Beautiful Day

Earlier, I was driving to work from church and I could not believe what a beautiful day it iwas! Though the air is quite crisp, today is simply a gorgeous fall day! During my twenty-five minute journey, the car temperature read 45° the entire time, yet I felt it necessary to have the windows cracked with the heater blasting – strange I know.. All of the sudden I heard, “The heart is a bloom…” I knew this could only mean one thing, that U2’s, Beautiful Day was about to be blaring over my crackly radio speakers, and how fitting right?

taken from my phone...while swerving on the road :)

Today has been a Beautiful gift from God. I guess everyday is, but today especially. I have so much to be thankful for on this Beautiful Day, and yet so often I take so much for granted. In church today--one thing I am thankful for, my church--our pastor spoke on temptation, referencing Luke 4:1-13…it was of course a slap in the face. One of the points was “resist the temptation to take short cuts” (vs. 5-8) 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only." This is something that I tend to do so easily and is a honest struggle. Often, I believe the lies that Satan throws at me, and reach for the crown before I take the cross. I loved when my pastor said “short cuts abort the plan of God”, when I choose to take the short cuts, I am stalling the plan God has for me…taking the easy way out instead. My prayer for this week is that I would choose the cross before the crown, by NOT taking any short cuts – even if it means pain or persecution.

Well, that is one reason I have had a Beautiful Day…learning and growing in God can be so beautiful and I don’t want to miss any God given opportunities to do so. Now I am at work. One thing I actually really, really, really don’t like to be doing on Sundays is… working. But today I am trying to have a good attitude about it, because I am pretty thankful for the job I have. Okay now I just need to prayerfully pursue a Beautiful Week…even when my alarm clock does off at 6:30a, wish me luck.