Whew. It's been a while since I've written here! Actually, that's not quite accurate. I've written a few things, but haven't posted any
of it. Everything felt fake; nothing I wrote seemed to feel like it
belonged. I struggled with feeling like everyone I knew got to do exciting things this summer (go to faraway places, get married, etc.), and I felt a little left behind. My summer at home felt plain. I guess it's safe to say that I've been pretty uninspired.
Summer
arrived more quickly than I anticipated, so I was caught off guard
a bit. Since I'm the kind of person who likes to anticipate and prepare
(It's not that I have to plan every little detail, I just like to be
able to form some general expectations.), this lack of the usual
preparation meant that my transition into the summer months wasn't quite
as seamless as I'd hoped.
Nevertheless, it was obvious that God wanted to work on me intensively
this summer. I knew that as soon as I knew I'd be at home. See, when I'm
around my family, my true colors are seen more clearly. While it's
great to be yourself, sometimes "being yourself" reveals more about you
than you intended and it becomes impossible to avoid the selfishness
waiting just below the surface. For me, this means that summer has
been a prime opportunity for my savior to break down my pride and change
my heart into something more like his.
One of the m.a.n.y. things he's been teaching me is to be more THANKFUL.
It would be predictable to babble on and on about blessings in my life (if you need some examples, feel free to read this
post), but I don't need too. All you have to do is read a newspaper to
understand how much we have in relation to the rest of the world. And
even if we were imprisoned or war-torn or starving, the hope of Christ
remains constant. We have so much to be thankful for. Oh so much to be
thankful for.
It's easy for us to fix our eyes on things that other people
have, but that only breeds discontent. I want to be a person who sees
the world through realistic eyes, but still exudes joy. And there is joy, so much joy, that comes from pausing to reflect on the blessings in your life.
Be joyful today. Take 3 minutes and come up with a few things for which you are thankful.
Thanks for reading, friends. He is faithful!
