Hope Without Limits

Earlier in the week, I was pondering the new year and heard my Heavenly Father tell me “enjoy my creation”.  Really?  Not save the world;  be a better person;  spend more time in the Word?  Yet in the midst of not having a clue, my experience told me to immediately agree so my response was “Yes Lord”.

That “yes” has and is changing my thoughts and actions.  Whatever is in front of me is my Heavenly Father’s creation (Gen 1:1) and I have the choice to enjoy or it or not; to accept it as the gift that it is or worry and fret about what isn’t.

At the beginning of 2013 what I heard as guidance for the year was “to focus on what is rather than what isn’t”.  I still need to grow in that.  Even that statement is colored by focusing on what is rather than what isn’t, because I did succeed in doing that some of the time, but I still have room to grow 🙂 .

Right in this moment I hear the enemy trying to twist this with “what about things that need to change”.  Thank You, Father, for instantly guarding my heart with Your truth that by enjoying Your creation and being thankful for what is, that in itself is praise; You inhabit the praises of Your people (Psalm 22:3) and Your Presence changes what needs to be changed (John 1:5) and guides me as to my part (John 14:16) .  Hallelujah!!

How does that play out real-time you may be wondering?

My husband and I were out for dinner last night.  It started out with me trying to order 3 different items and they were out of all of them.  I had a choice to get grumpy and disappointed or to be thankful for time to be with my husband (definitely God’s creation 🙂 ) and the day we had just shared.  I chose the latter.  When our food did arrive it was delicious (another creation to celebrate), but here’s the kicker.  Our waitress came up to us with our check and told us the owner was taking 50% off our bill for being so kind rather than getting upset with our server and the staff.  Ok, wow!  Kindness had not been my “intention” at all, but kindness is a fruit of the Spirit and following the Spirit’s lead to choose to think on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8) produced the fruit of kindness in the lives of those immediately around me.  Is that a win/win or what?

OK, I’m sold.  2014 is the year to enjoy my Heavenly Father’s creation.  Care to join me?

In the spirit of celebrating my Heavenly Father’s creation, I hope you enjoy these pictures.