Words From The Wheel

First of all, I’d like to say, WOW… I have never been away from my blog this long! I have tried countless times to come back here and write. In fact, I tried just the other day. I think these quiet seasons come and go, and maybe some people either hide it well, fake it, or just lay low and accept the quiet times for what they are. But that’s not gratitude.

But a lot can happen in “almost” a year. And by “a lot,” I mean a lot of things I don’t really want to talk about right now…

The Gratitude Challenge

Sometimes, I mindlessly browse Insta to just decompress and defrag. I like that Insta isn’t like other social media platforms and nothing is really “expected”. You can’t accidentally fall into a ridiculous comment section, which helps to be able to scroll on past without any potential rambling comments to mar the beauty of the picture or video.

But yesterday, I saw this graphic pop up, and it caught my eye!

I’m not usually one to do these challenges, but something about this one caught my attention. So, I clicked on the bio of the poster. Then I clicked on the website. And the more I saw, the more I wanted to try it. Maybe it would pull me out of my funk. It’s been with me for a while now. Maybe something like this could help shift things a little?

The Ripple Effect of Gratitude

One of the things mentioned in the blog post that accompanied this graphic was that gratitude creates a ripple effect. And that gratitude is actually attitude paired with action. All I ever want is to serve Jesus and my family (immediate AND church family), but I’ve felt like such a failure in all of them lately that it’s started to mar my vision, I think. I mean, if GRATITUDE has a ripple effect, then I can only assume that the lack of gratitude can also have a ripple effect.

Lord knows I wouldn’t set out to have a lack of gratitude intentionally. And I thank Jesus day and night – LITERALLY – for His mercy, grace, deliverance, and so much more. There are still days that I walk through my living room and almost hit my knees in sheer thankfulness for the amazing adventure He’s brought us through these past couple of years. It reminds me, every single day, that my whole life is one big “BUT GOD” moment!

No, I think more than a lack of gratitude, it’s more like a vicious circle that has been allowed to fester for too long. And that can do so much damage!

Accepting the Challenge

I thought it would be nice to accept the challenge and follow along on Insta. I meet some of the coolest people on those little writer’s challenges that last like, 3 days. Well, this one lasts a month and should be pretty interesting!

I’m going to try to keep up with them here, if work allows. It’s a lot more time-consuming to post blog content, but I’m gonna try.

If you wanna join in, just click the “blog post” link above, and you can find the background, graphics, and instructions. If you decide to do it, let me know! We’ll catch up on Instagram too.

Glimpse…

Glimpse is today’s keyword, and to me, it’s applicable every day. Several times a day, really.

A favorite thing that my hubby and I like to do is look for our God Appointment every time we leave the house. Some days, there isn’t one, and other days, there is. But we try to always catch that glimpse… that glimmer of whatever it is that Jesus wants us to do in any given moment. After all, aren’t we His hands, feet, voice, here on this earth?

But, do you know what’s even harder than catching a glimpse of a God appointment out in the real world? Catching it inside the four walls of your own home.

Sometimes, the mundane actions that make up a workday can cloud our vision. Make us desensitized to those we’re closest to. And today, as I finalize this blog post for publishing, I’ll be praying that I never miss it again!

Give Me a Glimpse, Jesus!

Lord, You know my heart today, just like You know it every day. And You know how hard these past couple of days have been. You know all my hurts, my insecurities, and the demons from my past that have reared their ugly heads against me.

You know, too, Lord, that my flesh has considered giving up in so many ways. But my spirit rises up against the very idea of it! Without You, what would I be? WHERE would I be? HOW could I be? I don’t even want to know, Jesus!

All I know is that I want to constantly catch a glimpse of Your purpose for my life. Your purpose FOR my life. (Is there still any fruit I can bear at this point in my life?)

I know it won’t come all at once, but that’s not really what a glimpse is anyway, is it? Until then, Jesus, I’ll just thank You for never leaving nor forsaking me, and worship You in the beauty of Holiness.

In Jesus’ mighty Name, Amen.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9