Everything humans make has its source in the Lord, so I encounter Him daily by appreciating those blessings that continually appear throughout my day. If I’m washing dishes, sometimes I think about that super genius who invented the water heater. I hope he sees me now enjoying that bubbly goodness rolling over my dishes. What a gift!
Or when I make coffee, I just want to thank God for the coffee bean farmer, the roaster, the grinder, the cow who gave the milk I put in – every fabulous contributor to that morning miracle that is my coffee.
But here is a little secret: it is a completely different experience to sit down, to pull out pen and paper, and write down in slow, careful lines the things, both insignificant and life-changing, that I am so deeply grateful for. Why is that??
For me, a huge reason is the visual impact: the “wow” factor of a long list. Once I begin writing down all I am thankful for, they just come pouring out like water gushing out of a hose. There is so much I love in each day – and it is especially important to notice that when things aren’t going well.
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:3-5
No matter how I am struggling, I will never tire of how much I love my soft, squishy bed with the triple-fluff mattress pad, the goose down comforter, and my pillows. Oh, my pillows! The puffiness of a thousand marshmallows. No matter what else happened in my day, my pillows will always be on my list:
My mother, still tutoring kids at 93. The lumpy envelope of chocolate kisses from my grandkids. The dogs snoozing on my couch. The sound of their snoring. The music, mandolins and banjo. My slippers. Orange tea. The pines in my yard. The neighbors’ light across the street that casts long shadows.
My list reframes everything for me. It shifts my focus from the things that have gone wrong to instead, how unbelievably blessed I am. I realize I have been showered with blessings from God – I am literally swimming in them, eating, breathing them – yet I hadn’t even noticed!
As a human, I am wired to notice what is missing, what I need, what hasn’t gone according to plan. But as a human living in connection with the Lord, my long list reminds me how very deeply I am loved throughout my day, and through each night on my marshmallow pillow.
If you have a few moments, and even if you don’t – pull out some paper and write ten things you love in your life. It’ll be you won’t stop at ten!
by Carie Grant
