Compelling Beauty

Today, as I was driving home from church, I took the back roads back through beautiful Kentucky horse farms. I was late to pick a friend up and was stressed about that, but seeing the setting sun over the brilliant emerald grass with every color sparking and clear pulled me back to thankfulness. Beauty has an inexplicable power to amaze and to draw me, and I believe everyone, beyond themself. And so, I am thankful

• that I live in Kentucky and that I have always lived here
• that you can turn off a main road and be in horse country in thirty seconds
• for pictures which capture beauty and remind me of it
• for good friends
• for water
• for long drives in the car
• for the (occasional) day when I do absolutely nothing productive but simply enjoy a good movie or book
• for the Walmart employee last night who heard me humming in the aisle and smiled
• for hidden gardens (see picture)
• for church services, even when I'm tired and would rather be sleeping
• for a car that works
• for God
• for church in the morning
• for sleep
• for wooden desks
• for towels (because we spilled a lot of water this weekend)
• for snugly blankets

And with that I bid you farewell and go to get some sleep. <3 Have a blessed rest of the weekend!

The Comforts of Tea

     In the past year or so, I have grown very fond of anything to do with tea. This development has stemmed from the Monday night girls' group I attend, at least semi-regularly. Every meeting, one person makes and serves tea to the other girls. We rotate who plays "hostess" each week. 

     The practice of serving and gracefully acknowledging that act of love has been a very eye-opening experience for me. I have found it extremely challenging to simply sit and allow someone else to serve me. My natural instinct is to jump up and do it myself, saving the hostess the trouble of doing any work. That simple act, however helpful it might seem, is extremely selfish. By refusing to be served by another person, I am pushing away their love in exchange for my own desires. That is not thankfulness.

     In a situation where someone is serving you, the way to show true gratitude and love is to accept their gift of servitude. In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples' feet.

And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

      Like me at girls' group, Peter tries to refuse the Lord's act of love, but Jesus rebukes him. It is not always easy to accept, but we must follow that example of serving and accepting service in love. Only when we understand how to act with and receive such love can we be truly thankful.

    So now, whenever I make tea, with or without friends, I am reminded of that all-consuming love. I will eternally be grateful for the lesson drinking tea has taught me.

(Very) Belated Birthday Blessings

Today I am, very belatedly celebrating my birthday. But I am thankful for much besides that.

I am thankful for:

• Church services in the middle of the week. 
• The strength to get up at 6 AM. 
• Little snoozes of 5-10 minutes that help me get up in the morning and make the day better. 
• Tea. 
• Good friends. 
• Confession. 
• Incense. 
• Good books. 
• Math, even though I don't love it. 
• Chocolate. 
• A job. 
• Nice customers this evening at the store. 
• A great coworker. 
• Snacks. 
• My cashier friend at Dollar Tree. 
• Shopping at half-price books. 
• Curling up on the sofa with close friends to watch movies. 

My life is full of blessings. :) Thank you, Lord. 

What Does it Mean to be Thankful?

     Being thankful is something I have struggled with for a while. I recently have come to the realization that thankfulness is not simply saving "thank you" when someone does something for you or gives you something. Thankfulness is so much more. To be truly grateful I discovered that I must first understand that I am entitled to nothing. It's a hard lesson to learn, and I am still struggling with it. Every day, without realizing it, I begin to expect everyone, family or friends, to attend to my every whim. I even expect that of God! It's a constant struggle to remind myself that I should be extremely thankful for even the smallest favor or chance I receive.
   
     With that truth in mind, I have found that life suddenly is much more amazing and wonderful than I had ever known. Just today I was able to rescue a baby bird who had been abandoned by his parents. Now, I know that an abandoned bird doesn't seem like much to be grateful for, but I found myself feeling so thankful to have seen such a delicate and beautiful creature up close.
     God's creations are absolutely incredible, and I am grateful to experience them every single day.