Dear West Family

Just a very brief thought today.

Sometimes you are so busy living your life that you forget how amazing it is to actually live your life. 

I have been reminded by this afresh this week as we have had friends visiting from South Africa. They are in Texas for the first time in their lives and it is filling them with a mixture of awe and dumbfounded bemusement (one of my favorite combinations.)

They have been so fun to have around because it is like having fresh eyes on your own life. They love the big trucks ( a Ford Ranger is the largest pickup you can get in other markets), they love the horizontal traffic lights and the fact that those lights actually work and the fact that most people take the lights’ recommendation quite seriously. They love how pretty the green of all the cedar makes the city look (they don’t yet know that it is Satan’s favorite botanical varietal), they love it all. 

It has helped me to love it again.

Last night we were walking in our neighborhood, and while my eyes were set on some yards that haven’t been mowed in a couple of weeks, and some trash bins that weren’t properly aligned with the curb, they were commenting on what a wonderful place this must be to live. They weren’t wrong. My friend walked up alongside me and said … “You must be very thankful for the life that God has gifted you.”

I was deeply convicted. He was making an observation but I was hearing a rebuking command, and a timely one. I should be very thankful for the life that God has granted me, but I am all too often concerned with how I can make it that much better to remember how good I have it.

The bible is full of instructions around thanksgiving. We are commanded to be thankful, and I think it is in part because thankfulness is very good for us. It right sizes current obstacles, and it reminds us of the faithfulness of God through our past, which provokes us to trust Him with our unknown futures.  

Take some time and go read some of these verses.

1 Chronicles 16:8; Psalms 9:1-2; Psalms 28:7; Psalms 69:30; Psalms 86:12; Psalms 107:21; Eph 5:20; Phil 4: 6; Col 3:16; 1 Thes 5:18; Rev 7:12.

It’s everywhere. These are just scratching the surface!

If God’s people are even vaguely paying attention, then they will be a thankful people. I got so caught up in the pursuit of “next” that I forgot to marvel in God’s kindness in my now, and so He sent some fresh eyes from thousands of miles away to remind me. 

As I climbed into bed last night, my head was filled with David’s words from 2 Samuel 7, where he says … “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”

Who am I, indeed.

Friends, I know that many of you have some genuinely challenging circumstances and I am not saying that we should glibly look over those. Sue and I have some extremely challenging stuff happening with people we love and it is really painful and hard. But, we still have so much to thank God for. He still has been way too good and way too kind to us, and it is very good for my soul to remember that. I am so glad he sent some fresh eyes from Africa to remind me.

Just keeping it real as we close, those dear friends came across a copperhead on our walk last night. I was like … “not today Satan. You can’t stop my thankfulness!!”

One last thing. The song this week is from Andrew Peterson (again.) It is a song of hope from a dad to his son. If you need me, I will be in the corner weeping uncontrollably as I think of the goodness of God towards me in the son he gave me.

Andrew Peterson - You'll Find Your Way

See you Sunday.
Ross