Are You Up for a Challenge?
Are you up for a challenge? 1 Chronicles 16:8 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!” We all know that Thanksgiving comes at the end of November, and we’ve all been asked many times to make it a month of gratitude – to live lives of gratitude.
What if we go looking for what we are grateful for – like a scavenger hunt for what we’re grateful for? Even in the chaos of this time – God’s generosity and care are to be found around us. Do you see the picture to the right? You can see the flower – hiding along the wall, which was along a walking path that wasn’t – just a place a friend and I found. In the leaves and refuse around it there was this little piece of beauty, a treasure only God could create. I stumbled upon it – but what if I went looking for it?
You can guess who is in the second picture – I have pictures of my family on my phone – and I look at them, but I could look at them more. I could purposely go to my pictures and find all that I’m grateful for – whether it’s current or from long ago and far away.
Friends, this is the season when I invite you to dig deep and challenge yourself – every single day – go find something you are grateful for, go eat something you savor and enjoy, go talk to someone on the phone who makes you laugh and reminds you just how perfect you are. Go shoot some basketball or sit by your window and enjoy the world just there, see what you can find. I wish I could create a real scavenger hunt for you – one you could take, and you could go drive around in your car and find things or go look around your yard.
Where should we look? What can we see together? How about you flood my email inbox with pictures or a description of what you find, on purpose or by surprise. Ask a child to find something special – and just delight in it, just let it give you joy, a smile, a good feeling. There is too much hard around us – it doesn’t have to take up all the space within us. I challenge you – are you in? I’m in. Obviously, I got a head start and made you look at my pictures – bring on yours!!
With love and gratitude,
Cathy