Laundry is done.
Suitcase is packed.
Books are selected.
Garbage is taken out.
Dishes are washed.
Library books are renewed.
Phone is charged.
Flights are confirmed.
Paperwork is gathered.
Plants are watered.
I think I'm ready to go.
Thursday, 15 February 2018
Monday, 12 February 2018
On Being Thankful
I've been thinking a lot lately about being thankful. There are a couple Scriptures that keep coming to mind:
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
It's easy to give thanks when things are going well, and it's easy to give thanks for the good things. What I've been thinking about and praying about is the other stuff: about giving thanks in the bad times and for the bad stuff.
It's not that I like the bad times or the bad stuff, but if I trust God's sovereignty, and if I believe Scripture, then I have to believe that there's a purpose for all of it (even when I can't see it). Romans 8 says that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him, and that this "good" is being conformed to His Son (even when the "good" looks really "bad").
Sometimes I can see the good that is coming from the bad stuff of life. I can see how it's changing me and conforming me to be more like Christ; I can see how down the road it's working out to be better than what I had planned. Sometimes I can't see that right away, but in retrospect it becomes clear.
What I'm working on is giving thanks in the moment for the things that seem bad to me, the things that I don't like or understand. That's harder. It's also what God commands: don't be anxious, but pray with thanksgiving; give thanks in everything.
It doesn't change the circumstances, but I find that it changes me. I get a better perspective on things and remember that God is ultimately in control. I lose that anxiety and worry that would otherwise plague me and I'm more relaxed. Even if I don't understand why things are happening the way they are, I am more able to trust God for the outcome. And when I pray with thanksgiving, I find that there are things in every situation to be thankful for, things that I would have overlooked otherwise.
So I'm trying to be thankful in all circumstances. It isn't always easy, but it is an act of obedience and I have discovered that God blesses even feeble attempts to obey Him.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
It's easy to give thanks when things are going well, and it's easy to give thanks for the good things. What I've been thinking about and praying about is the other stuff: about giving thanks in the bad times and for the bad stuff.
It's not that I like the bad times or the bad stuff, but if I trust God's sovereignty, and if I believe Scripture, then I have to believe that there's a purpose for all of it (even when I can't see it). Romans 8 says that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him, and that this "good" is being conformed to His Son (even when the "good" looks really "bad").
Sometimes I can see the good that is coming from the bad stuff of life. I can see how it's changing me and conforming me to be more like Christ; I can see how down the road it's working out to be better than what I had planned. Sometimes I can't see that right away, but in retrospect it becomes clear.
What I'm working on is giving thanks in the moment for the things that seem bad to me, the things that I don't like or understand. That's harder. It's also what God commands: don't be anxious, but pray with thanksgiving; give thanks in everything.
It doesn't change the circumstances, but I find that it changes me. I get a better perspective on things and remember that God is ultimately in control. I lose that anxiety and worry that would otherwise plague me and I'm more relaxed. Even if I don't understand why things are happening the way they are, I am more able to trust God for the outcome. And when I pray with thanksgiving, I find that there are things in every situation to be thankful for, things that I would have overlooked otherwise.
So I'm trying to be thankful in all circumstances. It isn't always easy, but it is an act of obedience and I have discovered that God blesses even feeble attempts to obey Him.
Monday, 5 February 2018
Just Life
I've been trying to have one of the families from the church over for some time now. We've booked twice, and each time one of the kids got sick. Yesterday we were talking about it and decided that since we were all free they would just come home with me and we would order pizza and spend the afternoon together. It was so much fun! Of course the apartment wasn't quite as tidy as I would have liked it to be, but they have four children; they didn't care about neatness. We just cared about fellowship and food and fun.
It's so cold outside, and it's been so cold for so long! I know, I know: it's winter in central Alberta; it's supposed to be cold. It's not even the cold so much as it is the very, very dry hands. I don't think there's enough lotion in the world to keep my hands moisturized when it's cold out.
It has also been snowing. It's so pretty and peaceful looking. I love the look of snow on evergreen trees.
I will be on vacation in 11 days. Mum and I are heading south on a cruise. For a week, I'll be warm. It's going to be so much fun! Mum and I travel well together; we can hang out together or do our own thing and arrange to meet up later. We have 4 ports of call. In two of them, we're doing an excursion together (although one is a short excursion and we may go our separate ways after since I'm heading for the beach at that point; Mum may or may not join me there). We have separate excursions booked for Puerto Rico: I'm doing a walking tour and learning history; Mum is doing a tour and shopping trip. The fourth port didn't have anything that we really wanted to do, so we're just going to wander around, maybe do some shopping, and just relax.
I know it's not Sunday, but it's been a while since I shared a hymn, so here's one for you:
It's so cold outside, and it's been so cold for so long! I know, I know: it's winter in central Alberta; it's supposed to be cold. It's not even the cold so much as it is the very, very dry hands. I don't think there's enough lotion in the world to keep my hands moisturized when it's cold out.
It has also been snowing. It's so pretty and peaceful looking. I love the look of snow on evergreen trees.
I will be on vacation in 11 days. Mum and I are heading south on a cruise. For a week, I'll be warm. It's going to be so much fun! Mum and I travel well together; we can hang out together or do our own thing and arrange to meet up later. We have 4 ports of call. In two of them, we're doing an excursion together (although one is a short excursion and we may go our separate ways after since I'm heading for the beach at that point; Mum may or may not join me there). We have separate excursions booked for Puerto Rico: I'm doing a walking tour and learning history; Mum is doing a tour and shopping trip. The fourth port didn't have anything that we really wanted to do, so we're just going to wander around, maybe do some shopping, and just relax.
I know it's not Sunday, but it's been a while since I shared a hymn, so here's one for you:
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