Insufficient Words

There are insufficient words for the gratitude I feel for my life,
for the people whom I love,
for the countless gifts and blessings I’ve received.

I can’t express the thankfulness I feel for the power of a smile,
for the touch of reassurance
and the support of a helping hand.

I can’t articulate my appreciation for the world we live in,
for the smell of Jasmine in the morning,
for the cleansing rains,
for the shade of a tree in summer
and the warmth of a blanket in winter.

All I can do is kneel at my Lord’s feet and praise His Holy Name.
He knows my heart. He hears the words I can’t express.

He delights in you and me.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3 (NIV)

Meanings: Thank You

My husband recently listened to a science podcast. He told me that scientists discovered that the phrase that was used most by couples with a successful relationship is, ‘Thank you’.*

One would think that, “I love you”, would be the winning phrase, but those words are all too often bandied around and abused. They lack power because on their own they are just mere words. On the other hand, saying, “Thank you,” is showing that love because it is an expression of our gratitude towards the person we thank – for who they are, for what they have done, or what they have promised.

To thank someone is humbling, it pushes pride aside, and it’s not asking for anything in return. And the added psychological bonus is a boost in happiness and healthiness.

This led me to think about our relationship with our Lord. When we thank God for His presence in our lives, we are saying that we accept Him, we value His promises, we appreciate His love, we are grateful for His sacrifice. When we thank Him, we show our love for Him.

Have you sat in humble thanksgiving with the Lord today?


*Unfortunately I can’t find the podcast to link it here, but the theory behind it can be confirmed here.

Pray Continually

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

What does it mean to you to pray continually?

To me it means to be in constant conversation with my Lord. I try to chat with God and think about God as regularly as possible. It’s a switch I try to keep in the perpetual ‘on’ position.

I won’t tire Him out as I would a friend. I won’t shock Him or bore Him. It’s how I include Him in every aspect of my life.

I can kneel at His feet, I can bow my head and I can recite an eloquent prayer of worship. But I can also pause for a moment from what I’m doing and say, “Thank you,” and in that breath encompass everything. I don’t even have to stop. I can think of God while I work. I can praise Him while I write. I can glorify Him while I clean. I can offer my all in everything I do.

It is His desire that we share with Him all that we have. This is what it means to me to pray continually.

True Love

After last Monday’s post about my mum I thought I’d continue the theme of the people who influence our lives. Today I’m going to talk about my husband.

He is a serious man who comes across as aloof and unattainable by anyone who doesn’t know him. For a long while he was just a friend in a crowd of friends. I didn’t know him very well. I don’t think anyone really knew him. But then I found his sparkle.

Ok, so real men don’t sparkle, blah, blah, grunt and scratch.

But, real men need to be reminded that they shouldn’t be afraid to shine. My husband shines for me.

This adorable man taught me what love meant. He taught me that it didn’t have to be a struggle, it wasn’t a one way thing, and it can be forever. He offered me friendship, he showed me patience, he gave me respect.

We discovered we could trust each other. We could be 100% ourselves with each other. We don’t need to hide. We don’t need to pretend.

This is the kind of love that God offers all of us – and more. We don’t need to hide or pretend with Him. We can trust God with everything: our deepest darkest secrets, our joys, our fears, our dreams and our struggles. It’s a precious love that we should never take for granted.

I thank the Lord daily for my husband. Do you daily thank God for a special someone?

Who has influenced your life the most?

Wallpaper of the Week - Psalm 106:1

This is a view of the coastline looking towards Wollongong, south of Sydney, Australia.

Psalm 106:1 is a wonderful verse to meditate on. We truly can praise our Lord because He truly is good and His love really does last forever.

Amen.

Making Sense – Touch

Today is the final day of my series about the five senses. I left the greatest until last: the sense of touch.

I believe the most important sense of all is touch. We need to be touched to enjoy a healthy mind, body and soul.

A baby deprived of touch will become sick. That deprivation will delay their growth and development. The babies who are touched, however, grow a lot faster and healthier.

We connect through the power of touch.

A hand on the shoulder is often greater comfort than words. I know that when I’m stressed, the gentle caress of my husband’s hand on my forehead quietens my frenzied mind.

Our Lord gave us the sense of touch to comfort one another. He gave us this gift to heal one another. He gave us this treasure so that together we might feel the world and praise our God for his countless blessings.

And God created us so that we can feel the gentle touch of His Spirit on our hearts. This touch tells us we aren’t alone. It tells us we are loved. It tells us we are saved.

Looking for God

It’s important to look for God even when we know He is here. I find God in creation, in the vast blue Australian skies, in the rocky coastlands, in the white sands of our beaches.

I find God in the vibrancy of colour, in the perfection of a rose, in the sunrise over water and moonlight on a quiet night.

I find God in the taste of foods, in the smell of summer rain, in the creativity of the human mind.

I find God in a smile, a tear of joy, in an act of kindness and the sound of worship.

But God is also with me when I suffer, when I grieve and when I ache. God is there when I am lonely, when I struggle and when I’m afraid. He is everywhere at all times. If I look for Him, I will find Him.

Where do you find God?

End of Summer

Here in Australia we are coming to the end of summer. The nights are only just beginning to feel cooler. The days are still long, but they aren’t as humid. I have a smile on my face again in anticipation for the coming winter. And then I thought about it…

Every year during the summer months I’d mourn the loss of winter. I’d complain about the heat. I’d complain about the flies. I’d see myself as a winter girl who loved snuggling down under thick blankets, listening to the cold rain outside, eating the warming foods such as the slow-cooked lamb shanks, the winter stews, and the shepherd’s pies.

Of course, every year during the winter months I’d mourn the loss of summer. I’d complain about the cold. I’d complain about the heavy clothes. I’d see myself as a summer girl who loved the heat, the swimming pools, and even the summer foods such as the plethora of seafood, mangoes and ice creams.

Seasons change. It’s unavoidable. Life changes. That too is unavoidable. Everything around us changes. No summer is exactly the same. No winter is identical. We are all a little older than the last one. We are all a little changed. So let’s appreciate everything that we have rather than complaining and wishing for something else. Let’s thank our God for the Now.