Ever have those times...the thankfulness roller-coaster times? It seems to never fail around here...a day or week overflowing with thankfulness, and then *pow!*, Last week was a super-busy week, during a time of year that is usually not-so-busy around here. Very busy, but great busy. Fun, fellowship, worship, encouragement, reminders of God's faithfulness through the years...good stuff all. Yesterday, in fact much of the last few days, I've been overflowing with thankfulness...and then today, it hit...massive discouragement from multiple directions. I've struggled today, the kind of struggle where you just want to go pull the blankets over your head and hide from the world...until sometime next week. But, alas, the "list" for the day didn't include a week-long nap, so I was determined to keep moving through the list, albeit waaay more slowly than I'd planned.
I tried hard to put on a happy face and keep on keeping on, but the struggle continued. I had prayed for others...one of those times when, as Bro. Kent said last night, you feel your prayers bouncing off the ceiling...and struggled in praying for my own issues. I finally decided I needed to ask for outside help. I made a quick request, then went back to plodding through my list.
Not long afterward, a link to Ann Voskamp's blog post for today popped up in my Facebook newsfeed as I sat at my desk for a minute. I clicked on it out of habit, and began to rather distractedly read. I couldn't fully focus on her words, and didn't actually finish reading the post (I have a tab open to go back to it later :))...but the words that did break through the brain-mushiness of the day brought instant conviction. Worship...thanksgiving...praise...one of the greatest lessons of the past few years has been to "bow the knee"...
Bow the knee;
Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee;
Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.
~Chris Machen
Worship...thanksgiving...praise...and a good time to count blessings and continue the list...
...creative hands and minds working...
...husband spoiling...
...small one chattering (and chattering and chattering :))...
...morning symphony of doves cooing...
...time with friends laughing...
...blessing reflecting...
...Sunday worshiping...
...church body fellowship-ing...
...Spirit convicting...
...Sunday School praying, discussing, learning, loving...
...music blessing...
...Jehovah-Rahpa healing...
...sun glowing...
...mind planning...
...anticipation mounting...
...progress building...
...rare bird sighting...
God loving, and grace-giving...every day...
Please visit Ann for more on Multitude Mondays...
Love the sound of doves cooing. It sounds like peace to me.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you. ...Marsha
Thank you dear one. I am just reading this today. In some ways you've mirrored my thoughts.
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