This crazy Texas weather, I tell ya!
Saturday found us in t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. Monday brought ice and freezing rain, warm winter coats and hats, mittens and gloves and warm woolen socks. Yesterday saw a return to the 60’s with a cool breeze, just right for jeans and long sleeves with no jacket. This morning we had frost, but will be in the upper 70’s by afternoon. I think advanced calculus is easier than trying to figure out what to wear in Texas in the winter!
And so, as the day warms and we peel off the layers we piled on to face the cold morning, I ponder the layers of things I have to be grateful for this morning…
Top Layer: The Overcoat. That extra layer of protection against wind and cold. This morning, Lord, I’m grateful for Your protection over my family each and every day. I’m grateful that I don’t have to live in constant fear of “what if?” but can have peace knowing that You watch over us and care for our every need.
Second Layer: The Sweater. The layer that serves double-duty: as extra warmth under the coat or as a stand-alone. Today, Lord, I’m grateful for friends and family who have surrounded ours…not just at this time of testing, but throughout the years. I’m grateful to be reconnecting with so many who have shared in different stages of my life. I’m grateful for the joy and laughter and good memories we share, and the hope of sharing many, many more in the days and years ahead. I’m grateful that You have brought me to a place where I can truly know I’m not alone.
Third Layer: The t-shirt. The basic staple of every wardrobe…and the one item that seems to multiply in the dark recesses of the dresser drawer. Today, God, I’m grateful for Your provision of the basics. I have a beautiful house in a fantastic neighborhood. I have a great, dependable car. I have a job where I can use my gifts and abilities to do what I love to do. I’m involved in volunteer and ministry opportunities that challenge me, yet bring such joy and fulfillment to every week. I have a wonderful husband and two terrific children. I have an awesome extended family – my mom, my brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins – who are a tremendous source of support and encouragement. So what if my “t-shirt” doesn’t have a designer tag? It’s comfy, it fits, and I’ve got a drawer full of ’em.
Underneath it all: The “unmentionables”. Yeah, you were wondering how I’d tie in underwear, weren’t you? Those private pieces of clothing that stay hidden to all but the most intimate circle. Today, Father, I am grateful for the things You are teaching me in those hidden places. I’m grateful for quiet, intimate moments with You where I can ask the hard questions, wrestle with the difficult choices, and grieve over the ugliness I find in myself. I’m thankful for the privilege of knowing You personally, of being able to talk to You, worship You, and be still before You. I’m grateful that You see me in my most vulnerable state and yet still love me.
As the temperature rises and I find myself shedding those layers of warm clothing, may I be reminded of all I have to be grateful for.