This learning to give thanks changes everything. Changes the way I think. Changes the way I see things. Changes me. It’s not that I’ve never been grateful before. But I think I gave thanks more for the obvious blessings—Jesus, a great husband, children, a specific answer to prayer—and often tuned out so many of the gifts God showered upon me daily.
I am amazed at the difference gratefulness makes. Now that I am trying to deliberately, intentionally look for God’s blessings through the lenses of thankfulness, I see Him everywhere. The whole world looks different, as different as when I got my first pair of glasses.
The summer I was nine, the constellations disappeared. My family pointed fingers at the Big and Little Dippers. Squinting, I’d look up into the vast blackness, surprised that the sky seemed empty except for a bright, blurred circle of moon. Daylight details faded, too. I spent most of that season wandering around in the canvas of an impressionist’s landscape, Monet’s soft palette, edges rounded and forgiving. The wide green brushstrokes of myopia did not concern themselves with singling out leaves, stems, or blades of grass. I hadn’t even realized I’d lost them.
Before school started in September, I got pink-framed cat’s-eye glasses. (I loved them for the tiny rhinestone accents on each side. I loved them because I believed—truly believed—that my chubby freckled face looked pretty behind sparkly pastel plastic.) From then on I would live in the crisp place behind lenses, reading blackboards, recognizing faces across the street. Now I would be focused, sure-footed, four-eyed forever. And so I am.
But what about my spiritual near-sightedness? I desperately need the Great Physician to help me see his gifts more clearly, to help me notice and count the countless blessings in each new, mercy-filled day. How amazing that when I look up and see only a dark night sky, I can choose to put on thankfulness, this bending of light, bringing me stars.
Morning Star,
I awake to the luxury
of another twenty four hours;
and isn’t now a good time to remember,
with deliberate and intentional reverence,
to consecrate this daily-ness?
Don’t let the transcendent beauty
of the garnet-glazed mug,
the silver glint of spoon,
the clean white swirl of cream,
these gifts, these gifts,
slip by unnoticed.
Let me savor the dark roast coffee,
the crisp, hot fragrance of toasted bread,
the blackberry’s tiny plumped pillows
soft on my tongue,
as an act of praise to you.
Don’t let the sacred tools and vessels
of my everyday work:
pitcher, bowl, cup,
ladle, pot, sink,
citrus soap and clear water for washing,
be used without thankfulness.
Anoint these hours, these hands, this life
with the grace of doing all my small tasks
with a great and conscious love for you.
Amen.
Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Lynne,
Good morning sister java junkie :). I love your word pictures and for helping me start my day with gratitude for all that I have and for the Father who has given me these gifts!
Blessings,
Bev
lynne says
Thank you for the kind words!
Pamela Herman says
Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing. God is speaking through you. Thank you so much.
lynne says
You are so welcome. Thanks for the encouragement.
mary says
Lynne, Beautifully said. Beautifully lived.
lynne says
Thank you.
Sharon O says
love your writing … good job.
lynne says
Thanks!
karyn says
I love Monet myself.
🙂
Nice.
Aimee@Middle Finger Project says
Lovely post. Fab pictures.
Susan Dominikovich says
Blessed and annointed words. Well done.
Kathy Cheek @ In Quiet Places says
Yes, beautiful words…we should look more closely for the multitudes of blessing around us in the places we can easily overlook.
lynne says
Yes, it’s so easy to overlook our riches in the midst of everyday life and trials.
Samuel Ziro says
Thank you for multitude blessings. I am touched and blessed for your awesome written. Be blessed.
Jennifer says
Beautiful! Finding words of thanks and praise are important to the health of every day regardless of how it might be going. A thankful heart and mercy-filled attitude nurtures the soul. I’m blessed by your post. Have a wonderful day!
Rosie says
Dear Lynne,
Saturday night I felt really ill and my head started to felt like it would explode in the next second. I woke up in the early morning with tears in my eyes because I felt so strange. The next day I realized that I got high fever and it raised with every hour. I really felt miserable but the hardest and most painfully hours started yesterday in the evening hours. My mom did all what she knew about nursing me but nothing changed. The fever raised almost constantly and I hoped to fall asleep and wake up when I felt better.
For the whole time I felt so miserable I never stopped praying. Sure, it might be normal and everyone would do this like me. But at this time I realized how near God’s loving hand was. It all had come almost harder. And of course it was hard but I learned to be thankful for God’s help.
Please pray for me! Tomorrow is my birthday and I am almost feeling not really good again.
Be blessed all of you!
Rosie
lynne says
Praying for you, Rosie.
Beth WIlliams says
Rosie,
Prayers for healing and a wonderful birthday!
Father,
Please heal Rosie. Give her your healing touch and shower her with your loving kindness. Help her to feel good again and to enjoy her birthday!
AMEN!
Beth WIlliams says
Lynne,
For a few years I have done a “thankful” journal. I write down everything from the big stuff–God, Jesus, etc. to the mundane like electricity, indoor plumbing, beds, etc. then each day I write out what I’m thankful for that day. Some day I come up with 260 items (that includes the main list plus daily list). I’m making myself focus more on what I have and to be thankful for it.
Lately I’ve realized a big thankfulness and that is health. Hubby and I and our older parents are all relatively healthy. That means a lot to us. I know so many people who have health issues.
Thanks for writing so eloquently. You have a good way with words. God Bless
Larissa says
This is why we need you in our lives, Lynne 🙂
Kathy says
Thank you for the good word…I am thankful for you, and our friendship!
Melanie says
Such beautiful words from a sister in Christ. Blessings to you & your family.
Sandi S says
Lynne, Thankful and grateful for so many blessings daily, large and small. It really does make a difference when focusing on how blessed we are. Tonight, after reading your blog, so blessed am I to have met you and yours so many years ago. I am grateful for this reminder and hope to see more of your blog. Love you
donna magoun says
I can hear you speaking this to me, hear the way you speak your words, lovely when a person can express themselves this way, thank you for sharing
Jenn says
What a great post, Lynne!
Ro says
What a blessing you are! I am so grateful Lynn, to know you and am so happy you are sharing your words, your gifts.. I hold you all in my heart and smile!
cristina says
I am very appreciated for this weblog. Its an interesting topic. The idea help me a lot to solve some problems. It’s opportunity are so fantastic and dealing style so speedy. It may be aid all of you. Cheers.
Jim S. says
“…wandering around in the canvas of an impressionist’s landscape, Monet’s soft palette, edges rounded and forgiving.” A marvelous image that sparkles like those sparkly glasses (and I’m sure your face did look pretty behind those sparkly frames). Thank G0d for glasses! Wonderfully written. Love the sentiments and the way they are expressed.
By the way, took note of the name of the website–(in)courage. Here’s something I wrote a few years ago about encouragement.
http://yeshliblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/encouragement.html