Renewal through His Gifts

The washer has stopped in its cycle to get ready to spin, and in the silence in the house I can hear the wind chimes on my front porch.  It's been a decent day for February, though the wind is a little chilly.  I sit here on my couch, planning my evening, always planning.  It's unusual for my washer to be running on a weekday night, for me not to be in a gym, for me to have quiet time... home time.

God is good even in chaos, and as I think back over my gifts from this past week I see this.  It's hard sometimes to see His gifts when you are just worn out and tired and emotional... yet this Joy Dare has kept me searching, seeking, kept my eyes wide.

I see them huddled around their guard, her hair flowing and the rest of them sweaty from a ballgame.  In their tender comfort, the tears flow, and I am touched at the idea of family.  Family in a group of girls... these 12 teenagers who love one another on and off the court.  I'm just a small part of it... their basketball mama, but I am so grateful.  In the loss of a grandparent, they have come together to show us what life is really about, and that basketball is more than just bouncing a ball. 

And the past week, 5 games in 6 days with 2 funerals thrown in... the gift of a beautiful sunny day and seeing our girls laugh in victory, of a 15 minute nap snuck in, the gift of family and friends, of 30 minutes snuck in on the treadmill when I didn't see any extra time... the gift of God redeeming time, so that it all comes together when it should.

And I'm counting... Caleb's mean laughter and pausing in the day to watch you tube videos.  A good night's sleep, and the unexpected grace of being able to oversleep and still make it to church on time.  A day of rest, His love and mercy. New friends in my Online Bible study, and my heart, fixed... on Jesus. He took what was broken and fixed it, and now I am fixed on Him.  God's Word and Philippians 4:6 and Matthew 5:1-14 and Him... the author and finisher of our faith.

And now, as I sit here on this red couch thinking about getting up and hitting the treadmill and working on lecture  notes and getting started on a systematic review appraisal... even though I am still tired from last week, the gifts do something. They renew...

Because we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, and renewal of our minds come when we focus on Him, and in focusing on Him, you just can't help but think of all He has done, all He has given.  His gifts... because His grace is sufficient.

Join me at www.aholyexperience.com to take the Joy Dare, counting to 1000.  I'm doing more than 3 a day, so I'm on 293.  And He is so good!