What I Learned This Week – November 29

I pray this week’s edition of What I Learned This Week finds you well. I also pray your Thanksgiving holiday was a blessed day.

We each have much to be thankful for, don’t we? Even when life doesn’t go as planned. Even when yuck may fill our day. Even when our kids misbehave. Even when it’s 4 degrees outside.

I can’t write enough how thankful I am for you. You give me a reason to keep writing, to keep sharing real life, to keep coming back day after day to type out what God has given me. I appreciate you more than you know.

Did you learn anything in particular this week? Something new? A different perspective on something? An alternate way of doing things? I’d love to read it below.

What I learned this week:

Moses and I really aren’t that different.

Studying the life of Moses this year in BSF, I’m gathering Moses and I really aren’t that different. I have learned much from this man’s life, and I’ve become familiar with a place called Midian. It’s where God took Moses to find rest, to grow him, and to prepare him for the greatest calling of his life. Sure, mine has a different name, but this time of rest and growth has been a welcomed change. God has given me tiny glimpses of what He may be preparing me for. I cannot wait to someday see the big picture. I may never have the relationship Moses had with God, but that’s my desire. I’ll continue to keep trusting, and allowing Him to mold me into who He wants me to be.

Thanksgiving is less about how we celebrate it, but all about giving thanks to God.

Dictionary.com’s definition of Thanksgiving (giving thanks to God), for some reason struck a chord in me. I wrote about it yesterday. So much emphasis is put on how we spend the holiday, who we spend it with, and what we are thankful for. All good things! But really, Thanksgiving is more about our relationship with God, and Who we give thanks to. For years I’ve known this, but this truth did something in my heart this year. I desire thanksgiving all year long, not just for one day. It’s hard to be unhappy, stressed, angry, envious, resentful when you’re thankful. What can you and I give thanks to God for today?

I can do without a dishwasher.

Never in my wildest imaginations did I ever expect to write those six words. Ever. Until our dishwasher broke six weeks ago. It was traumatic for me at first, having to “do dishes” after every meal. I didn’t have time for that. Or so I thought. But I found there was something about washing my family’s dinnerware that became an act of love. Maybe I needed to think about it that way to keep me sane, but nonetheless, it worked. Those weeks, handling each piece of dinnerware and silverware daily, taught me much about unconditional love and sacrifice. And it was something my husband and I did together. Another bonus. I’m thankful to write my husband fixed our dishwasher Thanksgiving morning. I won’t take that appliance for granted ever again, but I’m also thankful for what “doing dishes” taught me.

 

Thank you for visiting today. May your weekend be a thank-filled, joy-filled, blessed few days!

Much love,

Julie

 

(Linking up with Inspire Me Monday.)