Don't overlook God's blessings

What a morning! I woke up with a busy, busy morning in front of me. Or, rather a very busy 1-1/2 hours. Today is grooming day for my 3 little dogs. This means I must rise extra early, let all 4 dogs out, get myself showered, dressed, and hopfully woken up minus caffeine (there is never enough time to drink a cup of coffee or tea). Then it is load up the 3 little dogs while keeping the big dog penned up and get to the groomers. Doesn't sound too hectic until you consider the drive to the groomers is about 20-30 minutes (depending on school bus route times).

This morning I fully intended to keep my focus on the simple things in life, the beauty that God has all around me for me to appreciate. Instead, here was my lesson.

God works all things for my good.

How did that lesson arrive? Well, part of our grooming day schedule is (weather permitting) to ensure that the backyard gets mowed because one of our little dogs is allergic to grass. Of course, he's the shortest dog as well so literally can spend his life up to his neck in grass if we can't keep it mowed.  Well, the grass was damp because we've been blessed with much needed rain.  This means that I wasn't about to try and learn all the inner workings of my husband's new riding mower (just enough different from our old mower to get me in a LOT of trouble), so I got out the push mower. Granted, it is self-propelled, but it is still a push mower.  I gas it up and off I go.

As I mow I realize that all the edging around the heat pumps, patio, and fence line needs to be done as well. Then here comes my fleshy self. I was just ranting and raving in my mind about things like "How come no one ever runs the weed-eater the way it needs to be done? Why do they wait until a 30 minute to an hour touch-up job turns into a full morning chore?" I got myself quite worked up, when suddenly Romans 8:28 came to mind.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)


WOW! Suddenly the Holy Spirit convicted me of all the negativity I had been building up. I was humbled as a new light was shed on everything I had been looking at through a dark glass. My God, even though I was so undeserving, has blessed me with a house and some land. We have a yard that He allows us to enjoy and it does need regular maintenance. All the opportunities that come with having this glorious gift came flooding into my mind. I don't have to have an extra gym membership. My Lord has provided a way for me to get regular exercise and enjoy the outdoors while caring for the land He's given us stewardship over. I don't have to search for opportunities for my children and grandchildren to learn the feeling of a job well done with their own hands. The Lord has provided a way for them to have a regular job in helping care for this blessing the Lord has bestowed upon us.
 

Instead of allowing myself to wallow in the anger and rage that had been rearing its ugly heard earlier (and setting a potentially ominous tone for the day), my soul raised up a huge praise to my Lord!  Thank you, my wonderful Father in heaven, for blessing me so generously. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for showing me this wonderful lesson today. Help me to forever keep my heart, mind, and soul open to You and your teachings to I can walk more closely to You, my sweet and precious Lord and Saviour.
 

Trixie supervising morning mowing chore

Beautiful rain!

It has been dry so long the grass was getting brown and crunchy. We've been gloriously blessed with rain. Things that were shriveling up and about to waste away are green and growing. It is simply beautiful. It is awe-inspiring to watch the growth that rain can produce. A simple thing, rain. It is water produced from condensation in the air and falls to earth.  What it does is magnificent. It helps things to grow.

It amazes me how things all around me remind me of what God does in my life.  Without Him I begin to "get crunchy." Okay, not literally.  But I get cranky. My words become more coarse and less a reflection of the Lord I serve. I begin to dry up and wither without the daily reign of the Lord in my life.  He is the  Living Water and I need Him in my life.

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as^b the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” ³⁹

^b Or / If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me. / And let him drink, who believes in me. / As

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jn 7:37-39

Sunshine and Son's shine

Sitting here looking out my window enjoying the sunshine pouring in my window. Sunshine, such a beautiful thing. A shimmering reflection spreading light. Saying something is sunny is a kin to saying something is happy. Seeing the sun in the morning, watching it rise and cut through the fog, does make me smile. The sun aids in processes to help plants grow. It even helps us stay healthy. Lack of sunshine causes things to be dreary. In the fall and winter when there is less sunshine, people tend to get depressed.

I can't help but notice the remarkable similarity to the Son. He is the Light in the darkness, and oh what a Light He is. Darkness must flee from Him. It gives me joy to be in His presence, a joy that goes beyond words. His light cuts through the fog the world throws at me. He guides me along my way. Jesus is the Light of the world. What a privilege to reflect His light and share His news. Do you know Him? Do you spend your days in the Son's shine?

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor 4:6 NIV)