"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." --- Psalm 118:24
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So can you recall when the whole 'flatten the curve', social distancing and working from home stuff began? I can. My birthday week, 2020.
Since another birthday is rushing my way (oh goody?), that 3rd anniversary of the world's tipping sideways is also. So as a sort of homework-that-encourages-me assignment, I began a Good Things Since March 2020 list.
Wow! The list ran longer than I'd supposed.
Anyone else desiring bits of encouragement? Go for it. Create your own list of delights, provision and successes and may you find, as I did, that the positive far outweighs the negative. Perhaps you'll discover your ability to stay joyful increased even when Life threw garbage.
Of course, some Christians--no matter where we are in History--huff and puff, "God never intended us to enjoy this life. We're just meant to plod through this veil of tears as best we can, anticipating Heaven where then we'll experience consistent joy."
(Yes, there are people like that. I've known some. Oh dear.)
Yet to them I would insist--
" ... be joyful and do good as long as you live; also eat and drink and take pleasure in all your toil—this is God's gift to man... You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy... I came that they may have life and have it abundantly ... A joyful heart is good medicine ... the joy of the Lord is your strength... and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13, Psalm 16:11, Proverbs 17:22, John 10:10, Nehemiah 8:10, Luke 1:47
Oh, the challenges of these past three years!
But also, oh, the opportunities to not fear, but accept the challenges with a can-do-in-Christ spirit.
To recognize when (and how) to fight and when to stand still in faith.
To learn ways to feed ourselves cheaply even when grocery prices zoom upward.
To still believe for (and recognize) divine protection and godly favor.
To remain patient, knowing God will not only care for us, but that He has wonderful surprises yet to manifest.
To simply enjoy God--
---and to seek to voice gratitude way more than complaints.
These past 3 years for me? They caused me to finally grow up in some areas where I'd dawdled too long with toes at the water's edge rather than just diving in and giving-in to what God desired. Planned.
Much good has happened and I hope you'll make your own Good Things Since March 2020 list today. May it encourage you that the goodness of God is always present even during times it's not obviously so.
When we purposely keep our eyes open for what God's fingers have touched in our world, we'll be blown away by the incredible.
These past three years? They were our chance to know God better. To draw from Him what we'd only before imagined: strength, friendship, comfort, trust, calmness, godly confidence, peace and much indescribable joy in believing.
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Looking to find a second income? Youtube has zillions of ideas. Here's one.
If you're into crafting and have some extra jars, be sure to check-out this video.
Resilience. God is incredible at making us resilient.
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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
Debra, I appreciate your challenge to us to review the past three years and look for all the good that happened. I haven't really done that, but I immediately thought of several huge blessings in my life. God certainly did not skimp during the Covid years!
ReplyDeleteThe video of that hawk nearly made me dizzy. Only God could make a predator bird that can literally spin its head to every angle. Wow!
The past years have certainly been a challenge for us and Covid was kind of the least of it. We've moved across country once, plus two more moves for a total of three (3) moves in the past three years. Unheard of for us. We've cleaned out my Mom-in-laws house house of 47 years of "stuff" and moved her into an independent living apartment. That convinced me even more than our moves to get rid of unneeded stuff. I never want to put our kids through that. My brother died of Covid in the beginning of this stuff. We've had 6 other deaths in our close family in the past 3 years.
ReplyDeleteBut...God gives blessings in the midst of trials. Our youngest son got married and we now have a new little granddaughter. We adore our new daughter-in-love. They live in London so I'm ever so grateful that God allowed FaceTime to be invented.
We now live just 5 minutes from our daughters family so we see our 10 year old granddaughter very often. We're back in the church that we met in 48 years ago. We were married there, baptized there and met in Sunday School class when I was just 15 and he was 19!. We're rekindling friendships from years ago and trying to keep our 30 year friendships from Spokane alive at the same time.
I've had Covid just before Christmas and have been fighting bronchitis for the past three weeks. Caught that on the plane home from London after babysitting our new grandbaby for a month.
Lots of blessings, some trials but through it all God has been the constant in our lives. We feel so blessed by His unfailing love and support as we've traveled new paths over the past three years.
God is Good! God is Awesome!
Blessings and love,
Betsy
Pam--isn't it amazing how God can remind us of how good He's been to us? Nothing can stop that goodness, especially when we keep Him first in our lives. Glad you liked the hawk!
ReplyDeleteBetsy--so glad you're able to count your blessings of these past 3 years as well! (They were pretty adventurous for you, indeed.) Hope you're feeling much better this week, my friend!
Thanks so much Ladies.... Blessings, Debra