Wide Awake to God's Work

Christmas lasted longer than usual for us this year.  With an early Thanksgiving, the Christmas decorations started going up more than a month before December 25^th.  And the celebrations began in mid-December when I left to spend two weeks in California with one of my sons and his family and continued with two more family celebrations after returning home this month.  We finally got everything packed up and put away this weekend!

Now I am focused on New Year’s things like compiling Christmas photos and videos, preparing to lead a new women’s Bible study, and looking ahead to vacation planning.  But for just a minute I want to look back and focus on something my new Bible study has reminded me of: the importance of being awake to the nearness of God in every moment of our lives.

This is something we stressed when we were raising our kids.  We had a “Thanksgiving bowl” that sat in our kitchen year-round that was filled with slips of paper highlighting specific moments throughout the year when we were thankful for God’s provision, protection, or presence.  Reading through the papers on Thanksgiving morning reminded us of God’s nearness and love for us long after we had forgotten specific incidents that happened earlier in the year.

But it’s been a few years since we have had children at home to teach, and so we have stopped this holiday tradition.  I continue to notice God in the small things, but probably not as intentionally as when I was raising my children.  Life has a way of overshadowing God-thoughts if we don’t make an effort to be deliberate about our focus. 

So here are some of my experiences over the past month that remind me that God is always near and cares deeply for me:

• the beauty of the many lights of the season – a gift from the God who spoke “Let there be light”
• the harmony of beautiful music that touches our souls 
• the splendor of watching a sunrise from an airplane window
• the pleasure of choosing special gifts to give to those we love
• the delight in my new foster grandchild’s face as the world is discovered moment by moment
• the magnificence of each different type of weather and the creativity of God in each
• the warmth of a hug from my child or grandchild
• the gift of rest and a change of schedule
• the deliciousness of special holiday foods and goodies
• the meaningful experience of sharing memories from old pictures with those we love
• the joy of my grandchild’s laughter
• the miracle of God’s provision for my child’s unforeseen financial need 
• the privilege of making new memories with those we love

As I start a new year, I want to be constantly tuned into the nearness of God in my everyday life.  He is intimately involved in all of the details, and I want to make sure that I am paying attention.   James 1:17 tells us that everything good is a gift from God to us – whether we acknowledge it or not.  I want to be intentional about noticing God’s nearness and acknowledging his gifts throughout the year.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!