Since starting the 31 Days of Blogging Challenge, I have posted about things that have brought me #ASimplerJoy.  Many of my posts have been about products that I have bought and use.  The fact is that there are many small things in my life that I appreciate, things that make my life easier or more enjoyable.  I am thankful for blessings like:

• The Conair Powered Facial Cleanser (October 8 – Happier Skin)
• My little Shower Step (October 9 – A Little Helper)
• My Oster DuraCeramic Griddle (October 10 – I Flipped for This!)
• My Cold Brew Toddy Maker (October 11 – Tummy Friendly Coffee)
• Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate (October 12 – As Good as Bone Broth?)

Now, blogging about products that make my life easier and/or more enjoyable is not my usual fare.  I tend to write about weightier topics like Holiness, Integrity, The Word of God, Sanctification, Sojourning…topics of that nature.  Writing about my skincare or my cooking may seem to be at odds with my regular content.

There is a tension between two things in Christian Life:
being in the world…but not of the world.

Of course, it is good to keep in mind what Jesus told a crowd of listeners in Luke 12:15, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

In the same way, God warned the Israelites, not to love the gifts more than the Giver of gifts:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery (Deut 8:10-14).

We are so like the Israelites.  The Lord has placed most of us in a land of plenty.  He has been exceedingly generous. While I do believe that we are blessed in order to be a blessing to others, I also fully acknowledge that the Lord is generous to me for another reason: He loves to bless: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

Remembering that EVERY good thing is from GOD keeps me humble and grateful.

This week, as always, choose gratitude…in the hard times.  But also choose gratitude in the good times, and in the good things.  Look around your home.  Look in your closet. Look in your refrigerator. Look in your garage.  If you see anything that provides for your welfare or makes your life easier, don’t think about how you bought it…think about how the Lord enabled you to have it.  HE is responsible for any comfort, any success, any happiness…

Let us never be so distracted by the gifts,
that we forget the Giver.
He gives, to demonstrate Who He is.

We often remember to thank God for our health, or for the blessing of children, or for a job…and He is responsible for these gifts.  But He also allows us to have working toilets and running water, socks, Tabasco Cheezits (I know, some of you may see this as more of a blessing than a curse), air conditioning, cars that run, hair products for our naturally frizzy curly hair (maybe that is just me?). So—what *small things* are you grateful for today?