Thank You!

Thursday, June 2, 2011 (9:30 a.m.)

Silver Lake Resort

Eastern Sierras, CA

Most Holy God,

Wow! What can I say? Snow. Wind. Forward-thinking husband. Thank You! Yes Lord. Thank You. Camping in a cabin. Who knew? YOU did! Thank You.

Thank You for beauty. Thank You for safety. Thank You for solidarity. For being of one mind. Oh Most Dear and Holy God thank You for the simplest things in life that bring out Your best in us.

Lord God, that is exactly what I ask of You this glorious morning. Your best. IN us! Whoa! Another concept.

Away from ‘land lines’ and ‘landmines’ of responsibilities. No television. No Internet. Simple things. Stay warm. Keep dry. Stop. Look. Listen. Pay attention to the things that truly matter. Things like: You. Your will. Your Way. Your best.

How does one learn to do that on a regular, consistent basis? It’s times like this. Moments to reflect. Taking the opportunity to TRULY ‘Be still and know that You are God’ (Psalm 46:10). Thank You Lord.

(11:23 a.m.)

And I’m back Lord, but only for a minute. Just to say once again, “Thank You!” Thank You for a time of eating healthier. Thinking more clearly. Desiring to ♫love You more dearly, follow You more nearly♫

THIS all from wanting to make an honest-to-You commitment to truly take care of myself. NOT other people. Lord. It’s been a l-o-n-g time coming! I’ve been a tough nut to crack. You have been VERY kind and patience with me. And again, I say, “THANK YOU!”

I’m going to take the time right now to eat some much healthier food because I am really, truly hungry for the first time in a very long time. Hence, the clearer thinking. Thank You Lord.

(12:53 p.m.)

Yum! And thank You. Filling my belly AND moving my muscles, a VERY good thing to do for myself.

Lord, I confess to not having willingly done this for such a long time. Thank You for not only the desire, but the follow through as well.

As I’ve searched Your Word this morning regarding ‘best’ I have come upon three extremely relevant verses.

Isaiah 48:17, “The Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says, ‘I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who leads You in the way you should go.’” How have I continued arguing with You all this time? Lord. I KNOW You are true! I KNOW what You say is best!

I read the entire chapter and am supremely comforted. Lord. You are good. You are ♫Mighty, Mighty! ♫ You are MY ♫Brick House♫ and I love You so much! You give me hope. You know me through and through and You love me anyway. Oh Your promises dearest Lord. Thank You. Thank You so very much!

Moving on now to Philippians. To chapter one, verse ten. Paul wrote from prison to the church in Philippi with happiness for what Christ means to him and all the Philippians are doing for him. He prays, “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (v. 9), so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (10), filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God” (11).

You love us so much Dearest Lord. Of that, there is absolutely no doubt! How I ask You, Lord, to allow this present commitment to You, to the good of myself and others to take deeply seeded root. Nurture and grow me in the way You would have me grow Dearest Lord. Straight. Tall. Deeply rooted. In You!

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7) Oh yes Dearest Lord. Deeply rooted in YOU!

Now finally, over to 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God”

(3:15 p.m.)

Following that brief interruption of jumping up and putting on warm enough clothes to enjoy a walk by the lake and collect trash, I’m back with another heartfelt “Thank You!”

Thank You for the surprise of seeing the waterfall that looks like it is part of Rush Creek’s connection to Alger…

(3:35 p.m.)

Lord! At this rate I’ll never be done thanking You [maybe that’s the point, huh? J]. JUST as I was finishing one thought, “…Creek into Silver Lake.” (See paragraph above) and preparing to go on to thanking You for the weather appropriate for sitting in an Adirondack chair on the cabin’s deck. A thud on the ground just to my right revealed two galloping, then grazing deer.

Talk about “It’s all too much” Lord! SO many things for which to say, “Thank You!”

Once again I’ll return to Timothy (see several paragraphs above!). “… as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Oh let that be me Dearest Lord! Approved. Doing my best. Not ashamed. Correctly handling Your Word of Truth! Yes God. Please. Make it so!

The deck is getting shaded. And my body somewhat chilled. Thank You for this wonderful husband who prepared [as is his typical Boy Scout fashion J] ahead for this wonderfully warm cabin into which I get to go retreat.

Thank You Lord. Thank You Lord. Thank You Lord! I love You. I’m grateful. And I thank You. Amen.

(941 words ~ 3:58 p.m.)