Days 96 to 101 | Be Thankful
Days 96-101, Brasov
Man, it’s kind of been a weird week. I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions. I’ve had some really encouraging days and moments. Then I’ve had some days when I feel like this season feels so long and I realize that this could just be the beginning.
I start to wonder how long this is going to last. The constant cooking, cleaning, laundry, walking to the grocery store, wiping all the groceries down, putting them away, staying indoors a lot, not having our normal outside freedom...it never ends!
Then there are the other moments...
when I say hello to a neighbor (who speaks German),
when another neighbor asks me to open the door for her and I get to help her,
when we get to say hello to our American friends,
when my husband helps me A LOT on my project,
when my kids do all their school work without grumbling,
when I get to take a nap,
when I play soccer with my four year old,
when I see one of the most beautiful evergreen trees I’ve ever seen,
when I see the bright yellow tulips budding through,
when I go on a walk with a new friend,
when I finally a find lotion that I like and helps my skin feel better,
when a walk to the dumpster means a bit of fresh air,
when I find tortillas chips in the grocery store,
when I get to play cards with my family,
when I see my daughter’s excitement about playing charades,
when I see my daughter’s cut on her chin is healing well.
There are so many beautiful moments between the hard ones. The moments that keep us going. The moments that God provides to remind us He is there. He makes even my hard moments good.
I have food to eat, clothes to wear, a store close by, a body that can walk, a roof over my head.
I want to see the good. I want to see God. I want to see Him in the little moments.
My pastor always says, “It’s ok to not be ok, but it’s not ok to stay that way.”
It’s ok to be sad, disappointed, frustrated, tired, sluggish...but we should always strive to get out of it. We don’t want to stay there. Thankfulness helps get us out of those sad, disappointing, frustrating, tiring, sluggish moments. It’s a battle for me to see sometimes, but there truly is so much to be thankful for.
God, please help me to be more thankful and to see you in the little moments of life.
“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:14-17 (ESV, emphasis added)
What are you thankful for today?
