Gratitude Day 397

Sat., Feb. 1, 2020

Hebrews 11:4: It was by faith that Abel obeyed God and brought an offering that pleased God more than Cain’s offering did. God accepted Abel and proved it by accepting his gift; and though Abel is long dead, we can still learn lessons from him about trusting God.

February 1^st! The first month of 2020 is gone …

Today, I look back and think about the lessons I learned (or really, re-learned) this first month of 2020.

Sabbath is good. Sabbath with family is important.

Hubby Rick and I had the unique opportunity to join my sisters, some cousins and other extended family on a Caribbean cruise. This is the first time we had done something like this, and it was definitely a success! Growing up, my siblings and I didn’t spend lots of time with cousins. Only two cousins lived rather close (2 hours) and they moved when I was still in elementary school.

Now as adults, we have discovered it’s fun to do things together! The lesson here: make time for relationships (new or rediscovered) as an adult. Yes, we have a common heritage. Yes, our personal experiences of that heritage may be different. Celebrate and enjoy where you are today and appreciate your heritage!

Life’s rhythms change. Find a new way to enjoy and celebrate each day. Back from our Sabbath, I found it a little difficult to jump back into life. So, I thought about how I could embody each day in a slightly new and different way. While I have been on social media for years, I have always been slightly protective of what I post. Recently, I started posted a picture a day which reflects some little area of my life. These pictures are more of me than anyone else. They are a way for me to celebrate the most normal parts of my day and give thanks to God for these ridiculously “normal” parts of my life.

So, follow me on Instagram (diannedeatonvielhuber) or Facebook (Dianne Deaton Vielhuber – make sure it’s my personal account and NOT my work admin account) if you want to see where I see God in my daily, ordinary, every-day life. I pray these photos encourage others to discover God as well!

If reading the Bible has become stale for you, try a different translation. I have used the NIV translation of the Bible for devotions for YEARS. Back from our Sabbath, I picked the The Message one day. It’s not that The Message was new for me. I’ve used it historically at various times. This version was sitting on my bookshelf.

What I discovered is the biblical stories came alive in a slightly different way for me because, well, the words ARE DIFFERENT! It’s brought forth a new freshness as I read scripture. Sometimes, just a slight shift CAN make a difference!

One more for the road. I’ll let the words speak for themselves.

We are never too old to discover new lessons in our lives. Where has God been speaking to you? Where have you made a slight shift and discovered something different about yourself?

Lessons are SO IMPORTANT. Realizing them in our lives is also important.

Have a great weekend!

For new or re-discovered lessons in my daily life, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – thank you for continuing to be a living God in my life. A living God that is active and present and challenging me to discover new things about myself. Or simply relearn things that I might have forgotten or pushed aside. May I celebrate regular lessons in my life. Amen.

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