Five Ordinary Things

I was reading in my devotional that comes into my email every morning, and a challenge it gave caught my eye and my heart. I was just going to pass it by, and go onto something else, so much else that I have to do, especially at this time of year. But then, it caught me again, and said to me, do it, don't just briefly think about it and then forget it. Do it!

"Take some time to write down five ordinary things that you appreciate. Then, list reasons why these ordinary things are actually special blessings from the Lord."

I'm sitting here in my recliner, looking out the window, and the first"ordinary" thing I see is trees. Trees that give us shade in the summer. Trees that give us food and so many creatures shelter. Trees that create the forests where I love to spend time in the spring and summer and fall. Trees, and the sound of the wind in their branches and the sound of rain on the leaves. Trees, that even in the winter, have beauty, as their bare dark branches provide patterns across the sky.

The next "ordinary" thing I see and think of is this home. It's a home made of bricks and mortar and wood, but it is so much more. It is a home full of the people I love, each giving to each other. It is a home full of the love of God being worked out in all our lives. How glorious is that!

Fabric, another "ordinary" thing, and yet it is full of colour and possibilities. Fabric fuels my creativity, which is surely God given. Fabric clothes us, keeps us warm, and is an outlet to express the love to others that I feel inside, but sometimes have such a hard time expressing.

And then I look at our coat rack, and the "ordinary" garments hanging there. I count six or seven different coats and sweaters hanging there. and then I think of the closet, full of our clothing. It's not fancy, it's not the latest style or trend, and yet without all of it, we would not be able to live. We would freeze in the winter. And yet God graciously provides all our needs, like the lilies of the field.

And the other "ordinary" thing that has such a prominent place in what I can see from where I am sitting is books. Books that  are just ordinary fiction, read for entertainment and escape. Books full of God's word. Books, written by men and women, who wish to glorify God through their writing, who wish to dig deeply into God's word, and bring it to life, to take a passage of scripture and dig deeply into it for all that God has to say and teach His people.

Five "ordinary" things, that are such great gifts from the Lord our provider. Thank you Lord!