Jesus Calling: Abundance

Nov 12
This is a time of abundance in your life. Your cup runneth over with blessings. After plodding uphill for many weeks, you are now traipsing through lush meadows drenched in warm sunshine. I want you to enjoy to the full this time of ease and refreshment. I delight in providing it for you.
__________

This little inspirational book (Jesus Calling), devotional treasure, peace-inspiring way with words is exactly how I am feeling these days. I am blessed by the kindnesses, of people, the comments on my FB or email or on this blog, the food that shows up to feed my kids and husband when I cannot.

Did you ever see the Disney movie Pollyanna? I do try to approach things that way at a big picture level while also acknowledging my feelings and living in the moment (usually intense happiness or intense anger or heartbreak or hurt). Pollyanna had a way of looking at life's positives. A good way to go through the days, right?

List your abundances today... That one more roll of toilet paper, that there was enough lasagna noodles in the box even though you didn't check before making the sauce, a job to go to, a car to drive even though it's just a minivan, your family, your friends, found chocolate bar on top of the fridge exactly when you needed it... don't over think it, big or small, count it.

We live in God's abundance every day. For me, the thankfulness has become part of my cry for help when the pain hits. Maybe it's me using reverse psychology on myself but I find thanking God for the pain meds in the hardest parts sometimes distracts me right into a glimpse of praise or thankfulness. Usually it's the tiniest fraction of distraction but sometimes it's enough to catch my breathe for that second so I can better get through the next 20 minutes before the little pill kicks in. I am not a saint, finding a moment of praise when I am thrashing around in pain is something I am cultivating. Usually my dear husband is standing broken hearted and feeling helpless beside me, crying out to God to bring peace and pain release. If I can just get my mind to quiet for a long enough second to catch Shawn's prayer, I can mooch prayerful heart off of his good example. Sometimes it is super hard: 3:00am has become a nightly practice set around here. [weak smile]

The Bible says:
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
—Psalm 105:4

Abundance and strength... Yes, please. And, thank you Lord.