it's a wonderful life
on thanksgiving morning, i went out for a solo six-miler. my eardrums were bombarded with the fresh sounds and timeless words of I AM. the air was brisk. the sky was perfectly cerulean. here and there, a wispy cloud would drift by. the sun was radiant, casting a golden hue on the earth below and creating shifting shadows that pursued me.
i felt so full. overwhelmed by light and beauty. delighted by God's goodness. His extravagent creation.
i began to pray as my feet lifted and pounded. i moved from topic to topic, expressing my gratitude to my Lord and Savior. the itty-bitty teensy-weensy blessings that are so grand yet often overlooked. the BIG BIG ones. from alpha to omega. as i rounded the corner and hit the final half-mile stretch before home,i began to give thanks for my body. for all my fingers. for joints that move. my brain. my breath. the ability to get pregnant and remain pregnant and give birth. the ability to walk. to bend and move and crawl. to wake up. to eat. to blink. and as i internally uttered the words, "and thank you for legs that carry me and allow me to run..." my toe caught on the uneven pavement and BAM. my phone, right elbow, and right hip bone broke my fall. flesh and bones and earth and dust.
as i dusted myself off, took a quick glance around, and started back up again, i chuckled to myself. thanks for the gentle reminder, God. i had a mild George Bailey moment of "i got a bust in the jaw in answer to prayer". but, i was so grateful for this bust in the jaw. this reminder of my humanity. there is a reason God commands us to GIVE THANKS. it reminds us and refreshes us. it helps clear the fog. it illuminates and fills us up. we understand anew that life is fragile and fleeting. here today and gone tomorrow. soak it up. devour it today. BE GRATEFUL. i have been given so darn many blessings. common graces. and i need to be aware of them. they could be taken away in an instant. this is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.