A Goldilocks Life

Thanks to God

It’s the season of apple cider donuts and falling leaves. The weather is cooling off, and I’m making plans for turkey dinner with family. The thing is, I would like to keep things simple and just set my sights on giving thanks instead of all the other stuff. One practice I would like to incorporate into my life with more regularity is thankfulness. How about you?

There is always something to be thankful for, a plaque on the bathroom wall reminds me. But on busy days I often just Zoom (literally and figuratively) from one meeting or task to another. “Thank You, Lord” is not regularly in my thoughts until the day is done and we are ending our day with a brief prayer.

So let me just say it right here. I thank God for you, friends. It is so encouraging that you take time to read my posts and leave comments, too. God is worthy of all the thanks I can lavish on Him. Let me spend every day with this in mind: “I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:40. Happy Thanksgiving!

Some Things Never Change

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It’s been one of those busy weeks, with several deadlines to meet. I took it one day at a time, which is about all we can do, right? One thing after another changed on my to do list, and by this morning, I felt ragged. Was I ever thankful that the only place I needed to be besides riding the exercise bike in the workout room was at a craft fair in the building and my desk to catch up on paperwork.

The craft fair offered many appealing items for Christmas gifts. And there were friends to catch up with. While chatting with my neighbor, another friend called and needed to vent about an important appointment she is facing. I headed to the elevator, listening to her share her heart. I hung up after praying with my girlfriend, collapsed at my desk and set to work. As I finished the paperwork, a song melody flooded into my mind, and I hunted through the albums on my thumb drive. There it was, “Some Things Never Change” by Jonathan Wilburn. As I listened, the song brought me to tears.

Wilburn reminded me that so many things change over time—my first church may no longer be standing, the women and men who served me as a young mom and new believer are long gone now. Still to this day the awful price Jesus paid with His blood to cleanse and redeem me and you won’t ever let us down. The Gospel is true as is every one of God’s promises in the Bible. He will never leave or forsake us. Jesus’ love remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. My heart feels encouraged, and I’m so glad that some things never change.

Hope you enjoy listening to “Some Things Never Change” by Jonathan Wilburn.

What Time I am Afraid

Can you remember a time when you literally didn’t know what your next step should be? I’ve been there, and all I really wanted to do was go to bed and pull the covers over my head. But at that moment, the bed was nowhere nearby, so I had to keep trudging forward on the path ahead.

What made the difference for me was what God did at the very time I needed direction. The Lord gave me a thought of someone to call for help. As it turned out, that person was equipped with information that showed me where I could get the help my family and I so desperately needed. Did everything fall into place that day? Not at all. But slowly, step by step, the support we found buffered us through our situation. Six months later, the crisis was over, and the help sustained us through the years afterward until we reached a new and better normal.

The New Living Translation of the Bible says in Psalms 56:3, “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” The King James Version says it this way: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” I made up a little song I would sing to myself for years afterward whenever I felt afraid and didn’t know what to do. The best next step is to trust in the Lord! Amen? Yes, and amen!