Glasses

Deuteronomy 32:3

“For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
Ascribe greatness to our God!”

My vision isn’t terrible, but it’s just bad enough to make it difficult to read signs on the road until they’re too close to do me much good.  It’s surprising how difficult it can make it to recognize who a person is, too.  I often recognize people by the way they walk before I recognize their features.  This is one of the reasons that I am thankful that God made light so that it could be refracted through a lens.

Glasses can also become an expression of a person’s personality.  My first pair of glasses were pretty plain and simple - I didn’t want them to look dorky, but I didn’t really see a need for a sense of style.  My second pair found me having taken notice of others’ glasses simply because I was now one who also wore them.  I liked the attitude they could add, and thus got a pair with just a touch of sass.  The possibilities God has given us to accessorize are infinite.  I love and enjoy seeing the resulting variety.

The way that God has orchestrated every detail of our world (like how light refracts, or the ability to accessorize) sends my mind into a static “does not compute” mode.  It is truly amazing when you begin to think of all of the things that we take for granted - and He specifically made it that way and constantly maintains it.  How great is our God?

Weekly Impressions - The Giver

Dear Lord,

I love this journey that you’ve set me on to write about one thing that I’m thankful for each day.  It has helped me to be purposeful about meditating on You more often, and You have shown me many things each day through those meditations.  Thank you for setting me on this journey.  I praise the Giver of all good things.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen

One of the things that God has shown me fairly recently, is something that I had said toward the beginning.  I had said that I was searching for God in the things around me.  I didn’t realize the wisdom of that until later.  In finding something to be thankful for each day, it is easy to begin focusing on the thing... I have to be careful that I am worshiping the Giver and not the gift.

Someone mentioned this in an offhand phrase that wasn’t necessarily pointed at me, but the Holy Spirit snatched it and held it up in front of my heart.  I had recently been struggling with how to show God in the thankful things that I was posting, and He was telling me the reason why it is so important to not just look at the gift.  He is the one worthy of all our praise.  He gives us many gifts, but it is Him we worship for those gifts.

If you look up the word “worship” in the dictionary, it talks about feelings of reverence.  This is all well and good, but our worship toward the Lord is more about ascribing worth.  This is not a feeling.  This is a choice.  The Lord is worthy of all our praise, whether we feel like reverencing Him or not.  Gifts are not worthy of worship.  I pray that God helps me to keep the correct focus, to worship the Giver.

Knitting

I find knitting fun, fulfilling, and therapeutic.  It allows me to do something with my hands while I sit, whether resting between chores or waiting at the doctor’s office.  This makes me feel productive.

It may not be the most efficient way to create a piece of clothing, or a blanket, etc., but I don’t have access to all of the tools required to make a modern piece of clothing.  Besides... I enjoy taking the scenic route sometimes!

I don’t like to make decisions, so I find it restful to follow a pattern.  For those times when I do feel creative, it’s easy to mess around and create a pattern.  It’s a simple art that has infinite possibilities.

It has been awhile since I last knit, as I was rather busy with getting back into the groove of things with a child.  However, I have just been able to pick it up again, and find myself smiling just thinking about it.  I am thankful that God made something that satisfies both my desire for practicality and my desire for creativity.

The Night Sky

I’m not sure what it is about the night sky with all the stars, planets, and the moon, but I’ve always loved gazing up at night.  Perhaps it is the contrast that draws my eye, but it remains a mystery to me as to what about it continues to hold my gaze.  There’s something comforting, almost familiar about them.

Perhaps it reminds me of how big God really is to create all of those tiny sparkling points that are really far larger than I can fully imagine.  A God who is big enough and has the power to do that is also “small” enough to have a personal relationship with me.  With a God like that advocating for me, how can I be afraid of anything but Him?  

I thank God for the night sky, and for the reminder of how big He is:  so big I can’t even fully comprehend it!

Walking

What do you do for exercise?  My body doesn’t take kindly to impact, so I enjoy swimming, bicycling, and walking.  For lack of a bike and a pool, I have begun walking.  I am blessed that there is a lake adjoined to a park within walking distance of my work, and it makes for an enjoyable circuit.

It seems that exercise helps me to sleep, but also gives me more overall energy, which means that I don’t need quite as much sleep.  I like this fact, because then I can accomplish more in my day - and perhaps have a bit of time for more of the fun things.  

I think that the fact that we need exercise is an aftereffect of the fact that God created us to work, (“Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15) which is why our overall health is better when we do exercise.  So I am thankful that God created a way for walking to be that exercise for those who can’t do as much.

God's Promises

No matter what you’re struggling with right now, God has at least one promise to combat it.  Some struggles have numerous promises relating to them.  Fear and anxiety for example.  God says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6); and “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7); and “The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” (Psalms 121:8).  There are many more that relate to fear and anxiety.

Are you struggling with pride?  “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Proverbs 16:18).  The word there for destruction refers to breaking, crushing, or fractures - it’s a picture of the harm you will do to yourself in your pride more than anything.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit [those who are not spiritually arrogant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:3)

Do you struggle with depression?  “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”  (Psalm 30:5).  “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9).

Any temptation for any sin: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God’s Word is rich with His promises and the tools to fight the good fight that He has given us.  I am so thankful that He has given us His promises, that we might grip them in our times of stumbling and doubt.  I encourage you, that when you are struggling with something, identify the struggle for what it is as quickly as you can, then find at least one of God’s promises that speaks to that struggle.  Arm yourself, my friend.  

I have shared a few of the verses that help me in my struggles.  If you feel led to share your findings, please do so below, so that we can encourage one another and learn from each other.

Weekends

Exodus 20:8

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

I am thankful for My Job, but I am also thankful for weekends.  They allow far more time and opportunity to get together with friends (and/or to get things done, if you so choose).  

God has given me a new balance in my life with this job and a new child.  I have come to need my three-day weekend in order to have enough time to spend with God, spend with my husband, tend to my child, spend with friends, and also to refresh.  It feels like a pretty crowded schedule, but I can’t imagine what it would be like without a weekend to do it in.  I am thankful that God commanded a day of rest, and I am thankful that we live in the concept of a weekend.