Each Monday for the past few months I've filled out the Simple Woman's Daybook which has made me stop and think about what is happening around me, what my plans are, what/who I am praying for, etc. It's been a good exercise but I'm one given to change, in a big way. Those little diary pages were good, but I always felt they were so centered around the big "I" and really were of no benefit to others. So... with that, I'd like to move on to other ideas (which I am also given to ... in a big way.)
I have been thinking about the verse in James 1: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..."
Some years ago we had plenty of work and a steady income. Life was about as 'normal' as one could expect it to be. When we had that, it was so easy to give thanks before our meals and 'know' that these blessings were from God. More recently, with the way the economy has changed, our situation has changed. Last winter paying work was a word from history, and there was no income at all. It changed my attitude on thankfulness. We always had food to feed our family, albeit, not the variety we'd had before. We all had clothes to keep us warm, and we still had a home to live in. I watched as God showed me what it meant to trust Him and how He continually gave us our daily bread. I have a journal that I began keeping last year, and I love to turn back to it's pages and read again of God's amazing provision. When we are in the midst of the roaring sea, it is then that we can best feel the comfort and relief of finding a log to hang onto, or when it's raining and cold, to find a little cove to step into and feel the warmth of a fire that on other days we would pass by and not even notice. One day while sitting in Fred Meyer parking lot waiting to meet my cousin, I picked up the paper and was scanning the Fred Meyer ad. I saw that the cheese, eggs, butter and milk were on sale and would be able to be purchased if I had an extra $20.00, then I realized that these would be really good, but I knew were not 'necessities' for life at that moment. With a little longing in my heart to be able to give the kids milk, I quietly prayed a little prayer of thankfulness for all that we did have at home to eat, and then asked for a quiet spirit in the midst of this time. My mind was wrangling with the emotions of 'I want' while my heart was remembering 'be still and know that I am God'. I decided that the best thing to do was not dwell on the wants and turn my focus on something else. I turned my attention to the mail that I had picked up at the post office and there in the middle of it was an envelope addressed to me, using my real name which no one calls me and very few know. There was no return address, and only an uncanceled postage stamp on it. Inside was a white piece of paper wrapped around a single twenty dollar bill. Needless to say, I had a time of amazement and worship there in the car. Thank you to whoever you are that sent it... not only did it give us the dairy products we were out of, but also gave us a time of teaching to our children of a Almighty God who knows and cares and provides.
So, what does this have to do with today? Last week, my son shot a buck. First one for our family ever. Saturday we had a friend show us how to cut it up. We canned some of it, made breakfast sausage, summer sausage and jerky, plus got a number of roasts and packages of steaks in the freezer. As we were busy working, I realized that again God was providing for us. He brought this buck into our front yard ( literally) and delivered over 60# of meat for my freezer for a very low price.
Years back, a fish coming home at the end of a line, or a gift of any kind would have been looked at as something nice. Now, and I want to encourage you to stop and give it some thought, each meal, bag of groceries, or bucket of berries picked, is viewed as a specially marked package straight from a loving God who really cares. It seems that maybe I had gotten into the habit of what the Israelite had gotten into while they wandered through the wilderness... God shows us that He performed real miracles by making manna rain down from heaven, thousands of pounds of quail to fly close to camp, and shortly after they complained.
May each one of us pause and see Gods hands in our lives as He provides for us, whether it be in food, clothing and shelter, health ( how many today are dealing with such serious issues in their bodies or watching their loved ones so very sick), friendships, work, a sound mind, and the list goes on and on and on. Take time today to ponder what God has done then remember to give Him thanks.
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Have a good week.
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