Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14
This morning was one of those mornings where I profoundly
felt the limitations of time and space.
You know, when you have about 1,000 things you’d like to accomplish
within the time frame of about 60 seconds.
My mind was running away, and yet not even Einstein could have shrunk
the space/time dimensions that would allow my physical being to keep up. Slamming the skillet on the stove to make my
special fat burning pancake, I started in on a self-pitying rant to God.
“I’m tired of doing the same thing every morning ,” I
complained, turning toward the coffee pot.
“I have to make breakfast, make G’s lunch, get….”
And that’s as far as God let me get before he broke into my
thoughts. Apparently, the Almighty One
who holds heaven and earth together in his hands did not have time or patience
for self-indulgent whining this morning.
I don’t blame Him.
Very clearly and succinctly I heard Him say to my heart,
“You need to be grateful that you are able to get up and do the same thing day
in and day out. All of the routines in
your life are a gift. There are people
getting up this morning whose lives have been torn apart, people who would give
anything to be able to get out of bed and make breakfast for their family. Get over yourself and get to work. We’ve got stuff to do!!”
The message hit home.
God was right, He always is. I
need to be grateful for the ordinary days and treasure each and every one of
them that I have.
A little later, as I watched my oldest climb up the steps
(two at a time) to the “big school”, I was filled with gratitude for the
beautiful and precious gift that is this sweet boy. I prayed to God again, not complaining, but
thanking him for my sweet little boy. I
prayed that God would help me work to preserve his innocence, that he would
keep his warm and caring heart even into adolescence and beyond.
Then, I thought of the other one. My wild warrior child sitting at home eating,
most likely, his 3rd Popsicle of the morning before Daddy
awakes. I gave thanks to God for this
little indomitable spirit. I prayed that
as he grows older, God would give him something noble to fight for.
And then I thought of my husband, still asleep in bed. I gave God thanks for him—for the ways in
which he works to support our family that largely go unnoticed and unrecognized
by me. I so respect and admire the
wonderful pastor that he is and I prayed for his ministry and that I may be a
true helpmate to him.
When I truly stop and consider my life, I realize that I can
be nothing but grateful. And I am
grateful that I am a child of the One God who, despite his vastness and his
holiness chooses to enter into my daily life and continues to work in me.
Blessings and Peace,
Sara
I read a story in the paper today written by a parent of a little boy who died of cancer at age 3. It brought me to tears when I read it and suddenly put all my worries and complaints into perspective. God has blessed me with so much but so often I look around at others and compare when I should be looking at my own life and thanking God for it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post :)
Great post. We all need to be reminded to be grateful for our blessings. One of my daughters is interning at a Behavioral Health Unit and she comes home with some amazing stories. There's lots of reasons people can end up in behavioral health units, but I still can't help but be thankful, that even though raising my kids was very hard work, for the most part they're good kids and I'm thankful for each one of them.
ReplyDelete