Reason #100
When I was in first grade, we celebrated our 100th day of school by bringing 100 items to share with our classmates. I don't remember what I brought but I am going to bet it was candy. Even then, I had a big sweet tooth. I remember singing a little song about celebrating 100 days of school. It was a milestone for us! A big day! The song went something like this:
Obviously not the deepest of songs but memorable none-the-less. And today, I feel like I've reached a little milestone. 100 smiles. 100 reasons. One tenth of the way there. It has been a roller coaster ride, and I'm a girl who tends to suffer from a serious case of motion sickness. A wild ride. But God has done incredible things over the past 100 days. God has done incredible things over the past 24 years of my life, too. And as I drove home from church, I wondered what I would write about today. A beautiful day. A day of sunshine and warmth. A day where I got to spent some much needed time in my Father's house. Another day of life.
As I pulled out of the parking lot, I popped in a new CD by Downhere. They were one of the bands at the concert I went to last week and they were amazing. As I skipped through the songs, I landed on one that I feel has been my prayer for a while now. You see, when my world started to fall apart, God began teaching me about thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances." I had a really hard time comprehending this. How was I supposed to be thankful for what had happened? It seemed strange to thank God for the fact that my world had caved in. I wasn't thankful for being abandoned and rejected. I wasn't thankful for having to walk this road. I wasn't thankful for the shame and humiliation I was facing. Give thanks, really? But almost two months ago, I sat in a Sunday school class taught by a man who has been a mentor and prayer warrior for me and he brought this verse up. He said just what my heart needed to hear, what God had been trying to teach me for months. Giving thanks in all circumstances doesn't mean you are thankful for all circumstances.
And 100 smiles later, I am thankful. I am thankful for a God who continues to walk this road with me. Thankful for how He continues to show His power and might to me. Thankful for a God who allows me to experience such intimacy with Him. Thankful for a God who has and is faithfully carrying me through the unknown. Thankful for what He is teaching me. Thankful for the many many prayers He has answered. Thankful that He speaks so powerfully to me. Thankful that He still uses me, broken and tattered. Thankful that He's got a plan in all of this. And most of all, thankful that everything I face is approved by Him beforehand.
So I feel like this song says it beautifully. And what better way to celebrate 100 days than with an incredible song?
100 reasons down...900 more to go.
#100 - Because He has shown me how to be thankful IN all circumstances.
"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." - Psalm 69:30
"Happy, happy, happy hundred days of school.
Happy, happy, happy hundred days of school.
School's fun (echo, schools fun).
School's cool (echo, school's cool).
School's fun, school's cool only if we keep the rules.
Happy, happy, happy hundred days of school.
Singing happy, happy, happy hundred days of school."
Obviously not the deepest of songs but memorable none-the-less. And today, I feel like I've reached a little milestone. 100 smiles. 100 reasons. One tenth of the way there. It has been a roller coaster ride, and I'm a girl who tends to suffer from a serious case of motion sickness. A wild ride. But God has done incredible things over the past 100 days. God has done incredible things over the past 24 years of my life, too. And as I drove home from church, I wondered what I would write about today. A beautiful day. A day of sunshine and warmth. A day where I got to spent some much needed time in my Father's house. Another day of life.
As I pulled out of the parking lot, I popped in a new CD by Downhere. They were one of the bands at the concert I went to last week and they were amazing. As I skipped through the songs, I landed on one that I feel has been my prayer for a while now. You see, when my world started to fall apart, God began teaching me about thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances." I had a really hard time comprehending this. How was I supposed to be thankful for what had happened? It seemed strange to thank God for the fact that my world had caved in. I wasn't thankful for being abandoned and rejected. I wasn't thankful for having to walk this road. I wasn't thankful for the shame and humiliation I was facing. Give thanks, really? But almost two months ago, I sat in a Sunday school class taught by a man who has been a mentor and prayer warrior for me and he brought this verse up. He said just what my heart needed to hear, what God had been trying to teach me for months. Giving thanks in all circumstances doesn't mean you are thankful for all circumstances.
And 100 smiles later, I am thankful. I am thankful for a God who continues to walk this road with me. Thankful for how He continues to show His power and might to me. Thankful for a God who allows me to experience such intimacy with Him. Thankful for a God who has and is faithfully carrying me through the unknown. Thankful for what He is teaching me. Thankful for the many many prayers He has answered. Thankful that He speaks so powerfully to me. Thankful that He still uses me, broken and tattered. Thankful that He's got a plan in all of this. And most of all, thankful that everything I face is approved by Him beforehand.
So I feel like this song says it beautifully. And what better way to celebrate 100 days than with an incredible song?
100 reasons down...900 more to go.
#100 - Because He has shown me how to be thankful IN all circumstances.
"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." - Psalm 69:30
woohoo!! celebrating 100 reasons to smile, with you!!! love you!
ReplyDeleteEmily!
DeleteSo thankful for your support, girl! Thanks for celebrating with me today! Happy, happy, happy hundred days of blogs (o:
Love you friend!
I can't even tell you how awesome you are, how awesome HE has made you. When I have hard days I so look forward to reading your daily post because I know it will help me see the bigger picture. Help me see HIS bigger picture. I know we are not going through the same thing, but I thank you for your blog because it is making me grow closer to the Almighty God every day. You are shining HIS light! I just wanted to make sure you knew that :-) Miss you girl.
ReplyDeleteLeslee,
DeleteThank you for your sweet words. I am so blessed by your comment and am just so grateful to know that God is speaking to you through my thoughts, too. I have come to understand that even when I can't understand, He is good. Miss you too! Love you dear friend!