Thankfulness. . . 'tis the season to share it

As we inch closer and closer to Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the season is more than just family get-togethers and meal-planning or the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. I enjoy reading posts on Facebook and blogs from people who share all the things for which they are thankful.

Today I sat in a church service with people who have been my family for more than 20 years. We've grown up together, laughed together, grieved and cried together, and worshiped together. Each year we take time near Thanksgiving to allow anyone who wishes to share an opportunity to publicly say what it is they are thankful for.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.  

Psalm 107:1-2a

It's a sweet time to hear how God is working in the lives of others. It strengthens our faith to hear how God has provided during the year.

As I think back through this year, I am ever so grateful to see how God has worked in my own life and my family's life. At the beginning of this year I was part of a Bible study called "Believing God" by Beth Moore. It was no coincidence that I was deep into this study when I needed to believe God for some miracles in my own life and that of my family. My faith was stretched as I came to a point where I had no answers of my own and had to simply trust God to work things out. This quote from Streams in the Desert really illustrates this point well:

Remember, the very time for faith to work is when our sight begins to fail. And the greater the difficulties, the easier it is for faith to work, for as long as we can see certain natural solutions to our problems, we will not have faith. Faith never works as easily as when our natural prospects fail. George Mueller

As I came to the end of my own resources and natural solutions, I turned to God and asked Him to step in and take over. I have watched Him work in surprising and wonderful ways. 

Yes, I give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  

Pursuit

Surely your goodness and unfailing love 

will pursue me all the days of my life,  

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

 ~ Psalm 23:6

I was reading the 23rd Psalm this morning. This one is so familiar it's easy to just breeze through it, but I've learned that when I read the more familiar passages it's a good idea for me to slow down and try to read it as if for the first time. Just let it soak in.

When I got to the final verse of this passage, my eyes rested on the word pursue. I immediately thought of what that word means to me. As a single woman, I want to be pursued--not like a game, but to know that the one pursuing really wants me. 

That pursuit brings a sense of confidence and security with it. My pursuer, Jesus, really does want me.

In other Bible versions the word used instead of pursue is follow. I'm not sure that word carries the same weight in my mind. I rather like the idea of the Lord pursuing me.

The Hebrew word for follow/pursue is actually radaph. Some of the words used to describe the verb are: Chase, Pursue Ardently, to Run After, to Dog, to Follow Earnestly. I've linked the word to the lexicon if you'd like to read the definition more closely.

So Jesus chases after me ALL the days of my life with His goodness and unfailing love. Wow! Just wow!!

From Me to We

An interesting thing has happened in the last month. My vocabulary has slowly changed from saying I and Me to Us and We. I'm not sure exactly when that happened, but it evolved slowly.



After several decades of doing life solo...

   After years of waiting and wondering...

      After many years of praying and trusting...

God has allowed a very special man to come into my life. That's how my vocabulary changed from saying Me to We.

It's a rather unusual thing of which to take notice. Most people would probably never consider such a change as significant. However, when one [namely me] is used to always riding off in the sunset like the Lone Ranger ALL. THE. TIME. doing whatever I want to for years on end, it is a curious notion to stop and consider someone else.

On this blog which I have called The Maze of Our Lives, I have always tried to write about the things that I learn about life--the things God is teaching me. I've been rather quiet the past few months, though. Amazingly, I still have visitors stopping by this blog (thank you).

One of the reasons I have blogged less and less is that my life has been changing. Since May there has been planning a move for a family member, the actual moving/road trip, and part-time caring for a family member. That's in addition to a full-time job. And then there is this other new thing: dating.

Both of these circumstances have taught me things about relationships. Allowing people into our everyday lives can present challenges to the status quo. Each situation has taught me how to be patient and understanding. I have been learning to prioritize my time and consider others needs ahead of my own. Each situation has also enriched my life as I step out of the bubble I've lived in for so long.

Paul's words to the Philippians is quite fitting. He's reminding them to be more like Christ. Paul says in chapter 2, verses 3- 5...

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, 

but with humility of mind regard one another 

as more important than yourselves;  

do not merely look out for your own personal interests, 

but also for the interests of others.   

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."

Jesus surrendered his privileges in order to serve others. And the point of it all...

To shine brightly with the love of Christ so that others can see...

"...it is God who is at work in you, 

both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

I have been blessed by these changes and am grateful to have watched how God has worked out all the little details to make these things happen for His good pleasure. I hope through these changes that I can shine brightly for others to see Christ at work!

Gravity

Photo Source Unknown

I was amused by this cartoon featuring a beloved cartoon character. Anyone who ever watched this cartoon will immediately recognize the truth in how the coyote always seemed to defy gravity. He was lighter than air until he looked down at the ground miles below. At that point, he fell like a rock down, down, down until he hit the ground. Eventually the coyote walked away from the fall and chased the road runner again.

After I saw this cartoon I immediately thought of Peter when he stepped out of the boat to take that gravity defying walk on water toward Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter stepped out in faith, but when he took his eyes off Jesus he immediately began to sink into the water. 

I don't have any great revelation to share here. This was just another reminder to me that sometimes Jesus asks us to "defy gravity" and step out in faith, trusting Him. When those moments come, we just have to keep our eyes on Jesus and trust that if we sink, He will be there to pick us up.