We are each designed for a unique and divine purpose. Live yours!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Fall down and worship Him

The winter season is typically a rather dreary, dark time for me. While I'm not an "outdoorsy" type, I do crave the sunshine, fresh air and warmer weather of spring, summer and fall.

I ruminate and deliberate, as I shared in the poem in my previous post. With the budding of spring in my part of the world, I find my spirits lifted, my hope renewed and my focus returns to worshiping my Savior more fully, more joyfully, more intentionally.

The Lenten season has been especially revelatory for me this year. I had realized for some time that I had taken to complaining. A lot. About just about everything. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I share my sin in hopes that others may become more self-aware.

I declared--only to myself--that I was going to try to give up complaining for Lent. I was woefully unsuccessful initially. I wasn't fully committed -- remnants of believing I was entitled to more hung on and clung to my mind and heart. But I persisted. One morning I decided to fully give over my circumstances, my family and my life to gratitude.

My newly committed efforts began at a local convenience store. We were short on coffee one morning and I seriously needed a cup of WAWA's Hazelnut brew. I paid for my coffee and gave the nice cashier two dollars. "Use this for coffee for the next person." He was quite surprised and I left the store beaming. I spent the rest of the day very focused on what I said and especially on my thoughts. I'm viewing the world a little differently now.

I'm not going to say my life has been easy, without challenge, anywhere close to perfect in the past couple of weeks. But my heart is a bit lighter because beyond sharing a random act of kindness I realized something else. I wasn't in control of who would be blessed. There . . . I've said it . . . control.

I am blessed beyond imagining or explanation! I forget all to often and all to readily that God's grace is EVERYTHING. Grace answers all the why's and what's and everything else.

In God's economy, my life is easy. I am wealthy. I don't work too hard, sleep too little. I don't have too much responsibility. I have more than sufficient time in each day to do all that I want/need to/must do. I make these assertions because my life is filled to the brim - and overflowing - with God's grace--won for me on the Cross. When I remember this, when I shift my focus from myself and gaze upon the Cross, I realize how very blessed I am.

Thank you precious Lord for my life -- a beautiful, bountiful, blessed life. Allow me to be a light and messenger to your world. Forgive me when I forget my purpose. Help me to live a life of gratitude and reflective of Your Grace!

"And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen " And the elders fell down and worshiped" (Revelation 5:13-14 NAS).

Blessings on your journey,

Mary

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