So much of our lives are lived in big ways. When we celebrate, the bigger the better. The bigger the cake, the more confetti, the larger the spread of food, the more we care, right? And don’t forget about the present. Lord have mercy, we’ve got to have the biggest, best, most thoughtful, gift of all. The more expensive the better. If it’s not New Orleans Mardi Gras worthy, BIG, Bragadocious, & have the fireworks flying did you really even have a party?

What about if we had something small with just the kids, a birthday cake, that gets spit on while blowing out the candles & half melted ice cream? Oh and not to mention how bad it gets when we play musical chairs. Nobody. Likes. Losing. Would we still be having a party? I dare say we would. Does everything have to be big and extravagant to be something?

I have really been trying to pay attention to my One Word Focus. With that, I have realized, sometimes, blessings come without the hoopla & without the frills. Is it interesting? Nope. Is it Earth shattering & the angels opening up the heavens? Double nope. Is it so mundane that you take a second glance & say to yourself, “Is this really what this is?” Yep. Something as simple as someone calling to say, “I want to help.” Right at a time you ain’t expecting it AT. ALL. No trumpets were sounded. No mountains trembled. Nothing. Just good hearts wanting to pass along the Lord’s love.

But is it still God? Yep.

I think about Naaman. I’m not sure how much you know about Naaman, but he thought pretty highly of himself. I mean he was the commander of the army of the king of Syria. So, he was obviously hot stuff. There was just this one little thing about Naaman. He had leprosy. You would think that would be humbling enough. When he found out about the prophet Elisha being able to heal him, he just went flat out to his front door. Elisha sent a messenger out telling Naaman to go wash 7 times in the river Jordan. And apparently that took the friendly right out of Naaman because he wanted a PRODUCTION. He wanted hands waving & to be acknowledged. Not to have to get his hands dirty in the muddy river of the Jordan. But instead, he got a quiet blessing. In the murky river of the Jordan he received cleansing of his leprosy.

II Kings 5:14  So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.(NKJV)

Boy, don’t you know he was surprised? In his mind he thought he deserved something bigger and better. But, it’s like my daddy always says, “You better hope you don’t ever get everything you deserve.” Naaman received a quiet blessing. (II Kings 5)

All of that tells me this. We need to focus on the quietness of the Lord. We need to be thankful and appreciative of all the blessings the Lord gives us. Even when we are expecting blessings to look like something else. Just because blessings come as chocolate gravy and biscuits instead of a thick cut bone in ribeye, doesn’t mean you didn’t eat, now did it? We are important to God. Our wants and needs are important to Him. Let Him decide how to handle them. If you haven’t heard, God is always right on time.

I hope everyone has had a great week! Did anyone tell you that the kids get out of school this month? As in This. Month. I may or may not have had a little meltdown looking at pictures of my Miss Neenee to put in the yearbook. Not a fan of the growing up thing.

Please be in prayer for me, as I do my best to keep myself together over how my baby is starting high school in the fall. Lord have mercy. Until next time I will be going because I should be washing clothes.