A Thousand Miracles

 

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 280- Today, I am grateful for a thousand miracles.

"To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles." - Mary Louis

As the seasons change and summer slips into fall, I cannot help but be reminded of a thousand miracles around us everyday. '

Tiny seeds have grown into flowers and vegetables. And now, blooms become seeds to be saved for next spring. The rows of corn and beans are being picked from the fields. The winter will rest and restore the land to allow it to bear food again. 

The hummingbirds will move on to their winter homes, but they will find they, too, will return, just like the geese. 

"On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate." - Psalm 145:5

Let us not forget to notice the delicate intricacies and balance of nature, by His design.

Today, I am grateful for a thousand miracles.

To Walk In Truth

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 279- Today, I am grateful we can walk in truth. 

This world would lead us to believe that truth is subjective. We were warned that it would be this way in the last days. 

Since God's hourglass is not a 24 hour clock, we do not know how many generations will qualify as "the last days." The length of that season isn't important. What is important is knowing the Truth and letting that Truth guide our days. 

I used to avoid Revelation. I am so grateful our Sunday school class studied Revelation several  years ago. I now find it fascinating. I still don't understand it, but it sparks more curiosity than fear. The "Letters to the Churches" leave me wondering to which church of this day are the letters addressing? 

Petra used to sing a song called, "Living in Laodicea." In Revelation, Laodicea is the church that once burned bright, but has allowed culture to impact it in a way that it is merely "lukewarm." The lukewarm is spit out. I don't want to be spit out.

This passage has been a growing favorite of mine: 

"It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us." -2 John 1:4

A dear friend and sister in Christ finished her race to receive her crown on Wednesday evening. All of the mysteries have been answered for her. She has heard "well done, good and faithful servant." (I am not quite ready to write about her life as a gratitude post... but it will come soon.)

Heaven is for real. Prophecy is unfolding all around us... I may lose some readers today... but I have to answer to the One who took my nails and paid my entry fee. We were purchased at a price and then made adopted children. Wow! Right? Adopted means joint heirs with Jesus as an old gospel song used to frame it.  

Are we as hungry to know His Word and to seek His Way as we are to get tickets to a big game or a big concert event? 

Heavenly reunions are a day closer today than they were yesterday. We can guarantee our seats at the reunion table with a simple prayer (Romans 10:9) and sincere surrender (Romans 12:1). 

"Not they will but thine be done..." Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened.

Today, I am grateful we can walk in truth. 

Sit and Cry with Jesus

 

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 278- Today, I am grateful we can sit and cry with Jesus. 

This was my verse for the day:

"Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near." -Isaiah 55:6

We all have seasons of grief and loss. To live and love is to face loss. The gift of long, deep, and rich relationships is precious and priceless. 

As I drove home from work yesterday, this passage seemed to be on auto repeat.

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

No mountain is too high. No valley too low. Nothing can separate us from His love. 

Love bears all things. We never have to bear our burdens alone. 

Today, I am grateful we can sit and cry with Jesus. 

Strengthened By Grace

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 277- Today, I am grateful we can be strengthened by grace. 

Grace is something we are given that we did not earn. We don't deserve it. It is a gift. 

When we recognize the truth that Jesus gave up heaven, took on human skin, suffered, and then died so we could be spared the price of our own sins... it is pretty humbling. 

As a child, I bore the grief and guilt of the price He paid for my sins. It haunted me. I didn't like Easter because it meant reliving Holy Week... that felt more miserable than Holy to a child. 

I remember reading Max Lucado's book, "He Choose the Nails" many years ago. It is a great book. I finally understood  what I had missed all along. He paid the price out of love and obedience. He would rather take the cross than see us suffer. His grace was never meant to inspire guilt, but to strengthen us. 

The BeeGees sang, "How deep is your love?" Jesus showed us when he stretched out His arms and took the nails in our place. His grace is deep and wide. 

"You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus" -2 Timothy 2:1

Today, I am grateful we can be strengthened by grace. 

God Does Not Sleep

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 276- Today, I am grateful God does not sleep.

I remember the first time I heard the quote, "Every night when you go to bed, give your problems to God. He is going to be up all night anyway." 

I loved it the first time I heard it. The problem is that I sometimes pick the worry back up when I wake up. That is not as He intended. He wants us to lay our worries at His feet in faith and with expectation that He will move in a way that will provide a way through any trial. 

"He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber." -Psalm 121:3

Rest. Trust. And, remember His faithfulness. 

Today, I am grateful God does not sleep.

The Next Step

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 275- Today, I am grateful for the next step.

Charlie Mackesy provided the perfect quote for today:

"I can't see a way through," said the boy. 
"Can  you see your next step?" 
"Yes."
"Just take that," said the horse.

 One day at a time. One minute. One hour. There is so much wisdom in that approach. 

By nature, I like a plan and a back-up plan. I have always overpacked for trips and tried to carry extra stuff with me "just in case." 

Dad and Mama used to tell the story of me as a "just in case" little girl. We were visiting "Grandpa" Evan Wade down the road. He was the father of one of my Dad's best friends. He was not a relative, but they were close friends who treated us like extended family. 

Grandpa Wade loved to engage the little ones in conversation. I arrived that day with two purses. I had a pink one slung crossbody over one shoulder, and a white one with navy trim crossbody over the other. (Apparently, I rocked the "crossbody" thing  at a young age. )

Grandpa Wade became curious about what was in my two purses. The story goes that I opened the first purse to proudly show him a dime. I thought I was rich. Then he asked, "What's in the other purse?" I shyly opened the second purse to show him a pair of clean underwear and whispered, "Just in case." He never forgot the story, so it was told often. I was his "just in case" girl. 

That story reminds me that we really are all wired uniquely. For each of us, our one-of-a-kind design has blessings and challenges. Our families can verify that fact. Part of being in loving relationships is adapting to what the other needs with love and compassion. (The Love-of-my-Life proves this each time we pay for an extra suitcase or overweight luggage.)

I am guilty of fretting about the "just in case" happening, when I simply need to remember to embrace "the next step." The next step is always the first one we should take. Don't buy or invent tomorrow's troubles. This day has enough of its own.  

Jesus reminds us to only take one day at a time:

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

One day at a time. One step at a time. I often need the reminder to refocus. 

Today, I am grateful for the next step.

Reminders to Rest

Daily Gratitude Year Eleven-Day 274- Today, I am grateful for reminders to rest.

"If you get tired, learn to rest... not quit."

What a great quote! It makes me think of one of my favorite life verses. It is an anti-anxiety verse. Most know the first part, but the entire verse is a reminder of why we can "be still." 

He is God. We can know Him. He "will be"... today, tomorrow, and forever... exalted among the nations and over all the earth. 

"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

We can count on it. We can count on him. 

Today, I am grateful for reminders to rest.