Throughout the years, I've discovered that the simple things in life usually bring me the most pleasure. Often, those things are gifts from God.
God's gifts are so numerous, no one could list them all. I'm reminded of a verse in Psalms which says:
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Psalm 68:19
Selah. I'm not exactly sure what that word means, but I think it could mean to stop and meditate for awhile. Indeed, God's benefits, God's gifts are worth stopping to think about.
This winter has had me thinking about God's many gifts. I'll share about some of those gifts in pictures below.
God's gift of nature is one of His many gifts. I went for a quick walk one evening a few weeks ago, and the colors of the sky at sunset, with the snow and the silhouette of bare trees, almost took my breath away.
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| Colors of winter |
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| Winter sunset |
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| I loved the shades of soft pinks and blues with white snow and dark trees. |
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| Only God can create such beauty. |
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| Another winter sunset, facing the eastern sky. Once again, I loved the soft shades of blue and pink. |
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| There is nothing like the beauty of nature after a recent snowfall. |
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| Winter beauty seen on an afternoon walk. |
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| Snow on our neighbor's tree. So magnificent! God is, indeed, an Artist. |
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| Freshly fallen snow in our backyard. |
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| Beautiful clouds one winter afternoon recently. |
This winter, I was delighted to find some blankets that a grocery store near our home was selling! They were something I was looking for - something to cozy up under on cold winter days. They were on sale for a good price and just the right size for one person. I purchased a pink one, and I loved it so much that, a few weeks later, I purchased another one - a gray one. Blankets are something that I don't want to be without in the winter time. Even blankets are a gift from God - I'm thankful for the company that made these blankets. These are nice and warm.
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| Cozy blankets! |
I was even more delighted when I found a new winter coat last month! I needed a new one, and I really like the "Columbia" brand. They make nice jackets and coats, along with other things. I went shopping one afternoon, hoping to find a Columbia jacket on sale and in my size. After browsing one store and not finding anything, I went to another store. While looking through their coats, I happened to glance at one on the rack. I pulled it out and could hardly believe it - it was the exact brand and the exact size I was looking for! It was also the exact price I was hoping to spend on a new coat. But the thing that left me in "awe" was the color. I've wanted a light pink winter coat for several years but had forgotten about it. God didn't forget. God knew what color I wanted. This coat was the only coat in the store like that. I tried it on, and it fit me perfectly. I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God had saved that coat just for me. For the remainder of that day, I was amazed at God. This coat was, truly, a gift from God.
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| My new, pink, winter coat. I love it! |
A few weeks later, I found some soft, fuzzy, pink gloves on sale for a cheap price ($2.00), and they matched my new coat perfectly. Another gift from God. (and since the inside lining of my new coat is gray, I crocheted a new gray scarf in some cotton yarn. I'm thankful for my new coat, gloves, and scarf for the winter.)
A friend of mine in Ohio sent me a belated birthday package several weeks after my birthday. She did not know that I like the Columbia brand, but of all things, she sent me some warm socks in that brand. And can you guess what colors? Pink and gray. Truly, another gift from God. I'm thankful for warm socks to wear in the winter.
I enjoy warm, Epson salt baths in the winter time before bed sometimes. (with lavender essential oil added to my bath for relaxation) Epson salts are another gift from God.
I was given a gift card from Joann Fabrics from my parents. I enjoy sewing, and with that gift card, I purchased some soft, cotton, flannel in a light blue, floral fabric.
Simple pleasures: nature, blankets, coats, gloves, scarves, socks, bath salts, and cozy fabrics. These are a few of my favorite things about winter.
These are things I thank God for because these gifts are ultimately from Him. James 1:17 says it well:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." James 1:17
