My Blessing Day

Here is what I wrote at the end of my blessing day...
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in such a bad mood that I couldn’t even finish my Bible study. I read it, but it was not getting anywhere. All day God kept chipping away at the wall I was building in my heart, and giving me a little grace here and there to not say what I was thinking. This morning (Wednesday) I woke up with hope that today was going to be better, but there was still a tidge of bad attitude ready to take over. I was reading in my Bible study, yesterday’s lesson, about having a blast in Jesus and really delighting in His blessing. Because He is full of blessing and He gives them to us one after another. “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16 BTW this is my new memory verse I'm learning.) (Beth Moore’s John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple, Day 36) To fully set the scene, I’m memorizing Colossians 3:1-2, the set your hearts and minds verse, and a friend is reading a joy study I put together and we have talked about it recently, so I had been thinking about experiencing God’s joy and being in His presence…today would be better. The phone rings. SweetHeart calls to tell me that the big freezer in the garage—the freezer that housed, among other things too, the roast, steak and hamburger mom and dad just stocked for us—that freezer door was open all night. And everything was defrosted. Thankfully it is winter and everything was still cold. But thanks was not my initial response! Here is the prayer I wrote in my journal this morning.

God, today is better than yesterday, but I am struggling with being joyful. I know Your love for me is very great and right this moment I am loved, but life is happening and I am down—I'm frustrated with someone I love, money is tight, the fence blew down in the storm last night, the freezer door was left open, the dishwasher is out, SweetHeart's job is stressful for everyone, I have lazy kids because I'm not teaching them right, SweetTate is being 2, I’m tired and have a sinus infection…Lord, I need Your joy just to get through today! I want it to be more than that, for You to be a blast to me, but this is where I am.

So here is my blessing day…I decided I wanted this to be a blessing instead of a chore. How? I knew our youth pastor’s wife was on a mission trip to Africa, so I invited he and his girls to dinner. I needed to make a roast and some steak, and there would be MORE than plenty so I invited our music director and his family too. (The pastor and his wife couldn’t make it.) I figured Wednesday nights were hectic to get a meal in for them, and that was evidently my job for the day so why not! Was it easy? I defrosted the freezer, cooked 3 pounds of hamburger patties, browned 6 pounds of hamburger to freeze, made a roast and steak for supper to feed 12, the dog pooped in the house, the dog started tearing up the carpet, my son scratched a borrowed DVD, my daughter spilled oranges all over the kitchen, did I mention the fence was down…chased the dog, did I mention the dishwasher was out…washed dishes, pick up the house for company…um, no, it was not easy. Here are the blessings, one after another. Because my focus was on God, I told my daughter that she left the freezer door open, she said she was sorry, I gave her a hug and that was the end of it. I did have to explain later in the day that I couldn’t help her pick up the toys because I was busy in the kitchen—there were consequences all day. But at the end of the day, she knew I loved her, no matter the mistakes. That is not necessarily my nature, that is God working, that is a blessing today! My son thought we were having a party because friends came over—that is a blessing. Fellowship with friends, somewhat hurried because of busy schedules, but I pray it was a blessing to them too. We only lost a couple of pizzas and a package of chicken, and those I bought on sale with a coupon! That is a blessing! I was able to give a friend some of the steak. At some point in the day I asked God that if He was giving me one blessing after another, that I needed strength for this day. I was on my feet all day, and here I am at the end of the day, very tired, but my feet don’t hurt (that is rare). That is a blessing!

God, My Father, I am so overwhelmed! A day that every turn had another mess to deal with, and You were busy blessing me and others! You are so worth it! You can take a terrible day and turn it into good! I see other families that I admire turn mistakes into blessings and wondered how they did that. Today You showed me. I have to put You first and keep my eyes on You, not on whatever is happening around me. Thank you for my blessing day! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! I know You really love me, and I love You too. In Jesus’ precious name…amen.

Psalm 25:5 (current memory verse--another blessing!)
Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. ALL DAY LONG I put my hope in You.