gratitude

NO DISHES On This VACATION, No Grumbling Either – JUST SHINING, Philippians 2

Standard

I am pre-writing – planning for being away on vacation – and this seems so fitting to write about for a time I hope to be on vacation with no dishes and hopefully no grumbling… SO instead I will post it today – a rambling post from old – but the summary is to praise the Lord over grumbling. Also I have to say that time will pass – and we will get through – and life keeps moving – and so we best praise over grumbling…

So on a Sunday (by the time I thought about sending this next Sunday – I was already into Monday of this week – today) – and thinking on how to act on a Sunday – it is a day that we are to be not grumbling but PRAISING GOD. Well, that is everyday too I hope…  And the scripture I was re-reading and re-reading (which I included in a rant type post years and years ago), well that scripture is about NOT grumbling – Philipians 2.- Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

What I re-read now is the part about holding firmly to the word of life – that is piety in prayer and praise – that is (from the previous verse by Paul) us to continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.- THAT IS US HOLDING ONTO JESUS.

I can say that we are to feel so blessed – always – because Jesus, Lord, saved us and saved me – and that I know He won’t lose us – even if I lose myself… 

And we can feel blessed for multiple things – like well, I was just thinking about a mundane but not blessing in my life – my dishwasher – yeah – we have always said “I love my dishwasher” – and I ALSO say “I LOVE MY DISHWASHER!” today – and I do splurge, I must tell you, I add 2 pods into each wash run – yeah – just do… And the dishes? so so clean… I am grateful…)

ANYWAY – blessings are not always in the things – actually blessings is most strongly found in the guidance… Blessings in Jesus being with us.

So – about the dishwasher (and the salvation because Jesus is our biggest soul washer) – I bring you a rambling post #338 from years ago – suitable for a Sunday of praise and a Monday of chores – praise that God said no grumbling and just hold on…

This writing below – pure processing – and it includes – you guessed it – the dishwasher – and it includes prepping for vacation… And talks about blessings of busy – blessings of having a house and things to do – blessings of burdens which are busy blessings all the same…

I told myself that I would not delete wacky posts from my first writing and this I did not!

So – Here’s my devotion from 9 years ago – (wow that is a good run on a great dishwasher): #338 = from 2017 “Journaling”… Wakefulness in early morning ALWAYS was calling me to read scripture and to write… Busyness a privilege not a chore… Writing is therapy, never a chore… God is ALWAYS a blessing, not a chore… Working out our salvation is essentially talking to Jesus, surrendering to Jesus, and accepting His Sacrifice to save – asking forgiveness – and then giving praise.

Dishes, 17Jan 2017  

This is the perfect verse for the dishes… Philippians: Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

I really don’t mind doing the dishes, it’s just when there is a week’s worth waiting for me, well, I think of all the other things I could be doing… And thinking…. And Yeah….

So, actually, I don’t mind doing the dishes at all… I actually don’t mind doing chores, I don’t mind hard work, I am blessed and relieved to have lots of skills and be efficient with my time…. Even God wakes me up to write and God is VERY efficient at using my time and my sleep… and I don’t mind… I don’t mind at all, GOD… You have fulfilled more in my life and for after my death then in my WILDEST DREAMS… I don’t mind, put me to work God, YOUR work…

But dishes? Are they and the laundry and the cooking and paying bills and… are they more than just chores? I think so… I KNOW so… I think they are there to prove that I have a LIFE… That I am BLESSED to own a house, to have beautiful children… To have mouths to feed… I think so much of what we grumble about – we are actually blessed with… I think those dishes are both there to remind me that I need to get back to buying paper plates AND to appreciate there WAS food in the house to make the mess… (And also to give me the opportunity to thank and pray for my earthly handy house carpenter who replaced the old dishwasher in the spring, blessing me with installing an expensive kicka$$ dishwasher on a damage sale for a fraction of the cost… Who also is the only reason this house hasn’t crumbled because of termite damage repaired… Yeah, praising God for HIS blessings of both earthly and heavenly carpentry…)

Of course dishes are chores, but also mean I have an opportunity to be in my house and not “on the go”… I of course multitask – cooking healthy food AND practicing my praise singing while I do dishes… And it’s time to think… Time to ponder the greatness of God…

All my chores yesterday were for others, which turns out were/are for me too…. Working for others who bless me…. Labors of LOVE: cookie booth work, six different stores for groceries and essentials, and I barely remember what… I do remember that it was peppered with blessed people interactions and that it was all done efficiently and rapidly and ONLY on six hours sleep…

Today, Sunday, will be the same… BLESSED to be busy… these are all activities for me because they ARE for God’s greater purpose – to show HIM working IN me to keep me upright and smiling… In the meantime, Sundays are a great way to restart the week: family time, church, band practice and praise time, church family time, lunch with the girls, more kid family time, cookie booth set up with crazy girl scout moms… Blessed to be WAY too busy to be stressed…

No grumbling… Chores… Just ride the waves of today’s tasks… Soon I will take some vacation days, take care of myself… Take time for me – and time to ponder the greatness of God…

No grumbling, God provides life, just go live it…

LIVE it, LOVE it, for God.

Philippians 2:14-16 NIV

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

original blog (same dishwasher) https: //debbieupper.blog/2017/05/20/2408/

Yeah Gratitude, and Chips Too

Standard

I thought about the chicken salad all morning yesterday – well, I think of chicken salad all the time anyway – but this day I needed an easy lunch, coming back from a trip over the weekend, I spent no time prepping lunch or meals for the week  – so a quick trip to a food convenience store was already in my plans. And yet I wasn’t sure – dill pickle chips or no chips – well to be determined… Lunch (and life) is more interesting with chips – don’t you think?

So, a needed break had just found me – and I went to go get lunch – the right time surfaced and I had just transferred some “blessings bags” to my friend’s car – one subaru to the other – she helps with a group that helps those on the margins – and these blessings bags came from my neighbor – they were a gift from girl scouts earning their bronze award by getting donations and assembling them – all I did was move the bags from one friend to another… It’s good that folks make these bags, hope bags for sure. For the people who donated and who made them and who will get them – we can know that a transfer of love occurs – gifted and received in a spirit of gratitude. 

At the store, the parking was the toughest I ever could have had – but I got one – and backed it in – to the applause of the driver next to me – whew…  but my pride of parking was just silly – that isn’t being through the fire – however my timing was surely the Lord’s because my pride and self-centeredness melted just then, with an interaction with a man asking for change to get something to eat. He was well dressed, not typical of those asking, he did look like his struggles melted his pride enough to beg. And in our brief conversation, what struck me as more sad than physical hunger was his answer to my question if he was able to do anything for Easter. He said no, that “each day is not different from any other” – “well, but some nice church people brought some good food” to him, “that was nice”. Yeah, I appreciate those nice church people too in my life. I appreciate the realization of faith-found generosity is a fruit of the spirit.

I got my chicken salad, I don’t boast about getting him something, it was just a natural feeling of offering, and when he asked if he could get chips too, I said sure, chips too. I think chips make life (and lunch) more interesting and I have an interesting life, no doubt. I felt grateful about having a choice to make and hope in choices. I felt grateful also in this week’s work anniversary. Work has allowed me to provide for myself and family and others in joy. in spontaneous joy.

I’ve been hearing this theme of GRATITUDE all week – first of course for Easter – the most important day of realization for the victory by Jesus for our sakes. Easter is for our jealous God’s sake too, so that He can pull us close, forgiven and forever fortunate. The pick me up for tired selves is gratitude, gratitude that God cares and saves, saves AND cares.

There are many songs of gratitude of course we could sing – and I just heard a new one – written by Brandon Lake – “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – with a lyric that rings true for many who know it is both their hard fight to survive and rise and for God’s hard fight to rescue them and all. For a person realizing each day is a battle: “the struggle keeps me honest – and it breaks down the walls of my pride” – and another lyric for each day is a victory:: “faith isn’t proven like gold till it’s been through the fire”… 

I can’t say that I have had a hard fought battle, I haven’t, I just have had a fortunate existence despite some foibles and frustrations. That conversation in line and it was his face which humbled me most, that “no day stands out” – “no different existence” day to day. That’s what humbled my pride, brought near tears, refined realization that everyday is something different to me, spontaneous me. I’ve got a dill pickle chip dusted life of spicy flavor and crunch everyday…

Gratitude is choosing praise too. Thank You Lord for refining reminders to keep faith eyes open. enjoy the day, for this IS the day the Lord has made!!! Enjoy life – and lunch…

Amen

—

Here is a song “Gratitude” – really great… heard on american idol, Breanna Nix & Rylie O’Neil – “Gratitude” as well as Brandon Lake (and Jelly Roll) with multiple song videos of “Hard Fought Hallelujah”: