Sane, Simple, Sacred: My New "Big Thing"

My New "Big Thing"

He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

I have a little collection of this Corning Ware pattern...

Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful--just the everyday activities of life--do I hear God's assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing--that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God's assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the the ordinary days and ways of life. (My Utmost for His Highest, June 4).

This MUST be the lesson I'm supposed to learn.

(Sadly, I'm a slow learner sometimes.)

Right on the heels of yesterday's Spurgeon quote

came our devotional this morning.

Earlier in the week my husband and I had dinner with friends.

We half-jokingly/half-seriously spent a few minutes brainstorming

about what "big thing" we might do...

Write a best-selling Christian book,

come up with an amazing invention, etc.

(Actually, I've spent way too many hours

brainstorming like this in private!)

Last night I took a casserole to a friend who just had surgery.

I stayed to do her dishes.

I think doing dishes is my new "Big Thing"

6 comments:

downsizersJune 4, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Doing your friend's dishes said so much to her and so much about you. Since we are His hands, this demonstrated God's love in a powerful way.
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PatJune 4, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Finally, I can comment again...take that Blogger!
You are wise to realize what your one big thing is...compassion. Oh that more would have that same one big thing.
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JudyJune 4, 2011 at 6:14 PM
Soooo true!
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PamelaJune 4, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Oh Rebecca, I dream and dream. i think I have readjusted my thinking to realize that many times it's in the little things we go our greatest work. But still I dream...
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Breathing In GraceJune 5, 2011 at 6:22 AM
Oh, Rebecca....I REALLY needed to hear this. I waste too much time pondering on what God is expecting of me...when all He asks is that I love Him and show that today...and let tomorrow take care of itself...just as He promises!!! Thank you sooooo much for writing from your precious heart what our sweet Lord prompts you!!!
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SueJune 5, 2011 at 6:50 PM
So blessed by this post and your previous one Rebecca, I once hear a message that asked the question.. Do you want a title or a towel? I have never forgotten it and from time to time have to ask myself this question once again.
Hugs,
Sue
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"We simplify, not just to be less busy, even though we may be right to pursue that. Rather, we simplify to remove distractions from our pursuit of Christ. We prune activities from our lives, not only to get organized, but also that our devotion to Christ and service for His kingdom will be more fruitful. We simplify, not merely to save time, but to eliminate hindrances to the time we devote to knowing Christ. All the reasons we simplify should eventually lead us to Jesus Christ!" (Donald S. Whitney)

Dedicated to my sister-in-law, Beth--a TRUE home manager....

"I work for a King. He has put me in charge of his home. When He comes to see how I have managed His possessions and His children, I do not want to be found wanting. I want to do my best. Everything I have is on loan from Him. I have room and board and a job to do, but it is all for Him. Therefore I want to dress my best and do my best in all my work. I also want to be creative, for this is a sincere attempt to glorify Him and His beautiful creation. How I manage my home is a form of worship to Him." --Lydia Sherman

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Contentment makes poor men rich.

-Benjamin Franklin

"What I am gradually discovering is that in the writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God." ~ Nouwen

~~"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting."~~Edmund Burke

C.S. Lewis: "To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in trusting a person if you wouldn't take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him."

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony." William Henry Channing

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Apostle Paul: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand. It stops us from taking anything for granted. It has also taught me alot about living in the immediate moment. I am somehow managing to live one day, one hour at a time." Madeleine L'Engle

FIVE CERTAINTIES
WITH WHICH TO
START YOUR DAY

God holds you. Each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 NLT
God sustains you. THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1 AMP
God covers you. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust. Psalm 91:4 AMP
God pours His love upon you. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me. Psalm 42:8 NLT
God will not fail you. The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22 NLT

THE BLOGGER'S PRAYER Lord, help me to learn to spell without spellcheck, manage to visit all that visit me, and post regularly - all in 5 minutes a day, so that I can clean house and take care of my family. Help me to not look at every occurrence in my life as a blog post, and to quit taking pictures of weird things to share as well. Please Lord, help me to stop talking about my blog friends as though they are next door neighbors or someone I have known all of my life. And help me, dear Lord, to think of something witty and wise to post tomorrow.
Love, The Dust Bunny Hostage

Sane, Simple, Sacred

Mercy

My New "Big Thing"

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Writing a Song a Week #3