I surveyed the many messes around the house as I
contemplated the chaos which would drive me through the afternoon and
evening. Two soccer practices, birthday
shopping, baking cupcakes, making dinner, 90 minutes of carpool spanning three
schools and seven children. My heart
felt heavy and my spirit felt bound by many obligations. The heat in the house was rising on this late
summer day as quickly as my feelings of dread.
I decided to turn on the air so that at least I wouldn’t be overwhelmed and sweaty. As I leaned over the dining table to close
the window, I heard the air conditioning unit turn on and I felt the cool air
begin to blast through the vent on to my face.
And my heart was hit with a sentiment of gratitude. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of air
conditioning. I didn’t just say the
words. I felt them. I felt them as a tangible expression of God’s
grace to me. He whispered in my ear and
his words quickly trickled to my heart, and I knew it wasn’t me doing the right
thing. I wasn’t acting grateful, but God
had given me the gift of gratitude. He
placed his hand under my chin and gently lifted my face. He shifted my gaze to show me something sweet
like a parent who kneels down next to their child to help them see something
really neat. In this simple gesture I
was redirected from my troubled place.
Hit by the reality that I don't do so well when left to my
own. I am humbled with the awareness
that I need Him each day to whisper in my ear.
To show me what he sees. To save
me from my own self which often feels so feeble. To do it with compassion. To be unexpected. Simply because he loves me.
