Savor The Flavor!

Lee and I have been on a low-carb diet as of late, which means no pasta, no potatoes and no bread for five days out of the week. But today was a day off and what I was most hungry for was a burger (with the bun, thank you!) and some French fries. I got as far as the red light outside the restaurant before I starting digging in the French fry bag. Oh. My. Goodness. They were sooooo good and suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every bite. And it got me to thinking about my life and how often I rush through my day, my week or even for seasons of my life just gobbling down the wonderful blessings that my Father has bestowed without giving them a second thought. Sometimes I get so busy planning for my next good thing that I completely miss the beautiful blessings that are for TODAY! Papa is so faithful to bless my life (yours too!) with big and small touches that speak of His divine nature…of His unconditional love…of His perfect plan-but sometimes I am so distracted by what lies ahead that I miss it. Ever been there?

Society tells us to plan, plan, plan and do, do, do…but our Father calls us to B, B, B!

B In Today-I’m just like you; I want some sort of heavenly outline of all the good blessings that lie ahead…It’s almost like I want to experience tomorrow’s blessing in the here and now and the truth is, it just doesn’t work that way. Imagine for a moment that it is a friend’s birthday and as they’re blowing out their candles they informed you that their “wish” was that they could receive every single birthday gift that they’d ever receive throughout their lifetime…but right now. We’d all say that that was an immature thing to wish for, but how often are we missing the joy of today by longing for tomorrow’s gifts and blessings? Somewhat like I learned to fully enjoy my fries, God wants us to savor the flavor of the blessings His generous hand has earmarked for-TODAY!

B Still-We need to consider s-l-o-w-i-n-g down. The never ending, ever present to-do-list is just that; never-ending and ever-present! There will always be more to do tomorrow. What if just for a bit today, we chose to accept that tomorrow (and all of its good, bad and ugly) will surely come…tomorrow and then just savor the flavor of today’s treasures? I wonder what simple joys we would experience if we were willing to stop striving and just get still before Him. Is He a big enough God that He can hold our tomorrows until we actually get there? My heart cries YES! For if we find Him insufficient for our measure of earthly tomorrows then how can He be trusted with eternity?

B Alert- I think we need more practice being watchful for today’s blessings! They are everywhere around for the eyes and the hearts who are looking! Sometimes we may find them in the quiet beauty of a sunset, other times we will see them in a “chance” conversation with a total stranger or perhaps today’s blessings will be ushered in through a small random act of kindness done for us (or even better BY us). The blessings of everyday will be varied and unique…our Creator is incredibly creative (pun intended) so every single day will hold different treasures for us to savor the flavor of!

B Thankful How can we know if we are living in today or borrowing tomorrow’s blessings? I believe it is clearly evident in how full our hearts are with thankfulness and gratitude. Think about it, if you fully grasp when a priceless gem is given to you, you just can’t help but be grateful! And the best part is, every time we receive something from our Father’s hands with a heart brimming with thankfulness; it becomes a blessing to our lives…even when the circumstances surrounding it may not be pleasant. We need to trust that His hand holds only things that will be for our good. This was brought home to me the other day when I was unpacking the groceries. Our Sheltie, Bella was watching me open cupboards and empty bags. She was sure that there MUST be something there for her from one of my “magic” food bags. Lol I tried to explain to her that none of this was anything she’d want to eat and to prove it I showed her a piece of what I was opening at that moment; a box of S.O.S. pads and she promptly tried to eat one.

And I heard the voice of my Papa who said “See Sandy, she trusts you and thinks that without fail everything from your hand is good for her.” And to be honest in that moment I longed for a heart that fully trusted that everything my Father’s hand allows is for my ultimate good. Instead, I am at times a “picky eater”; I am selective about the “table” that my Father sets before me. I tend to choose this and that, preferring more of this, less of those and none of that! But if I will choose to submit myself to the banqueting table that He provides for me today with a heart of thanksgiving, then that has the power to shift my perceptions and my perceptions can alter the course of my life and also the lives of those around me.

Think about it…our gratitude has the power to alter not only our perceptions, but it can transform the very palatability of our lives! A thankful heart for the unique blessings of today can empower us to savor the flavor of every exquisite treasure that our heavenly Father has hidden in this day!

Papa, Forgive us for the way we are sometimes so busy watching for tomorrow’s blessings that we miss the incredibly unique treasure that You have planned for today. Open our eyes Lord to see the good of our present season and fill our hearts with an overflowing gratitude for the mercy and the many rich blessings You have bestowed.