Headbands

Matthew 10:30

"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

My grandmother taught me how to knit and crochet as a child, and I discovered I rather enjoyed it. There are a number of things one can knit or crochet, but I enjoy creating things with practical purposes. Headbands are one of those (though I hadn’t tried them until recently.)

I noticed recently (in the past few years) that knit and crocheted clothing accessories have really come into style, and decided to try my hand at a few simple headbands (flowers aren’t my style). The result? I am back to wearing headbands most days! They’re just so practical to keep my hair out of my face, but still be able to wear it down. It’s a little more fun, now, too, being able to make my own designs and thus make exactly what I want. (I am also missing my long hair and growing it out again.)

So I am thankful for headbands, to be able to accessorize with practicality and express my own “style.” (My friends might laugh at that.) I can even use it for a ponytail holder in a pinch. It is such a simple thing, but very useful in its own right. It is fun to marvel at the fact that God envisioned and planned for the uses of headbands long before He created the world. Just like the current number of hairs on my head. Thank You, Lord, for planning to enable all the details of life!

What practical thing do you enjoy? Consider its genesis, and God's part in it!

Pillows

2 Corinthians 12:9

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

It's been one of those days when my fibromyalgia pain is a little worse. Earlier in the day, the pain was mostly in my knee, but as the day progressed, the pain spread to my back, making it a little harder. Tuesdays are a longer day for me, as I attend my community group after work. I wasn’t about to skip out, and when I got there, I discovered several pillows on the couch. My friends offered me a chair, but that comfy couch looked pretty inviting.

It would have been heavenly to lie down, but I'd have taken up all of the room for others to sit, not to mention I wouldn’t have been able to participate, either. So instead, I claimed the couch corner and arranged several small pillows in such a way that I could still recline into the corner without gravity compressing my back so much. It worked perfectly! The pillows helped to alleviate the pain a bit, which helped me to participate more and enjoy the company and thoughts of the others in the group.

I am glad to rest in the knowledge God has a reason for my pain. The fact He doesn’t let me in on the purpose is all the more reason to rely upon Him. He also provides. Tonight, it was pillows. I am thankful for pillows, that God used them to help me fellowship and learn more about Him. What simple thing has enabled you to be a part of something (or do something) you would not otherwise have been able to easily?

Confession

Romans 10:9-10

"...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Confession has always seemed a little strange to me. I understand I need Christ’s forgiveness and the Bible says I should confess my sins to God, but I've always been unsure of what that really looks like. I ask God to forgive my sins, knowing I sin daily, but it isn't like I outright murder or have an affair. Big sins need to be confessed individually, but little ones can be confessed generally, right? I don't commit big sins very often.

Over time, God has been changing my outlook bit by bit. First, He showed me there really isn’t much difference between “big” and “little” sins. Maybe I didn’t lie in bed with a man, but that doesn't mean I didn’t break the seventh commandment by thinking about him inappropriately. I may not have buried an axe in my “enemy’s” head, but that doesn't mean I didn’t break the sixth commandment by hating him or her instead of showing God's love. Also, “the wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6:23a), which means no matter how “big” or “little” my sin, the penalty is the same: death.

Second, He started showing me that being self-deprecating wasn’t the same as being humble. Christ didn’t practice humility by being self-deprecating. He “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8b) May I have that kind of humility in obedience to God! My self-deprecation only led to guilt and depression.

Third, this definition of humility began to bring out just how prideful I really am. In fact, my sins in general started becoming far more apparent. I had recognized my selfishness and my worry, but my pride - which bred fear, worry, selfishness, depression, and need to control and manipulate - had disguised itself well in my own deceitful heart. “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Fourth, and recently, He is beginning to bring about a new understanding of confession in me. I have previously experienced the healing confessing my sins to Him can bring. A youth pastor once made the analogy that with each sin, we place another brick in a wall between us and our holy Creator. Until we confess those sins and are bestowed with His gracious forgiveness, we separate ourselves from Him and His grace.

Now that I can more readily recognize my own sin, I am confronted with the ability - and need - to confess those sins specifically, and to ask His forgiveness for them. To have a relationship with God, I cannot just ask for a general forgiveness of all of my sins and leave it there. That isn’t personal, and it robs from Him of the opportunity to give the gift of His Son to me - the One who died and rose again to conquer the very sin I am confessing. That, in turn, robs me of the joy of the Lord.

I discovered the same word “confess” is used to describe admitting our sin as is used in professing Christ. God showed me confessing my sin is confessing Christ. I confess I am a sinner and cannot atone for my own sin and need a savior. Thus, I confess I am a follower of Christ, who took my sins upon Himself - even though He was blameless - and paid the penalty for them (death), and rose again to conquer even death and prepare a place for me to join Him in that everlasting life.

He did - and is doing - so much for me! How can I be anything but thankful? So I am thankful for confession, for the amazing gift to be able to give over my sins and profess Christ, my Savior. This is where the healing begins. Have you humbled yourself before Christ lately, confessed to Him, and experienced the joy of His forgiveness?

Faith

Colossians 3:2

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth."

One of the things God has impressed upon me lately is the importance of turning my eyes toward Him. It's just like when Peter went out onto the water with Jesus. As soon as he took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink.

In my struggle with depression, I have often felt as though I were walking along a knife-edge precipice in the dark with death and sin below on either side. (You can see more about this here.) Above is the kingdom of God, but it seems out of reach in this life. The light of heaven doesn’t seem to pierce the void of darkness surrounding me. I can look down and see where I need to step on the precipice, but if I step wrong, or my ankle turns, I'll fall - and if I step too hard, I may cut my foot. Faith in this place is to look up at God on His throne... and to take the next step.

Looking up is a good way to throw off my balance and fall, but God isn’t concerned with gravity. As long as I look to Him, He will guide my next step. If I look down, the sin of worry grips me, even though I can see where to step. The step itself worries me. Not to mention the fall into the abyss filled with monsters of the past and unknown worries of the future. I don't see God in the darkness around me, or the precipice before me, or the sin and death below me - I see Him above. Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

God did not intend us to walk this life alone. He walked with Adam in the garden. Though we can’t see Him anymore, He walks with us still, if we accept the gift of His Son. Even if life were a dark abyss with a precipice to walk like a tight-rope, God would still be right beside me.

It is difficult to readily see Him when I look at the things of this world. That is part of why I am seeking Him in thankful things. It is partly an exercise to see His work in this world. Yet when I get caught up in the cares and worries of this world, the best place to look is up - as backwards as that may seem - in order to take the next step.

I am thankful God gave us faith, to be able to lay our anxiety at His feet and say, “Not my will, but Yours, Lord.” Is there something you need to give Him today?

Weekly Impressions - Will You Forgive Me?

1 John 2:16

"For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world."

In this journey of thankfulness, I seek to see how God works in my life (and/or in the world) through the next thing I’m thankful for. What I've seen has encompassed quite a variety! Yet I find myself trying to create and insert my own point in what I see. God uses this despite me, but He knows what He's doing far better than I - I should let Him make His own point and use it how He will!

My grandfather was a great model of sharing what God shared with him. I hadn’t really thought about it as such until he died. He was a cool grandfather and a powerful tool of the Lord. (You can see more about him in Sunsets.) Through this revelation, God has stirred in me the desire to proclaim upon the housetops what He has whispered in my ear (Matthew 10:27).

I'm thankful to be at the point where, though I realize I've overstepped myself in my pride, I'm not falling into depression because of it. Yes, I've sinned, but I can ask God’s forgiveness, repent, and move on. I recognize I will fall into this particular pit again, but that, too, is to God’s glory, because it helps to humble me, and shows how much I need the Savior.

I hope you have enjoyed and been encouraged by what I have previously written, but I want to apologize for letting my pride become the motivation behind it. Will you forgive me?

Lord, I pray this can be a beneficial example to others of Your will at work in the life of one of Your children. May Your glory be evident in my life. Amen.

Has your pride become the motivation for something God's gifted you with?

Disposable Diapers

Psalm 147:7-8

“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

Sing praises to our God on the lyre,

Who covers the heavens with clouds,

Who provides rain for the earth,

Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.”

I've never tried cloth diapers and have heard great things about them. However - at least in my ignorance - I am much happier to use disposable diapers. I would use cloth diapers if I had to, but I'd much rather spend the extra money to be able to throw them away in a covered trash can.

You see, God made me with a sense of smell that affects my stomach. Diapers can be a rather unpleasant experience - especially if the experience is prolonged. So I am thankful for disposable diapers, that God provided a way to accommodate my sensitivities (and provided the money to acquire it!). When I look for it, He amazes me with how often He provides things I don't necessarily need, but might desire or make life a little easier.

What everyday luxury helps you with a sensitivity or desire?

Covered Trash Cans

Philippians 1:6

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

I am so glad we have covered trash cans to hide the smells of our trash. Poopy diapers, for example. That’s a pretty powerful smell. A really nasty powerful smell. Call me lazy, but it’s really nice not to have to take the dirty diaper - and our son - outside to the trash company’s can (which is also covered) every time I change him so the stench doesn’t permeate my entire home.

Of course, if we don’t eventually take the trash out, cover or no, it will spread its smell. I've noticed the same in my spiritual walk. If I don’t take the trash out, no matter how much I cover over it, the smell will leak out. Whether it’s bitterness, selfishness, pride, worry... if not brought before God and dealt with, they decompose and I begin to reek even to those around me.

I think God gives us spiritual covered trash cans out of mercy, simply because we have so much trash we couldn’t possibly deal with it all at once. So it sits until the time is right, and the smell begins to leak out. If I am stubborn and don’t deal with it, the smell worsens until I am forced to deal with it or cease functioning. At least, that's been my experience.

I have a tendency not to notice my own spiritual trash until the smell slams into my senses. (Sometimes not even until someone else smells it and I notice their reaction.) I’ll start to feel my heart beat a little faster, or I’ll snap at someone. I catch a whiff of that powerful stench and take a good look at what I’m thinking about. Usually, it’s my poopy diaper of worry. Worry is one of the most difficult for me. (You can see more on that in Impressions - Worry and Meditation.)

I would love to be able to catch myself earlier - and God is leading me there. I can look back and see God has brought me further than when I just sat in the stench of worry, and slowly lost my ability to function. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and love! Praise the Lord He continues His work in us, so we can choose Him, and see spiritual change over time!

I am thankful for covered trash cans, as another medium of God’s glory and grace. Have you noticed your nose wrinkling lately?