I have been reading about thankfulness and gratitude. I received a book from an amazing person that is very inspiring. It's called 'One Thousand Gifts' and is written by Ann Voskamp. She talks about her search for joy by making a list of things she loves or is thankful for, not just the usual list like 'my family' or 'my friends' or 'a roof over my head,' but the simple things in life that usually go unnoticed. The small things that are gifts from God but we normally don't even think about twice. So I've been trying to notice these things and be thankful for the simple and small things in hopes it will bring me joy.
When we first got back from our trip, I was so happy! Our apartment was so homey and I had missed our friends here. I was in such a good mood. It's silly that a mood can change so quickly... The past couple days have been frustrating and a struggle to be thankful. As much as I don't feel like being nice to people who frustrate me, I have told myself I have to kill with kindness. I will admit, I complain and grumble to myself about how generous I am being with nothing in return when I definitely should not... But it is irritating! I don't want to be nice when someone comes and TELLS me to give them my ziplock bags. Or when I'm told I can bake away (my therapy) with the oven I usually borrow as soon as it's fixed and then go to the work of hunting down someone to fix it, only to have it taken and sent away as soon as it's finished! I ask myself, why do I share my cakes and cookies all the time with people who seem to selfishly hoard theirs?
I guess there are always those people in life that you won't get along with. They will frustrate you and drive you crazy but if we got along with everyone, what would be the challenge of life? I think about how I should be thanking God for all the small gifts and be happy regardless of those challenges. I read, not only in the book by Ann Voskamp, but in another by Ravi Zacharias about Appreciative-love. "Thank you" is the highest form of love. He writes that this is how we worship God and use our love and gratitude together as powerful weapon.
I found it funny that in a two day period, the books I'm reading emphasized the same point. It makes me think about how God speaks to us. I don't think I've ever really felt that God has spoken to me personally, but maybe its because I just don't notice it? Maybe I need to notice things like this and take note because it could be God making a point for me to remember. That must simply be the way He works, but I guess we won't know until we get there. It's like a train in India. You ride the train for hours, really having no idea where you are on the map and not knowing exactly when you will arrive at your destination. You can ask people around you and they will tell you some amount of time, but really they are just guessing and are often very wrong! No one really knows, not even the conductor, because things always happen along the way that cannot be predicted. But that is the mystery of it all. That's the excitement, the wonder and awe! We don't know how God works. He does it, and we live. If we knew everything about the end and all the wonders of God, we would lose interest. When you finish a good mystery book or movie, you don't keep reading or watching it over and over because there is no way to have that feeling of excitement or wonder every again. You know how it ends, so its not as fun to experience the story again! I think God made our lives a mystery on purpose. And I am glad that we don't know how things work or why things happen. Otherwise life would be unbearably boring. So I truly thank God for not telling me where or when because anticipation is what fuels our lives. I can plan as much as I want, but it will never turn out exactly as I think it will. Our lives are just like the books, and what would a good story be without some conflict or pain or confusion? If the main character always had it together or always knew what was coming next, would they enjoy their part? Nope.
The mystery and wonder, the questions and confusion and struggle to make decisions, those are blessings. And I thank God for those things because life would be robotic without them!
When we first got back from our trip, I was so happy! Our apartment was so homey and I had missed our friends here. I was in such a good mood. It's silly that a mood can change so quickly... The past couple days have been frustrating and a struggle to be thankful. As much as I don't feel like being nice to people who frustrate me, I have told myself I have to kill with kindness. I will admit, I complain and grumble to myself about how generous I am being with nothing in return when I definitely should not... But it is irritating! I don't want to be nice when someone comes and TELLS me to give them my ziplock bags. Or when I'm told I can bake away (my therapy) with the oven I usually borrow as soon as it's fixed and then go to the work of hunting down someone to fix it, only to have it taken and sent away as soon as it's finished! I ask myself, why do I share my cakes and cookies all the time with people who seem to selfishly hoard theirs?
I guess there are always those people in life that you won't get along with. They will frustrate you and drive you crazy but if we got along with everyone, what would be the challenge of life? I think about how I should be thanking God for all the small gifts and be happy regardless of those challenges. I read, not only in the book by Ann Voskamp, but in another by Ravi Zacharias about Appreciative-love. "Thank you" is the highest form of love. He writes that this is how we worship God and use our love and gratitude together as powerful weapon.
I found it funny that in a two day period, the books I'm reading emphasized the same point. It makes me think about how God speaks to us. I don't think I've ever really felt that God has spoken to me personally, but maybe its because I just don't notice it? Maybe I need to notice things like this and take note because it could be God making a point for me to remember. That must simply be the way He works, but I guess we won't know until we get there. It's like a train in India. You ride the train for hours, really having no idea where you are on the map and not knowing exactly when you will arrive at your destination. You can ask people around you and they will tell you some amount of time, but really they are just guessing and are often very wrong! No one really knows, not even the conductor, because things always happen along the way that cannot be predicted. But that is the mystery of it all. That's the excitement, the wonder and awe! We don't know how God works. He does it, and we live. If we knew everything about the end and all the wonders of God, we would lose interest. When you finish a good mystery book or movie, you don't keep reading or watching it over and over because there is no way to have that feeling of excitement or wonder every again. You know how it ends, so its not as fun to experience the story again! I think God made our lives a mystery on purpose. And I am glad that we don't know how things work or why things happen. Otherwise life would be unbearably boring. So I truly thank God for not telling me where or when because anticipation is what fuels our lives. I can plan as much as I want, but it will never turn out exactly as I think it will. Our lives are just like the books, and what would a good story be without some conflict or pain or confusion? If the main character always had it together or always knew what was coming next, would they enjoy their part? Nope.
The mystery and wonder, the questions and confusion and struggle to make decisions, those are blessings. And I thank God for those things because life would be robotic without them!
You are a good writer. Yes!
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with you that God does speak to us through repetition. Someone says something, you read the same thing somewhere else, or see a book title or whatever...
One weekend the same word, boundaries, came up 5 times. Ok, God I get it now. It was so helpful a word for me at the time. I needed to add them to my relationships with a couple of people. He counsels us this way sometimes, I believe.
Ann Voskamp is an incredible writer. I follow her blog...aholyexperience.
You are doing an amazing work there. We don't see it many times...but you love and care well for others...And your smile....is so encouraging! Keep on...
Amen, Amen, Amen! Love this Brooke! I remember ALWAYS asking people on the train when my stop was. You're so right. Nobody EVER knew. But I would watch out the window at every stop and try and read the Hindi signs ha ha! And it's always so great to be back at "home" after a long trip! Can't WAIT for heaven. What a party it's gonna be! Love ya Brooke! Thanks for writing :)
ReplyDeleteAll my life,i have hated these word. The things you do not know, you will find out some day and question yourself if you would have done something else....
ReplyDeletecompare Birmingham parking
meet and greet Birmingham
The title dose not make me want to read your post. But i do agree with the saying.
ReplyDeletepanic at the disco tickets
panic at the disco event tickets