Dancing Trees

February: 
Give Thanks- "I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him." Verse 3. 

Step One: Tell Him Thanks.   

Tonight the wind blows, and it rattles the roof. Trees are dancing, but everyone is inside.  Sitting here, warm, with my sock monkey slippers, memories of my childhood flood into view.  Walls vibrating, wind howling, cold air creeping into every nook and cranny of the house.  I would lay in bed, perfectly still under layers of quilts, tucked in for the night. I took great care in not moving even a toe, because the sheets were a frigid startle to peaceful slumber. The wind sang me to sleep, as it did most nights, and I would wake with a cold nose in the morning.   I loved winter nights. 

Wind can be menacing at times.  Hurricanes and tornadoes bring damage to anything in their path.  Or, as in the case today, wind can make recess pretty stinkin cold.  But to me, wind has always been fascinating.  I love that it's uncontrollable, unpredictable, and unfathomable. 

It can be beautiful, too. Have you ever seen snow drifts sparkle when the sun comes up? Or, rock smoothed into art? 

You generally can't see the wind before it hits you, but it's easy to believe it's there.  I think faith is hard for this same reason.  We have to believe in what we cannot see, and a lot of times, that's tough in today's Google world.  What's dangerous, is I'm afraid we think we need proof for everything --instantly. 

January was a great month for me, I felt a stirring, as if something was changing inside me.  Romans 12:2 has a few things I want to remember:

1.  Don't fit in. 
2.  Focus on God. 
3.  You will be changed. 
4. Respond to what He wants. 
5. God matures you.  


There are a lot of lessons I will continue to learn from this verse, and I am adding verse three today.  Daily, I want to give thanks to the One who is responsible for the goodness in my life -- God.  

Tonight, I am thankful for the wind.  I'm thankful for a Spirit working in us, even when we can't see it.  And, as the West Texas wind sang me to sleep, the Holy Spirit sings in my soul.