Thank You for...

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" Ephesians 5:20

Good morning, dear friends!

Last night, when I went to bed, I could tell that today was going to be different.

For one, I didn't move in my four layers of covers. (Yes, four layers, even in March.  I always sleep with a blanket, even in summer.  Don't judge us cold people.)

All four cats slept in the bed with us last night.  The mom was the only one missing.  Good thing we have a king sized bed.

I woke up this morning, to feel a nip in the air of our normally warm house, since we had turned the heat back as the days warmed up.  I looked out the window and saw a hard frost on the ground, and on the car windshield.

Winter is back, at least for a short while, and I am not a big fan.

I had dreams of working my garden this week, of setting up the outside furniture, of cookouts and walks in jackets and playing badminton outside.  I'm looking forward to the end of winter colds, sniffles and 24 hour bugs.

I could continue to grumble and complain, but there are so many better things to do than that.  So, instead of whining like a petulant child about the things I DON'T have, I want to choose instead to think about what I already have: a warm, comfy house, wonderful husband, great kids, friends, work for my hands, food to eat, and most importantly, a God who takes care and supplies my every need.

It sounds trite sometimes, doesn't it, when we have to remember to thank God for our blessings?  It's so easy to become disgruntled for the smallest things in life:  not having a favorite food when we want it, or complaining because we don't get good cell phone reception, or complaining about having overeaten and making ourselves feel sick.  We often joke about #firstworldproblems, but in some ways, it's very sad.

I don't think God is laughing with us.

My husband and I still treasure a memory that happened when our children were very small.  We had hit a very rough patch in our lives, where things were looking very bleak and hard in our eyes.  Our problems were very real, and we were at that moment all alone in France (after the departure of Carey's parents on furlough and before the arrival of our coworkers.)  We arrived at our Tuesday night prayer service just discouraged and beaten down.  After putting our children to bed, my husband and I got together for our prayer service and my husband, knowing how difficult things had been for us recently, said that instead of praying for our needs, we were only going to thank God for our blessings.

My husband and I both expected that it would be a short service.

Once we started praying, and "counting our blessings," we couldn't stop.  I think we prayed for almost an hour, with tears streaming down our faces as we recounted all the wonderful things that God had done, and is still doing, in our lives.

(I still cannot to this day sing "Count Your Blessings" without getting choked up, remembering that night.)

It was a turning point in our outlook.  Our circumstances did not change, and the difficulties did not go away, but God gave us the grace that night to look at Him, instead of our trials.

Obviously, it is still a lesson that I am struggling with today.

The verse at the top of this blog is not a difficult verse to understand, but it is a difficult verse to put into practice.  Do I truly give thanks in all things...

...even when my plans are changed, or interrupted?

...when I am called to do unpleasant tasks instead of the things that bring me joy?

...when dealing with difficult people?

...when I am tired and just don't feel like being an adult for the day?

...when I feel neglected, underappreciated, or simply abused at the hands of others?

...when I don't have a particular blessing that I want?

...when the spring weather that I have been long anticipating turns back into winter's grip?

YUP.

When I remember that God is love, He is always good, and He always acts for my best, then I should not have any problems thanking Him for the circumstances He places me in today.  Many times, the discomforts that I am experiencing, looking back, are not real trials but just simply me not getting my way.

When I am tempted to grumble and complain about my circumstances today, may the Lord help me have grace to accept the day's challenges as opportunities to prove the sincerity of my love for God, and ask Him for an "attitude adjustment" if needed.

Time to get another day started, and see what I will be thankful for today...