Oh...how He loves us so!...Counting Blessings Today and the "Little Things"

Think the Lord doesn't know the delights of your heart? Think He doesn't care about the 'little things'? Think He doesn't know how to say "I love you" really loudly to your heart, in a very quiet way?

Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

I am convinced that the Lord knows the keys to our hearts and wants to remind us of His love for us and His care over the smallest details of our lives.

Here's some of the ways that the Lord knows blesses me:
-Jesus, the bible
-my children (and when someone blesses them, I'm blessed!)
-chocolate and/or coffee (mixed? even better!)
-teas, especially herbal and exotics
-books (can there be too many books!?!?!)
-flowers, especially those for the yard and gardens, because they keep giving!
-treats for the kids (For some, this might be candy bars, but personally I get a real kick when God gives them some good-for-you food stuffs or gives things to me to feed them. It says to my heart; "I care about their health too.")
-needful items like cleaners, toiletries and the like

The box of tea in the picture above, is one of several little blessings the Lord has slipped my way in recent weeks. This is not just plain black tea...this box has lots of chai teas, lots of WHITE chai teas. A sweet blessing to me for you see, there's one flavor in this box that reminds me of a most special tea that was bought for me years ago at an (expensive) tea shop in Nashville. It was amazing!( ..Along with a chocolate tea that is most worthy of mention :)  ...It's a unique flavor and I'm sure it's yucky to some, but to me, it's bliss! And - God knew that! A little thing.

Ezek 47:12  And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat... and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

One day this week, we had 2 large bags of items that we were taking to someone, in hopes of being the 'blessor'....but, as God would have it, we walked away being the definite 'blessee'. We had a bag, that I almost couldn't carry, full of toiletries, a wicker basket, and some clothing items that had been on the 'needed list'. There were also multiple (at least 3!) items in this mix that the boys had told me within the last few days that we were "out of"...their little things. (God- He just wows me sometimes!)

 Luke 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

We were also given 2 very large stacks of books to borrow. ....Drooling....Lots of classics in these stacks. Dracula, Frankenstein, (I didn't know it, but one of the kids had been desiring to read those!)The Tale of Two Cities, Grimm's (Woo hoo!), Aesop's Fables, Nancy Drew (dd's favorites), and even a few Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, which a couple of the boys like. (There's also some Madeleine L'engle books in the mix that I don't know much about. Any of you girls????) ...She also told me when we finished them, we could come back and trade them out for more! Gasp!

Eccl 12:12  ... of making many books there is no end...

In that mix of books was also a boxed dvd kit of classics produced by PBS. The kids had been asking for a movie!

That's another thing I'm thankful for.....For the past three months or so, I don't think our television has even been on. We don't have a tv upstairs, just one in the den, where the wood stove is, which would make one think we'd be cuddled there all winter....and we were a lot of times, but not watching tv. We were building card houses, working puzzles, talking, reading books, breaking open hickory nuts (bartered for with bread), and one big chunk of time has been used for going through the Bible with this one book; Four Thousand Questions and Answers from the Bible   - given to us many months ago. This book is older, has quite a few grammar flaws and typos, and I think it stretches some of it's typology theology, but it's fantastic for going through the Bible stories, hitting highlights, tying verses from the OT and NT, and also geology. We've used the globe and the internet to look up the cities that it mentions, or more often than not, at this point, the ruins of the cities....But that book...that's stirred up so much interest, was just a little thing, almost passed over in the midst of other books. A little thing, that God is using, to stir the bigger things in His precious Word for my children. -Just, wow!

One year ago, I might have had a couple of skirts and a handful of shirts. That was fine, I wasn't involved in much and I really had no need of more. The Lord has filled my closet this year, just as I needed them. Giving me shoes, skirts, blouses, sweaters, coats, and jackets. I was given a pair of new shoes for Christmas! My son and precious daughter-in-law also sent me a gift card for my birthday and insisted I spend it on myself. I was able to add several denim skirts to my closet, which I love for comfort and lack-of-ironing! :)  The little thing in this was that I had ripped the favored denim skirt last year,beyond repair, and He gave me more than one back. You think He knows about my slackness in ironing?

1 Tim 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

The children have also been blessed. I think Kemmie has more clothes than all of us put together! But God knows, he is in those years where that is important and I think He is showing Kemmie now, in preparation for the future- I am your Provider and I can do exceeding, abundantly above all that you ask, or think. (Say on, Lord! Say on!)........And he might as well enjoy civies now- hooyah!

One of my children has taken a special interest in certain types of books. God has put some very, VERY special people in our lives this past year and this couple has seen to it, that this little fella has had numerous books to read on this special topic. (The goodness of God to my children is a bottomless well of blessing! When God taps into blessing in that area- my cup runneth over and over and over.)

Psa 90:17  And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

 Psa 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Why are flowers so special to me? I dunno, perhaps it's really a reflection of the beauty of God to my soul. When I see the individuality and the beauty of each flower, the attention to detail- it just stirs my heart. It reminds me God does care about the little things- the details- the specifics! And- there is beauty in the Lord.

Mat 6:29 .... That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.



My daughter has honed her love for drawing this year. God has blessed her with the needs to make that happen. ....Such a small, small thing in some ways; but giant in this child's life. (When God reaches out to my children, it humbles me to my core, reminding me of my great privilege to share in God's divine purposes for them, of which, I'm not worthy. (But that He allows me to; THAT, is awesome.)

Isa 54:13  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

We've been given several pounds of apples lately and a ton of home-raised pork fat to render for lard. Now, apples speak for themselves- they're just good! But- let me tell you about the little things hidden in the lard! You see, hidden in the DNA of my children, is a predisposition to some auto-immune problems. One of those is craftily connected to low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is stored in the fat of pigs raised on farms and raised naturally. Such were the former days of Wilbur! (Convinced you yet, that He cares about the little things?) 

 Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

You know what's in those jars? Bacon grease. Yep, just plain ole bacon grease. It was given to me. What's so great about that? ... I said on Facebook once; "You know somebody loves you when they give you their bacon grease!" ...But it says so much more than that. It says; "Every time I cooked bacon, I took the time to strain this grease off for you...Every time I cooked bacon, I thought about you. When I wiped the drips off of this jar, I did it for you. When I sat these by the door before I went to bed so I wouldn't forget to bring them the next day, I was thinking about you." Sure, this is just a little thing, in some ways, but how could I take for granted the times God had someone think of me during that process and to go through trouble, for me?! I don't see that as so little. That's a great big "I love and care about you", to me. (Thank you God. I heard it.)

And for me, I think the little things are humbling. They help with all of those yucky pride issues. And speaking of pride, and fat (lard-grease), this verse is almost funny to me, in that it reminds me of how old-timers would talk.

 Psa 119:70  Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

Isa 44:4  And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
(Note- willows by water courses equals BIG trees very quickly!)

One final little thing which is really a big thing. The willows are starting to bud out with tiny leaves and even the grass is starting to regrow. No big deal, right? This happens every year. I doubt anyone but my family pays any mind to those willow trees. Little things. ...But, I've noticed something big about this process every year.You see, every fall, that tree 'dies' and goes dormant. It's a little thing especially since it's leaves don't really turn some magnificent color. The tree also goes through this seemingly little process of blooming back out every spring as well. No big deal. But you know what, it seems to me, that every time that tree 'dies', it comes back a little bigger, a little stronger, has a little more character, and more shade and beauty. I'd dare to make a wager, that tree grows when it's 'dead'. You reading between the lines about this little thing? :)

We go through winter sometimes- but even in winter God is doing something to our root system! Just a little thing, no one can see, as it's just under the surface. But oh how big it is! How great it is! How very important it is- these little things.It is good to take note of them, to be mindful of them, to watch for them, and to make full use of them- the little things.

A strand of hair is a very small thing but-

Mat 10:30  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.


1 Pet 5:7  ... he careth for you.