I Get To

"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving" 1 Timothy 4:4

Maine is a beautiful state year round, but it shouts its glory most in autumn. The trees flame with bright reds and oranges while yellow and rust colored leaves nod their approval of the shorter days and nippy nights. Apple trees bow low with their red, ripe fruit and pine trees obligingly throw their cones to the ground for fall decorations.

Many times I have grumbled to God that I don’t like autumn because it reminds me that winter is coming. A couple of years ago He reminded me that He had created each season. That gentle rebuke stopped my complaining, but did not increase my enjoyment of cold breezes, lower temperatures and shorter days.

Recently I was driving through a rural area where the glory of fall foliage was at the peak of its beauty. Vibrant colors shouted the glorious splendor of autumn as far as I could see. I wasn’t enjoying it much because of the nagging thought in the back of my mind: Winter is coming and it’s getting darker every day. (December in Maine finds us with less than nine hours of daylight.) Then three words came into my mind: “I get to.”

 

By faith I started beginning every sentence with the words “I get to”.

I get to see these glorious colors painted against the clear blue sky. 


I get to drive this car that God has provided.


As I reached for a granola bar: I get to buy snacks and keep them in my car.

 

Instantly my whole perspective changed. I began to regard every task as a privilege instead of an obligation.

 

My words changed from “I have to load the dishwasher” to “I get to load the dishwasher.”

 

I don’t have to stack firewood, instead I get to. Then I get to rake up the pieces of bark left on the ground. 


Driving to prayer meeting: I get to pray with other believers.

 

I’m not the same person since those game-changing words came into my head.

 

I challenge you to try those three words in your own life. Try them in sentences like these: 


I get to change the baby’s diaper.

I get to buy groceries.

I get to read one more bedtime story.

I get to help with homework.

I get to go to work.

I get to check on my elderly parents.

I get to help my tired spouse.

 

I guarantee your world will change when you realize you ‘get to’.

 

I’m interested to hear what you get to do.


Please leave a comment below telling me about it.


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Comments

“Linda -

What a profound concept to align our thinking with God's promises and blessings in our lives!

I am naturally an optimistic person and tend to see the good in my circumstances, but I also struggle at times. This past week without power, and being forced to lean on God's provision for us is one example. I was able to praise Him that I had a kerosene lamp at night, a headlamp that worked to enable me to read His Word and to spend more time meditating on it that might otherwise have been taken up with other things to distract me from the really important things. I got to thank the Lord that both of our freezers remained frozen and no produce was lost. I got to thank Him that we have camping stoves so could do basic cooking.

I even got to praise Him that even though I couldn't get onto my Etsy Shop to check things, that my daughter could and she was able to take care of a sale conversation, then email my sister, who saw me at Prayer Meeting, and relayed the message of what I needed to do to send out the order - all without my having power. That was a God thing, for sure!

I am so thankful that "I get to" praise Him for all of my circumstances as I view them in a different light. I have had opportunities to praise God to many people who might not have been open to conversations about the faithfulness of God if it hadn't been for the power outage.

Keep the Blogs coming. They are so encouraging and make me see life differently.”

Nancy Whitney

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