Need to Clean the Bathtub? Rejoice!

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us.
Psalm 67:1




“Sit back, relax, and enjoy the next eight weeks.” That’s what the doctor said when he discharged me from the hospital.

Six weeks ago, I looked forward to doing nothing but lounging on the sofa reading books, watching movies and catching up with my Facebook friends.


But now, there’s one thing I can tell you with certainty. Relaxation isn't all that it's cracked up to be. It can turn to boredom real fast. There were so many little things I took for granted until I couldn't do them anymore.


Here’s what I said to God about it:


Dear God.
Until I had surgery, I didn’t notice your daily blessings. Oh, how much I took for granted --

  • Driving,
  • Vacuuming,
  • Carrying the laundry basket,
  • Washing and sweeping floors,
  • Stretching to reach something high on a shelf,
  • Lifting more than 10 pounds of anything,
  • Weeding my flowerbeds,
  • Cutting the grass,
  • Hauling out the garden hose,
  • Bending effortlessly to pick something up,
  • Changing the bed sheets,
  • Moving heavy boxes of book samples (especially when Fed Ex leaves them on my front porch),
  • Climbing on a ladder to change a light bulb,
  • Putting away the red-white-and-blue holiday banner that’s been above the picture window since Memorial Day,
  • Taking myself to the grocery store, or anywhere else,
  • Pushing a shopping cart loaded with groceries and putting the bags in my car,
  • Getting down on my knees to scour the bathtub, and kneeling to pray,
  • Reaching past my swollen belly to cut my toenails,
  • Having enough energy to cook a big meal and then wash the dishes,
  • Enjoying long days of active summer fun with my friends . . . and, oh, so many more wonderful little things.

Thank you, God, for being gracious to me, for blessing me, for making your face shine upon me. I’m getting to the end of my recovery now, and I can’t wait for that special day when I can haul the trashcans to the curb all by myself!


AMEN!!


How about you? What little things do you take for granted? The next time you lift your toddler to put him in the highchair, and get down on your hands and knees to clean up the cereal he spilled all over the floor, and then pick up the sea of toys he left strewn around, shout to the Lord with thanksgiving! Take my word for it. You are so blessed to bend, stretch, lift, push, pull and carry.


“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18






NEW FROM THOMAS NELSON

CLICK ON THE BOOK TO PREVIEW. VIEW THE BOOK TRAILER BELOW.
FROM BARBOUR BOOKS
I'm proud to be a contributing author to the following series of humorous devotionals.
And check out my "Kid's Bible Dictionary" and pre-teen mysteries, also from Barbour.

See all the books in the Camp Club Girls series.

See all the books in the Camp Club Girls series.
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I am the author of these books, but I have not been compensated for mentioning them on this blog or linking them to the seller's website. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."


By Max Lucado, Published by Thomas Nelson
Max Lucado has a unique way with words, and his children's book Hermie A Common Caterpillar is no exception. With simple text and bright, watercolor illustrations, the story of Hermie unfolds.

Hermie wonders why he looks and feels so common. Whenever he asks God why, God simply answers, "I'm not finished with you yet." Then, one day, Hermie feels very tired. He gets into his cozy, leafy bed, and he sleeps. And while Hermie sleeps a transformation takes place. When he wakes up, Hermie discovers that God has done something grand. You can guess what it is. Every caterpillar that lives to adulthood knows the end of the story.

Parents, please share this book and its powerful message with your children. We are all special because God loves us, and He has a unique purpose for our lives. Whenever we slump into feeling ordinary, we know that we have hope because . . .God isn't finished with us yet!


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I review for BookSneeze®


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