As I looked back over last Friday’s post, I had to stop and laugh about that project. By the time I got to the point of trimming those pictures, I had been through a lot of mess. It seemed that every little thing that could go wrong did. General printer problems. Problems figuring out the best paper to use. Ink problems. Print quality problems. Alignment problems. One issue would get solved only for another to crop up.
But, the beautiful part of it all was that each and every problem did get solved. I would feel the frustration rising, so I’d stop and pray. And God would work, typically by bringing a solution to my mind or Doug’s. I thought I’d never get the project done, but I finished it with plenty of time to spare. Every step of the way, God worked.
As I sat finishing up the project that Sunday afternoon, I began mulling over the whole process – the whole mess. And the mess is definitely what I was focusing on! I pondered how I’d share about that mess with friends when we discussed how our respective weekends had been. My back ached and I felt tired all over as the messy thoughts ran through my mind.
Suddenly, though, something dawned on me. None of my thoughts were focused on the successes! I was focused on the mess, but God had worked all weekend long! He spent my weekend fixing one problem after another, answering prayer after prayer. He multiplied my time and filled my mind with ideas and solutions. He worked one miracle after another through each and every issue. But, here I was focusing on the mess. Centered on the problems that were all behind me.
As soon as the reality dawned on me, I made a mental u-turn. I shifted those gears and began thanking God for all of those miracles He worked. I praised Him for the problems He solved. I began to get excited about the way He cares for the little issues. And, wouldn’t you know, the aches and tiredness started to fade. Joy started to well up within me, and the remaining tasks of the project seemed to fly by so much quicker.
I have to wonder how many times I miss what God is doing because I’m so caught up in my complaining. God works all around me, but I’m so caught up in this problem and that issue that I miss it. His handiwork is right there, glaring at me. But, I’m blind. And my blindness wears me out. It makes me hurt. And it makes every step a drudgery and a challenge.
I’m ready to wake up! To notice! To offer up thanksgiving and praise for every single little bitty thing He does! And maybe in the process, those little issues I deal with here and there won’t seem like anything worth mentioning after all.
Not Quite Ordinary 