Monday Gratitude

Psalm 100:1-5  A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

I am thankful for...

...a harmless snake on my back porch, apparently making a nest there.  We have a deal, the serpent and I.  You, serpent, eat all the mice who seek to enter my house, and I, (with my mice paranoia), will allow you to stay as long as you'd like.  If you are hiding a nest of eggs on my porch-that's-not-really-a-porch (just a patch of square bricks with grass and weeds growing in between), well then, your babies are welcome too.

- the keyhole in the van that functions less and less reliably.  We pray for the salvation of relatives and neighbors and then finally, the key turns and we are on our way.  Today we needed groceries and couldn't get out of the driveway for fifteen minutes.  It was hot in the van, especially for those in the back. We prayed--the three older kids and me--for as many people as we could think of.  When we could think of no more, we prayed for people we would see in the store. When that didn't work, we persuaded two-year-old Beth to pray that the van would start.  Peter told me he was convinced this would work.  I was out of ideas, so it sounded grand to me. He told her, "Beth, say 'Lord, turn the key please'."

Finally, the key turned and we were on our way.

Bizarre problem to have.  Annoying.  But I give thanks for that keyhole problem.  Any problem that leaves you relying solely on God to get from A to B is a good problem to have.  Having to pray for daily manna, daily sustenance of any type, is a good problem to have.

Do you know it has taken me two years and three months of underemployment to learn to distinguish a good problem from a bad one?  And the best part?  I've only got good problems!

- the act of hunting for blessings, drawing them out of the mundane.

- no mud in my yard.

- days and days of overheating giving way to pleasant temps in the seventies.

- four children out catching insects.

- three children hoping the snake is hiding some eggs, and that baby snakes will soon emerge.

- online friends who brighten my day, who share my burdens.

- a really good sermon on Sunday night.

- a yard with grass (okay, dandelion and clover have taken it over, but once its mowed, it looks like grass....it's green anyway....very green)

- day lilies will bloom soon.

- bird of paradise soon to bloom.

- lots of frogs and toads in the yard to delight Peter and Mary (probably why we currently have a snake taking up residence)

- more weeds to dig up and 70's temps to make it more fun.

- Kristen's kidneys doing better!  Don't stop praying!  Our prayers will defeat the enemy, who attacks every Christian mission, every time.  Every bold Christian act, even newly consistent prayer, is reason for spiritual attack.  The answer? More prayer!

- consistent prayer.  Not letting distance separate you from His Spirit is the secret to the abundant life in Christ! Now, why did it take me fourteen years to learn that?  Hmm. That part is not good.  Don't let it take you that long, friend! Pray. every. day.