My blog entries lately have been rather light and inconsequential in the big scope of things. Perhaps that's because I've been rather flighty and my brain seems to have disconnected from the rest of me. (We won't go into the 'why' of that. *cough*) But I read something yesterday that's had me thinking along more serious lines...
In the book Looking for God (by Nance Ortberg) a story caught my attention, namely because God has been dealing with me about my lack of thankfulness. I'm afraid I do entirely too much grumbling, and that's annoying to everyone (myself included) at best. At worst, it's a terrible attitude towards my truly awesome God who has mercifully given me everything I have.
Anyhow... Nancy tells the story of a fourteen-year-old grl who had been in a dirt bike , and was forced to have a leg amputated just below her knee. Nancy (a registered nurse) met her when she went to work in physical therapy. On the way to the PT area Nancy read the patient's chart, and all she could think of was how terrible it would be to be fourteen, and end up with part of your leg missing. In Nancy's words (as she entered the room with the whirlpool): "I was not prepared for her spirit, however, especially when she lifted her freshly amputated leg up above the bubbling water for me to see and said, 'Look how much I have left!' She excitedly told me that since the doctors were able to amputate below the knee, it was much easier to fit a prosthesis. She wondered how long it would take to heal so that she could get started with that. I heard most of what she was saying, but I wasn't really paying much attention. My mind was fixed back on the 'look how much I have left!' Her gratitude seemed really genuine. It wasn't denial or a Pollyanna mentality. She knew was missing a good part of her leg, and she wouldn't have chosen that. But she was so very thankful for this bit of good news. Her spirit made my spirit soar that day. And I had two good legs."
Hebrews 12:28--"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God."
Am I worshiping in gratefulness? Or am I complaining because life isn't what I would have chosen?
Am I worshiping with a thankful heart? Or am I discontentedly grumbling over petty nuisances in my day?
In the book Looking for God (by Nance Ortberg) a story caught my attention, namely because God has been dealing with me about my lack of thankfulness. I'm afraid I do entirely too much grumbling, and that's annoying to everyone (myself included) at best. At worst, it's a terrible attitude towards my truly awesome God who has mercifully given me everything I have.
Anyhow... Nancy tells the story of a fourteen-year-old grl who had been in a dirt bike , and was forced to have a leg amputated just below her knee. Nancy (a registered nurse) met her when she went to work in physical therapy. On the way to the PT area Nancy read the patient's chart, and all she could think of was how terrible it would be to be fourteen, and end up with part of your leg missing. In Nancy's words (as she entered the room with the whirlpool): "I was not prepared for her spirit, however, especially when she lifted her freshly amputated leg up above the bubbling water for me to see and said, 'Look how much I have left!' She excitedly told me that since the doctors were able to amputate below the knee, it was much easier to fit a prosthesis. She wondered how long it would take to heal so that she could get started with that. I heard most of what she was saying, but I wasn't really paying much attention. My mind was fixed back on the 'look how much I have left!' Her gratitude seemed really genuine. It wasn't denial or a Pollyanna mentality. She knew was missing a good part of her leg, and she wouldn't have chosen that. But she was so very thankful for this bit of good news. Her spirit made my spirit soar that day. And I had two good legs."
Hebrews 12:28--"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God."
Am I worshiping in gratefulness? Or am I complaining because life isn't what I would have chosen?
Am I worshiping with a thankful heart? Or am I discontentedly grumbling over petty nuisances in my day?
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