Friday, June 10, 2011

Celebrate The Gift of the Day

There's talk of clear skies and warm weather coming our way after a long season of Oregon rain. Even so, we are always prepared for rain.  The thing is . . .  I have learned there is reason to enjoy the gift of the day . . . in the sunshine as well as in the rain     There's nothing sweeter than when the gift of life is recognized and celebrated.  After living a few decades, I've learned celebration is an important piece of a fulfilling life. This means there's an intentionality to developing an attitude of celebration, refusing to allow the stuff of life to control how the day is lived.

How is celebration possible when life is more stormy than calm?
It begins with choosing to calm ourselves down.  So. Take a breath, focus on God, and believe:
  • He is in complete control.
  • He is present. 
  • He will walk with us in all seasons. 
  • He won't walk away. 
  • He has a plan. 
  • He will bring all things together for good. 
Consider. 
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28, NLT).
When a storm comes, we are enabled to stay on course through God's presence. We are never alone, God's Spirit always comes alongside of us, walking us through the storm.  But.  When we become focused on the storm, we fail to see God is with us.   It requires us to turn away from the storm, to rest in His presence, refusing to be overdone, overwhelmed, and overpowered by it all. And, yes, it's a mystery of how good will ever come out of the storms of life; however, we are promised God will do it.  Period.  Nothing else but good.  It's good before we physically see it good.
If we see God is at work through eyes of faith, believing He will purposefully use everything for good, we are able to relax and celebrate the gift of the day, even in the storms of life.

So.
Pay attention to the gift of the day: God is purposefully at work, bring all things together for good.  Celebrate.

Learning to Kickstart the day celebrating the gift of the day,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)