday's mess ups and struggles may impact today, but much of that is a reflection of the power we give yesterdays failures. Do we let yesterday define us or refine us? 

I promise you, our God is looking for us to make revisions and refinements. He doesn't define us by who we were before we accepted His love and grace into our lives. He longs for us to grow wiser and do better. Some of our best refinements come from the times we really blow it. His mercy and forgiveness is deep and wide.

How many days do I look at the troubled waters around me... and in my own anxious moments... invite water into my own boat? Nervously rocking back and forth, the water slips into the boat. The water isn't that noticeable at first, but my feet get wet. I keep rocking. Fear escalates and so does discomfort. The back and forth motion gets bigger and more dangerous. I am prone to motion sickness, too. Ugh! Pure misery.

How do we keep the water out? The answer is one of my favorite passages:

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” -Psalm 46:10

I have the first part of this scripture over my kitchen sink. The reminder to "Be still and know." is exactly what we need to do. When fear would have us frantic in the boat, because of a storm or rough seas, we are instructed to "be still". Practice the pause. Pray. Practice patience. Peek into the scriptures to perceive God's heart. 

Many question how God can love us and allow these turbulent times. The rest of his creation is driven by instinct and natural desires. He made us in "His image" so that we have the unique power to choose Him or reject him. He longs for us to love Him back.                          

My verse of the day is a lovely compliment. 

"“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows." -Luke 12:6-7

We matter to our Lord and King. He longs for us to trust him with our whole hearts. When it feels like there is "water in the boat", we can ask, "How did it get there"? Too many times, the discomfort and sinking feeling is a direct result of my own lack of trust or disobedience. 

Yes, bad things can and do happen to all of us. God didn't promise us exemption, but he promised we never need to feel alone or isolated. When the wind is whipping and the boat is rocking... we can stay safe and dry. Fear can interrupt us, keeping us from living out our best lives. 

We can trust His goodness and His care. As CS Lewis wrote so poetically: "He isn't always "safe" but he is always good." 

Our God is fierce. Remember the rest of Psalm 46:10? "I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” He is clear about his expectations. 

Dad always said, "The grist mill wheels of God's judgment grinds slowly but infinitely fine." We can't outsmart God or his commandments. We can be still and know that he has the hairs on our heads counted and knows when even one sparrow falls. His attention to detail is rooted in omniscience. He is omnipotent. And, perhaps my favorite trait... He is omnipresent. 

Omnipresent means he is in the boat with us. No need for water in the boat. And, if it seems the boat is sinking... our Savior walks on water. 

Today, I am grateful there is no water in the boat. 

Experience

 Year 8-Day 221: Today, I am grateful for experience.

Experience doesn't always come easy or without bumps and bruises. Mark Twain says it well:

"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions." -Mark Twain

What a true statement. Can we grow old and wise with flawless grace? For most, there are struggles along the way. Those trials help mold us in way a smooth path never would. 

"Indeed, we all make many mistakes." James 3:2a

The passage goes on to speak about learning self control, including the tongue. The tongue does get us into trouble. Learning to harness its power take practice. Peace comes to those who manage to do that very thing. 

"Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent." -Psalm 4:4 

They say practice makes perfect, but practice, also, takes time.

Today, I am grateful for experience.