Thankful for the Small Stuff

Yesterday was one of those days that started out fine but ended up full of really hard stuff. Danny and I went to visit with two different friends who had surgery at Emory Hospital. On the way there Danny got a phone call that one of his dear friends had died unexpectedly the night before. As I was driving home, I got a phone call from a friend who told me that another friend's husband was having some serious side effects from a medication. The effects had literally shut down the whole family overnight. Last night my Bible Study group prayed for a mom who is hurting over her son, a mom who is grieving her husband, a mom who is dealing with a medical diagnosis and a bunch of moms whose hearts are just heavy with life.


This morning as I stood in my kitchen preparing lunches, the Lord reminded me about the small stuff from yesterday. The fact that I talked to one of my daughters three times yesterday. And that is the daughter that doesn't just call for no reason. She called just to talk. To really talk about some things that she needed to sort out. It might seem small, but to me it was big. And the fact that when I just needed to unload, my other daughter called and said she was bored. She was cleaning out her closet and just wanted to hear about my day. Again small, but big on timing for me. And then this morning as I was making my husband and my youngest daughter's lunches, my husband informed me that yesterday's lunch was extra delicious. A small comment but it made me feel special. The three of us stood in the kitchen at 6:30 this morning and laughed about an inside joke about lunch boxes. No one else would find that significant, but it made my heart smile as they left for the day.


As I was writing in my journal this morning, I began to think back on all the small stuff from yesterday. I had the opportunity to see a dear friend that I don't get to see often. She was at the hospital taking care of the friend who had surgery. I would rather see her over lunch, but I will take a big hug any day. On my way upstairs after the long day, I passed by a plant in my foyer. It is a plant that was sent to me at my Daddy's funeral. It had one single bloom on it. When I glanced at it on my way up the stairs I thought, "Hi, Daddy!" It made me smile. As I went to bed late last night, I saw something one of my daughters had posted on my facebook. It literally made me laugh out loud. No one else would find it funny but it gave me a good laugh to end the day. 


The small stuff adds up, doesn't it? If we allow God to be in every part of our day, then He will use the small stuff to remind us of His love and faithfulness. He reminded me this morning of Zacchaeus who just climbed a tree to get a better view and look what happened. The woman that just touched the hem of Jesus' garment and her whole life changed. The child that sat on Jesus' lap because He believed that children are important. The mustard seed that Jesus held to talk about our faith. Jesus talked about baking bread, sewing seed, tending sheep and loving little children. The everyday things that we do without really thinking about them. But in that small stuff there are big lessons and big blessings.


So look for your small stuff today. The stuff that only you and God would see. The stuff that makes your heart smile. The stuff that makes the day a little easier. The stuff that reminds you that we are not small and insignificant to a great big God. The small things that remind you that He sees. He cares. He loves.  

In everything give thanks... 

1 Thessalonians 5:18