It's the Little Things

It’s the Little Things
I woke this morning after a very restless night I will blame on my pastor next time I see him. I had one of those nights where nightmares haunted me, must have had something to do with the sermon yesterday, I am sure it did. However, it was also a good thing, for good sermons that have us restless and later pouring our hearts out to God, also have us thinking about whom and what really matter. So after I shook off the bad dreams, I began to think of all the blessings in my life.

Today, I am off work and while I can blame the economy, for I am home without pay, I can also be thankful for the peace and quiet. I can be appreciative for time to pray for those on my heart today and the list is long. Time alone is so infrequent and very much a blessing when I get it, for time alone with God is precious. So I had a long talk with God today, well I did it in spurts and I imagine He and I will speak more as the day goes on.

I found myself smiling over several things and all before ten o’clock this morning. As I went about my chores, thanking God for this day at home, I found little messages of love everywhere. It is the little things that bring me to smile, to see God’s blessings everywhere, to see the love of family surrounding me. That for me is the true meaning of my life.

My husband, bless his heart, let me sleep in a bit, such a wonderful little thing to do, but so appreciated. That few extra moments of laying still as I listened to him get ready for work, for our son to shower and the dogs barking outside reminded me of all I have in this world. What joy my heart did sing! As they both left, my son not quite so cheerful, my husband wishing he too could be home, I wished them a good day and smiled.

My son surprised me with a clean room without my asking him. I was amazed and texted him, despite my dislike of using texting to communicate to thank him and tell him I loved him. He answered back with his own words of love and my heart swelled again with joy. Anyone who has a teenager must know that these words are very much sought after and coveted by a mother. I almost thought I would cry from the blessing of his text and may have to save them for awhile.

There are countless little things in our day to be thankful for, many that we hardly notice in the hustle and bustle of our days. Some days we are so frustrated, so full of ourselves we don’t take the time to pause and give thanks or notice. It really doesn’t take much to make me happy, I am sure my family would think differently but if they really knew my heart, read my words today they would know me.

Today I had the joy of calling my grandchildren before their first day of school and wishing them a great day, listening to their voices made my day a little better. I stood out on our deck in the chilly morning air as I spoke with them picking tiny red cherry tomatoes, the kind I know my granddaughter so loves and breathed in the morning air. I took in the view of God’s handiwork in the cotton candy clouded sky above and watched as He painted streaks of pink across the horizon with the rising sun. What beauty in the day! I might have missed this had I not been off work and truly opened my eyes.

Any day can be turned around, no matter how bad it seems if only we would stop and see the little things that truly make our lives big. I could have gotten very frustrated today as my well laid plans to stay in P.J.’s and relax were set aside by calls from work asking me to help out. I made the calls, ran my errands and along the way ran into some very friendly people who offered me great customer service. It was the little way they did their job that made me happy to do mine from home today.

So many things turned my day into a day of beauty, too numerous to list here. I nested something I don’t get to do too often. I even managed to cook my family a good old fashioned meal instead of calling for pizza. It felt good to do this out of love for them. I enjoyed the many little things I did today and took joy in my life. I found it was all in opening my eyes and my heart; it was adjusting my attitude and praising God for the day. I pray I have many more days like today. When I see my pastor again on Sunday, I will share this story with him and how my restless night he hoped for lead me to pray for those loved ones and count the many little things in my life to be grateful for once again.

Teresa Gale
8/31/09