Friends we find when lost

 

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 38: Today, I am grateful for the friends we find when lost. 

Is there anything more humbling than realizing you are lost? Most of us do not relish the moments we discover we have no idea where we are going, but it is certainly not where we intended to be. From the classic, "Snow White". by the Brothers Grimm, we find this quote:

"It is when we are most lost that we sometimes find our truest friends." - Snow White, By the Brothers Grimm

In the Disney version, Snow White finds the seven dwarves before she finds her Prince. They are all so full of personality and charming, even the grumpy ones. They find her and take her in. They give her a family and a home. They give her a place and a space where she feels she belongs. What a glorious gift it is, to feel like you are loved, wanted, needed and like you belong... especially when you feel like you have been lost and alone. 

When we feel lost and alone, Jesus is near. He never abandons his own. In Him, there is truth and refuge. He is the best of friends. 

"The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him." -Nahum 1:7

We are never so lost we are out of His reach. 

Today, I am grateful for the friends we find when lost. 

Wise Pursuits

 

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 37: Today, I am grateful for wise pursuits. 

I needed flowers today. The rose seller, Trinda, in the MJHS musical, "Oliver, Jr." did an amazing job! She made me long for fresh flowers. 

This scripture is a snippet of wisdom from the perfect little book of Proverbs. 

"Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor." -Proverbs 21:21

Even if you are not a believer in the Bible and Jesus, the Book of Proverbs is an amazing read. God gifted Solomon with Godly wisdom and any human who follows the wise instruction will benefit. 

The word pursue is a good place to pause. To be in pursuit implies chasing down. Do we chase righteousness and love? The by-product is finding a fuller life, prosperity and honor. 

We all measure success in ways that are personal. In the end, I  am reminded that when you walk through a cemetery, no one puts their resume highlights on their tombstone. What fragrance will we leave behind? What seeds are we planting and watering?

We can choose to chase His Word and His ways. When offering our lives as a "living sacrifice", we follow Him with our whole hearts. Not every day is perfect, but our Lord is perfect in every way. There are seasons of refining fires, but don't abandon the race. Wise pursuits lead to peace, joy, fun, community and fellowship. 

Today, I am grateful for wise pursuits. 

Local Theater

 

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 36: Today, I am grateful for local theater.

Our MJHS students have two out of three performances under their belts. What a show they are putting on for their community. "Oliver, Jr.", the musical, is based on Dicken's Oliver Twist. The youth have outdone themselves again. They can sing, act and dance. 

Local theater comes in many varieties. It never disappoints. The shows taking place in the schools bring out so much community support. That is a part of what makes it so special. 

One more show at the Bertha Frank on Sunday at 2pm. $3 for K-12 students and senior citizens. $5 for adults. 

Simple gratitude today. 

Today, I am grateful for local theater.

One Kind Word

 

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 35: Today, I am grateful for one kind word. 

Kindness is powerful. This quote sums it up:

"One kind word can warm three winter months."

Kindness matters. It can be a game changer.

"Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." -Proverbs 16:24

Kindness is encouraging and healing. It is not costly. It only takes a little time. Kindness is a choice. The more it is practiced, the more reflexive it becomes. 

Kindness is, at times, a form of courage, too. There are times we have to reach deep to find the kindest response. Perhaps the people who provoke us need our kindness the most. A kind word can feel like a kiss of grace. 

Today, I am grateful for one kind word. 

Power

 

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 34: Today, I am grateful the power is on.

When winter storms happen, one of the great concerns is losing power. To be perfectly honest, our street rarely experiences power outages. When we do, it is a reminder of the importance of electricity. 

I am comforted by my gas oven and wood fireplace (and a neighbor who has been known to share his generator) but the best case scenario is to not lose power in the first place.  

Power is something we take for granted until it is out. We expect lights to turn on when we flip the switch and washing machines to work when we push the button. 

This was my scripture for today:

"But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress." -Psalm 59:16

This passage reminds us to celebrate the power of our Lord and His unfailing love.

Do I take God's power for granted, too? I run to His arms when I am scared or weary, but do I remember to sing of His wonderful power and love at the dawn of each new day? I like to think "Daily Gratitude" helps me do that very thing, but some days I drop the ball. I need to celebrate every day there is "power in the blood".

Storms come and go. I need to remember to focus on the blessings and rejoice in His mighty hand. It is the same hand that holds both the vast universe and the unborn baby just beginning to take form in their mother's womb. Now, that is power. 

Today, I am grateful the power is on.

My Guy

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 33: Today, I am grateful for my guy.

My guy does not love having his picture taken, but occasionally I get to capture him. He has been my guy for about 37 years. Crazy how time flies by. His blue eyes still capture my attention and his wit still makes me laugh. I am so grateful for every year, because I know that life can be unpredictable and fragile. 

My guy... the one I usually refer to as "The Love of my Life" is really one of the most humble guys I know. He never wants a fuss made over him. He doesn't like to be the center of attention. He loves to work and wants to leave a good mark on anything he touches. He is crazy smart and loves learning new things, too.  He is quiet but sincere in His faith. He is an amazing Dad and brother. He likes to think he is a favorite uncle and cousin, too. (Don't burst his bubble.)

He believes in doing the right thing, even if no one is watching. He makes me laugh and drives me nuts (I know that works both ways.) I am so grateful for his birth, life and the way he loves. He never intended to stay in Illinois, but here we are and now it is home.

Together is my favorite place to be. On this day, I am grateful for his birth and the gift of sharing his days. I hope he knows how deeply he is loved. Not just today, but every day. He lives out this scripture every day:

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her." -Ephesians 5:25

I pray God grants us many more shared anniversaries of his birth. 

Today, I am grateful for my guy.

 

Calm Before the Storm

Gratitude Year 10 - Day 32: Today, I am grateful for the calm before the storm.   

We need time to gather our gumption to take on life's storms. The shelves are clearing out of milk, bread and eggs as people prepare for a winter storm. 12-17 inches of snow is in the forecast. I never believe it until I see it. 

It is always entertaining to watch people in the grocery store. Each one has their own idea of prepping. Beyond the mild, bread and eggs... chocolate chips and other baking supplies are suddenly in high demand. Nothing smells like fresh baked cookies when the snow starts to pile high. Without kids at home, I don't bake much... because I love warm cookies fresh from the oven. 

We find comfortable routines as we face the storm. Things like baking, board games, crafting or even laundry. Calmly, we watch and wait. What will be, will be. No need to fret or fear. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

We don't need to buy tomorrow's troubles. Jesus said:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." -Matthew 6:34

Each snowflake is a fragile work of art. Together, snowflakes create mountains of snow, enough to bring a community to a stand still. Embrace the calm.

 Today, I am grateful for the calm before the storm.