Speakers

2 Corinthians 10:5

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the 

obedience of Christ..."

I love speakers (especially good ones!) because I love listening to music. Headphones are great, but speakers make it much easier to enjoy music with others. I have a soundtrack, of sorts, that plays in my head in the background throughout my day-to-day life, but it’s much nicer to be able to share what I’m listening to, and speakers do just that.

Left to my own devices, the soundtrack can get somewhat moody if I don’t “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ[.]” (2 Corinthians 10:5b) I mostly use speakers to either play K-Love or my Christian music playlist to keep my thoughts on Christ. Focus on Him raises my spirits, rather than focus on myself, which leads to discontentment.

I am thankful for speakers, that they can be a great tool to keep my mind stayed upon the Lord. What helps you keep your mind on Christ?

Smiles

Romans 8:28

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." 

Smiles can come out of nowhere and catch you by surprise. Pleasant surprise.

I often stay up a little while after my husband with the light on to read or some such in bed. He graciously puts on a sleep mask and proceeds to enter the world of dreams. Sometimes he will start “awake” and say something to me, or ask a nonsensical question (which usually makes me smile). And sometimes he’ll “wake,” smile at me, then turn over and go back to sleep.

Last night was such a night. He even added a kiss in my direction. There was no reason for it, nothing to precipitate it, he simply smiled at me. I felt special (the kiss also helped) and, in turn, it made me smile, too.

God uses smiles like that in my life to remind me He loves and cares for me. It could be a random stranger I walk past who flashes me a smile, or my one-year-old son’s grin as I walk into the room, or my husband starting from sleep to smile at me. God knew a smile right then would make me feel loved. I am thankful for how God works through smiles.

Have you smiled lately? God is causing all things to work together to make us more like Christ!

Safety Gates

2 Chronicles 16:9a

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

When you have a small mobile child, one rather energy-saving item is a safety gate. Our son has been mobile since about five months, when he learned to crawl. He is constantly on the go, and blocking his path to dangerous (or unsupervised) territory is so much easier than grabbing him every minute when he chooses to head its direction.

When I look back on my life as God’s child, I can see various safety gates He has erected to keep me from going to dangerous places (not to say He doesn’t just grab me when I head that way, too, sometimes). I am blessed I cannot go anywhere apart from His supervision, but He does allow me to choose either to sin or to follow Him. I don’t know about you, but more and more I find I sin quite frequently, which can lead to some pretty dangerous places - whether in my thought life, or the physical world.

It is much like shutting a door, I think. God closes doors in our lives for many varying reasons. Sometimes, though, it’s as though He puts up a safety gate I can still see through, but not go through. And sometimes, I can see why He didn’t want me to go through.

I am very thankful for safety gates, to assist me in the care of our son, and that God uses them to sometimes clue me in on what He has saved me from. Can you think of something God saved you from?

Plumbing

Ecclesiastes 11:5

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things."

Having known the marvelous benefits of plumbing, I would mourn were I unable to use it any longer. Plumbing (while working properly, of course) makes life so much easier! A nice hot shower at the day’s end can serve to ease a multitude of ailments, and I truly appreciate the general lack of stench due to a plumbed toilet. Raising a child without running water would be no picnic. I often find myself holding my one-year-old (whether to keep him out of trouble, or because he likes it) and thus am limited to one hand. Pouring water onto something requires a hand to pour and a hand to hold whatever you’re trying to pour the water into. Thanks to God’s indirect invention of plumbing, all I have to do is flip a lever with one hand and then hold the item under the faucet. Not to mention, I don’t have to pump or draw the water and then haul it to my home.

Christians talk about God being in all things, and with each new thankful thing, I find myself praising Him because of the vastness of that reality. When I consider each and every little thing God has His hands in, I bring myself face-to-face with just how immeasurable and infinite God really is. He cannot be defined because there is no combination of words to truly describe Him.

I am thankful for plumbing, that it is one more thing to portray His infiniteness (and, of course, for the convenience!). May I see Him more and more and be humbled in praise and awe. Can you find His mark in something simple like plumbing?

Toilet Paper

Psalm 68:19

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah."

We almost ran out of toilet paper the other day. This made for a necessary shopping trip; I was not about to be caught without toilet paper if I could help it. Not only can it help prevent disease, but it’s just a nicer experience overall to the alternative.

I am thankful God created toilet paper. It’s such a simple thing, and I think we often take it for granted, since it is so abundant. Yet, without toilet paper, I am really not sure what our modern world would look like. More and more I find God often uses the little things, the unnoticed things, the mundane things, to change the world.

Certainly, He uses the large things, too - like Christ paying our penalty and restoring our relationship with God. Yet God also daily holds our world and all its working parts together. He walks with us daily in an astounding and beautiful relationship full of grace. Only God is capable of all that, and only God is worthy of all our praise! May we recognize His blessings more and more!

What is a "mundane" blessing you see in your life?

Weekly Impressions - Back to Basics

Romans 2:4

"Or do you think lightly of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"

I have enjoyed seeking God in each of my thankful things. However, I am rediscovering how best to be thankful and give God the glory. I have a tendency to get a little too theological. Being theological isn’t bad - it’s good to learn about and ponder the Creator. However, when I let theology become the point rather than God Himself, I am placing theology on the throne instead of God.

Lord,

Please forgive me for committing idolatry. Lead me to live Your teaching rather than simply dissect it. As my pastor describes it so well, let what I learn about You flow from my head to my heart to my hands. Show me how best to serve You and give me a willingness and desire to do what You have shown me. Thank You for the victory in Your Son, and that You always answer prayer. May Your light shine through me, and not my own murky glimmer I mistake for light.

Amen.

There is such a fine line to what I put on the throne when my own pride becomes involved. I would venture to say it’s one of the trickiest and most common pitfalls we sinners encounter. Yet, through Christ, I can repent and overcome my pride one bit at a time. I often find He will bring me back to the basics to accomplish just that.

Confess, pray, repent, and be thankful. I get so caught up in the more advanced ideas that I forget these. Thank You, Lord, that Your kindness leads me to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

What forms the foundation of your faith? Does it show in your everyday life?

Water

Jeremiah 10:12

"It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom; and by His understanding He stretched out the heavens."

I love water. I love to swim in it and feel my weight lift a little, and the way the water spreads and showcases my hair. I love to quench my thirst with it, to feel the rain on my face, and even to watch what happens when you slosh it around in a water bottle. I also love to chew on ice - sorry to those of you who can’t stand listening to those of us who do. There are so many things I love about water - including the ability to quickly warm myself with it.

Water is an incredibly versatile substance. It is present in most, if not all, living organisms. It expands when frozen, increases the air’s humidity when heated, disperses weight, cleanses your body, washes dirt off, provides power with its kinetic energy, and can even cut if applied correctly. Many of our needs can be met by using water in some fashion.

God gave us water as one of the basics of life, and it’s no coincidence it covers 75% of our earth. He knew what He was doing when He spoke the world into existence, and He knows what He’s doing today. I thank God He chose to create one of the substances of our most basic makeup with such versatility. He is so infinitely wise and knowledgeable in all He does. How can I do anything but praise Him?