This morning I was reminded about how I struggle with living in today.
Not long after I awoke my thoughts were bombarded with accusations of what I should have done yesterday, but didn’t.
Before I could completely process these, I was assailed by thoughts of what I needed to accomplish this week.
My heart began to feel anxious for a moment and I turned to prayer.
The Lord answered.
Live in today.
Matthew 6:34 NKJV — “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
I confessed my sin of worry, thanking Him for His quick response, and requested the Lord’s help, that I would live in today.
That living begins with acknowledging Who gave me this day.
Psalm 118:24 NKJV — This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
And I am blessed by the gift.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for today. Thank You for Your Word which reminds me of the truth that each day is Yours and an opportunity to live for You and to glorify Your name. Lord Jesus, please help me to walk with integrity, rejoicing in Your salvage, and the blessings of life. Lord, You are awesome. Your name is wonderful. Your ways are perfect. Your love is true. Thank You for all Your marvelous works! I love You, Jesus. Amen.
Watching him strut around the run, drink water, and then attempt to crow, made me smile.
It wasn’t because he’s a handsome rooster.
It was because God used this fellow to remind me of God’s blessing.
Where we bought our chicks, we didn’t get to choose.
We called ahead and reserved 19 chicks, 10 Bared Rocks and nine Rhode Island Reds.
As the worker scooped one after another into our box, I prayed, asking the Lord for enough hens to supply our family with eggs.
One of the chicks died about three days after we got them, but that wasn’t too surprising.
They go through a lot of trauma being shipped to the store and then more being brought home.
As they grew, we watched for signs to tell us which were hens and which were roosters.
We had agreed, our small number of hens would benefit from a single rooster and the rest we would butcher.
Thus, as I watched our rooster this morning, my heart was reminded of the unexpected things God does.
Because the chances of getting a single rooster out of 18 chicks picked at random isn’t too good, but that’s what God gave us.
And I had been pausing to watch the chickens from a place of worry.
I’d been praying for something I couldn’t see a solution for, and that’s when God reminded me I don’t need to worry.
If He can supply us with something as unimportant as a single rooster, He can certainly supply me with the answers to the bigger things.
Because life is a journey, a walk with God, through which He works in us and in others.
Jesus said it best:
Matthew 10:29 NKJV — “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
Matthew 10:31 NKJV — “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Lord, please forgive me for allowing worry to creep into my thoughts and settle in my heart. Please help me to be restored to peace in the waiting, for I know You are directing our steps. Lord, I love You and I thank You for Your blessings, especially the reminder of Your goodness and ability. Lord, please help me to be thankful and completely patient. Please help me to be full of mercy and grace. Lord, I trust You with all things and I thank You in advance for how You are working it all for our good. I love You. Amen.
My allergist is in a large building housing many doctors’ offices.
As I walked through the front door, I met others trying to go out.
We did the “keep your social distancing” dance and I began walking towards my doctor’s office.
The hall is large and lined with chairs to hold the overflow for the offices.
An older lady in a baige coat sat behind her mask, just outside an office waiting room.
Our eyes met and I smiled.
I expected her eyes to crinkle in a return smile, but instead they looked sadder than when I first smiled.
All of this took mere seconds and I was past her by the time her eyes imprinted upon my heart.
“God, is there something I should do?”
Look again.
I glanced over my shoulder.
Her eyes were still on me, a look so forlorn, my heart hurt.
I turned around and walked over to her.
My voice was barely there and I signed while asking, “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t understand me and leaned forward.
Her eyes looking into mine with question.
I tried again and signed slower.
She understood me the second time and smiled.
“Oh, yes! I’m just tired, very tired.”
She nodded vigorously and then slumped her body in an attempt to communicate what she was saying.
Most people think I’m deaf, so they work at trying to explain with body language, which I always think is very sweet.
I had leaned towards her when first trying to speak.
Rather than speaking I nodded and gently patted her arm.
“Have a good day,” she smiled at me.
I tried to say, “You too,” while signing.
She couldn’t understand me, but she began to speak again, her eyes leaving my face and looking at my outfit.
“I really like your dress…”
Her eyes jumped back to my face as if she just realized I might not know what she was saying, so she smiled and nodded and waved.
I nodded and waved too.
Then, I turned and headed to where I needed to be.
But my heart felt the warmth of the two seconds of blessing God had given me through a stranger.
When I was finished at the Allergist she was gone.
There were other people in the hall, but none really caught my eye nor I theirs.
Jase had ridden along with me, but when I reached the car he requested I return to the building with him for a quick use of the facilities before our hour drive home.
As we walked out the same hall a Little boy I’d noticed earlier, sat up and waved.
He wasn’t waving at me, but at Jase.
Jase smiled behind his mask and waved back.
God had a purpose for these two second blessings.
What I can look at as a hindrance, is actually His working in and through my life.
God knows I need this reminder, because I forget that even my physical limitations are used by Him for good.
Those two chance meetings in the hall were excellent moments of blessing from the Lord and I’m so thankful.
I pray both of them were blessed by God as well.
1 Corinthians 10:26 KJV — For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder I needed yesterday. Thank You for all those You placed in my path yesterday. Thank You for the gracious heart of others who reach out trying to bridge the gap of communication, like the man who pumped our gas while trying to sign “Thank you” and my shot nurse who brought pen and paper to my appointment. Lord, thank You for so many people You touch my heart through. Please help me to pass on the blessings, to be an encouragement and a light. Lord, please let others see You when they look at me. Let my life be a reflection. Thank You for Your love, Your blessings, and Your faithfulness. I love You, Jesus. Amen.
patientlyhopeful 