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Notice anything?

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I vacuumed the floors today.  I dusted some of the house.  If you know me, you know I don't do a lot of this housekeeping stuff.  That was the worst part of losing my job last summer was the loss of people to come clean my house.  (Yes, I know how awful that is to say especially in a BLOG!)

As I was vacuuming, I was also grumbling, as I do when I clean, "No one will even notice! The only time someone notices is when I DON'T clean!" grumble grumble growl grrr

Then guess what occurred to me.  How many things does God do for me all the time that I don't notice.  I only notice when it ISN'T, like when it's gray and raining instead of the sun shining, or when we need rain but it won't.  What about the times when I missed the animal that runs in front of the car, or right after I've left.  I can't begin to imagine how many things God does for me that I am completely unaware of. And completely unappreciative of.....

I've prayed to make me more aware, more appreciative. I'm better than I used to be.  For example last week, a deer ran right out in front of my car.  I had to slam on the breaks. But fortunately, I missed the deer.  I immediately said "thank you" to God.  Then a few minutes later when I'd arrived at my destination, I noticed my open purse and bag upside down on the floorboard of car where it'd been thrown when I slammed on the breaks to miss the deer.  I DIDN'T grumble about the upturned purse and bag.  Instead as I reached for them by their handles I said another thank you that I had missed the deer.  Then I picked up the bags.  Nothing fell out.  Absolutely nothing. I hadn't grumbled about the mess I was going to have on the floor and now I was saying another thank you that nothing fell out of my purse and bag. This time, instead of noticing that God didn't do something for me, I noticed that he did because of what normally happens: an upturned, open purse equals mess on the floor and empty purse.

How many things does God do for me that I don't notice because he's done them instead of noticing that he didn't?  How many days am I healthy?  I sometimes notice on those days that I don't feel well how often I feel wonderful.   How many deer do I miss on the road because the phone rang to keep me home another few minutes? There is no way to tell.  How many other "bad" things does God protect me from that I am completely unappreciative for?  When I drop something and it DOESN'T hit my foot.  When I don't look well enough behind me before I back up then to notice I DIDN'T hit that person who just walked behind me. (That's a two-person Thank God!)  So much to be grateful for.

Dear Wonderful Father,  Thank you so much for all that you do for me, especially the things I don't know about.  Forgive me for being unappreciative.  Forgive me for taking You for granted and demanding more when things go "'wrong".  Thank you for Jesus.  Amen.
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Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 17, 2010 at 7:03 AM

    Been there. Done that.
    One more blessing...there is someone there who might notice, probably won't, but could.--DE

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sherri HardingMarch 17, 2010 at 7:54 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

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