It is morning, not too long after the sun rise. The back of our house faces east, toward the rising sun. It’s light first enters the screen enclosure and dances across the top of the pool. Then the warm rays are welcomed through the twenty foot wide sliding glass doors at the back of our house.
I see the light shining through the sliding doors, highlighting one spot in the house, the dining table. With all the light’s off in the great room, it’s glow catches my eye and I grab the camera to capture it.
Counting God’s gifts of grace is a lot like the ray of sunshine on my dining table. It’s finding pockets of light in the darkness. It’s stopping to notice and appreciate the ways He loves us. It’s finding joy in the wonder of the moment. It’s recognizing His gifts of grace and returning back to Him our own gift of thanksgiving.
Because no matter what is going on in our day, His grace is always there. God is always good and that is reason alone to rejoice. Yet there are countless reasons to give Him thanks. He paints the sky in varying hues that take our breath away. He dresses the flowers at our doorstep, more luxurious than our most expensive outfit. He provides for our every need. Even our very breath is a gift of grace (Acts 17:25).
God shines a spotlight on the stage of life, revealing His grace. Will we see it? Will we focus our attention on it? Will we cheer with joy? Or will the curtain fall at the end of the show and we miss it entirely?
“Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God’s goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new-created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing, let your joyful heart praise and magnify so good and glorious a Creator.” William Law
Counting graces in community today (#2074-2090):
the light of the sun
the way God’s light shines in the darkness
the freedom to be weak and trust in His strength
holding a sweet baby boy
friends who rejoice with me
seeking joy with small group friends
my son bringing up spiritual lessons he learned during our morning devotional time later in the day and his applying those truths to other areas and circumstances
comfy chairs
leaving love notes for my boys
making Middle Eastern food for dinner because we are studying it in school
seeing God at work, trusting that He is faithful
listening to my youngest sing in the shower:)
going through the grocery store with both boys and there were no incidents!
Taking my MIL to see Screwtape Letters ontstage-it was so good!
Returning home to find the house not the wreck I thought it would be and in fact clean:)
a new dishwasher
Linking up today with these friends:
Love the pictures! He is so good to us!
I love this! Pastor Harris frequently comments that the sunsets in Cape Cod are the best, and everyone applauds when the sun goes down. But Who are they applauding? Do they know Him? What a great reminder!
Gorgeous! Oh the freedom to be weak but to trust in His strength. And congrats on the new dishwasher!
LOVE that William Law quote. And you’re right. There are a million reasons to give thanks…if we just slow down and think about it. Thanks for the reminder.
This is so beautiful. Love your steadfastness in pursuing the gifts through His eyes. Thank you, Christina.
What a beautiful post! I am reading Max Lucado’s new book “Grace,” so your words were just another nudge from God….
Finding pockets of light in the darkness. Wow. That picture sure does capture that. His grace is always there. Such wise words here! So glad I stopped in.
A beautiful reminder to be aware of God’s grace all around us. Found you through Gracelaced:)
Oh, how I like the “freedom to be weak and trust in His strength.” - Wishing you more blessings like rays of sunshine on your dining table:) I feel the same way when it spills on my kitchen table!
Finding pockets of light in the darkness. Yes, indeed. Lovely words, my friend! And so very true.