It Happens All the Time

Tonight I was at the store and when the woman finished ringing up my items she said my total was sixteen dollars even. I smiled and got a bit excited and told her how cool is that. She was much less excited and sat there just staring at me waiting to pay. As I'm getting my cash out I'm smiling even bigger and remind her how cool that was. She continued to stare, and finally said – "it happens all the time." After that I told her that it doesn't happen to me all the time so this is cool.

What are the odds that the seven items I bought would be sixteen dollars even? It rarely happens to me, and so when it did I still thought it was the neatest thing ever. It made me think though that the first time that ever happened, she probably even thought it was neat. But as the thing that once was special continues to occur, the novelty wears off and we no longer are in awe of the simple things.

It just got me thinking, what was I once in awe of that I now take for granted. And in our upgrade and improve always society, how do we keep ourselves always appreciating the small things.

Here's a couple thoughts:

• take time to reflect on simple things that once made you happy
• look at small things as big things – always
• take a minute to celebrate those moments and don't just let them pass

I know for me as I continue in life I keep looking for something better, and I am less moved by the small things. I think it is good to return to the simple pleasures sometimes. Don't settle for simple, but sometimes return to it.

Healer

As I'm getting ready to lead worship tomorrow at Champions Life Centre, I find myself thinking and meditating on the songs and what they're saying. One song we're doing is called "Healer", written by Michael Guglielmucci. Michael claimed to be terminally ill and performed the song on Hillsongs DVD. He even went as far to perform wearing an oxygen mask. Later the word got out that this was all a bluff and Michael Guglielmucci was not terminally ill.

The song itself is actually an incredible song and I believe there's still power in it. I believe this because although he used it as a song promoting physical healing, it seems when you look at the lyrics he was maybe crying out for emotional healing.

Here's the lyrics to the verse:

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

When I was running this morning I was remembering back to when I lost my mom. This song was one that brought great emotional healing to me as I sang and listened to those lyrics. I really believe that the reason this song still holds power is because it was an honest cry to God. He may not have even reallized that very well could have been a cry for emotional healing in his life.

Here's a couple thoughts from this:

• God can use anyone, in any state to get a message accross.
• The motives weren't pure, but the message was.
• Even when man lets you down, God's word still is strong and true.

I know this is all my opinion, but at the end of the day I feel strongly that the message is what needs to be remembered and not the motives. The message has power when we put it to our own lives, and our own situations. God is still a healer and sometimes it's not just the physical, but it's in the emotional hurts and dissapointments we face too. I hope you can find the song and still let it be a source of strength for you in any situation you need healing. Relationships, finances, emotionally – nothing is impossible to God and He is still a healer.