1 Thankful Thing, 1 Helpful Thing, and 1 Thing that Made Me Angry

#1. The Thankful Thing

Last week I wrote about feeling discouraged, and in the week since then, I’ve realized how blessed and beyond blessed I am with people who care about me. Thank you to all of you who specially commented with words of encouragement. Thank you also to all of you who have been my friend in one way or another through the years. I’ve accumulated quite a lot of years by now–twenty-eight–but it’s good to think I’ve got a friend or two to represent each of them.

Some of you are close friends, some acquaintances, some old, some new, some I’ve never met in person; but all of you have enriched my life.

(“And so,” said the old man, counting his chickens and clucking happily to himself, “I’ll never be able to count them all. I’ll just thank the good Lord and go to bed.”)

#2. The Helpful Thing

I’ve grown save-the-world tendencies and big ideas about God since I was young, pale-haired and button-nosed.

High ideals are hard to live with.

And words are cheap.

Lately, I’ve heard God saying to me–okay, so I’m freely putting words into His mouth–but lately, I’ve been realizing that living a Christian life isn’t much about grand commitments and big deeds, but a whole lot about daily commitments and small deeds.

It’s like God is saying to me, “So you’ve told the world you want to be a Christian. Good. But the first thing you need to learn is that being a Christian isn’t about what you know and what you can do for me. It’s about what I know and what I can do in you.”

That’s a tough realization for someone who grew up hot on a quest to find answers, and even tougher for someone who barely makes her daily devotions.

God can’t work in me when I’m too busy or too stressed to connect with Him.

I’m reading a book right now called Secrets of the Kingdom Life. I recommend it.

It’s simple. It’s kind. It’s deep.

If you want to be a heart Christian but don’t know how to start, this book might help. You can order it from Vision Publishers.

#3. The Thing that Made Me Angry

When I was young, I had a temper that flared like lightning, with angry words and flashing eyes. I remember my shamed consciousness that Dad and Mom were “working on me.”

I guess their work was effective, because I hardly ever lose my temper now.

Sometimes, though, I get angry.

This article from The Week, called “The Ghosts of World Down Syndrome Day,” made me angry.

Probably because I thought of Regina and others like her.

Children with Down syndrome are difficult to care for. They will always be childish, never pretty and never smart according to our normal standards. As they get older, they may develop odd annoying habits (don’t we all?), and they will never be able to live independently.

They will love, cry, laugh, hope, learn, die.

Are their lives worth less than any other?