How much larger your life would be if your self could just become smaller in it. –Chesterton

But it is good for me to be near God; I have made Him my refuge. Psalm 73:28

Focusing Prayer: The God Who meets all of my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ

What I desire: To learn the secret of contentment, trusting God for all things in life and death.

These souls love God’s will and find it equally sanctifying, no matter in what shape it comes. They do not speculate about the way God’s will comes to pass; it is enough that they know the Source to give their assent to whatever comes. –de Caussade

Ah, this is the vantage point from the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking over the expanse of timeless shifting colors and shapes that bring so much peace.

Ah, this is the vantage point from laying on the big rock above the Mt. Lemmon cabin where the air is clear and light energy sweeps across inconceivable distance to bring me peace.

Perspective. To look through it.

Jesus whispers to the Surprised by Joy, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” The humble are the laid-low and bowed ones, the surprised one with hands open to receive whatever He gives.

He hands them the earth.

But is it any wonder? The word humility itself comes from the Latin root humus–the kind of earth that grows good crops. God gives the earth to the humus-people, the humble ones.  Humility is that good humus that grows gratitude that yields abundant joy.

In the upside-down kingdom of heaven, down is up and up is down and those who want to ascend higher must descend lower. And so “anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of God.”

Ah, this is the vantage point of little Everette stepping through the door of the Big Kids Sunday School room for the first time: Four rooms crammed full of all-of-this-is-for-me delight.

To receive God’s gifts, to live exalted and joy-filled isn’t a function of straining higher, harder, doing more, carrying long the burdens of the super-Pharisees or ultra-saints. Receiving God’s gifts is a gentle, simple movement of stooping lower.

Again, always, and always again: eucharisteo precedes the miracle. And you’d think I’d know that by now. But I forget. The Wounded Warrior is achingly tender with the broken ones and He has all the patient time to gently lead those who seek and He keeps leading me back to euchaisteo. –Voskamp

And I consider the word speculate. And going around Spanish curves. And it did absolutely no good to try and see ahead in my mind what lay ahead. It messed up my thinking, my presence in the now, my awareness of Him surrounding me with sunshine and wind.

How to rest in that mental sweet-spot, that nestled-into-the-breast of my Abba Father, taking captive over every thought, so that I may pray. That I may pray: Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Certainly today has enough cares of its own. Take no thought about tomorrow, for His eye is upon the sparrow.

Small and helpless in His bigness and potency. Consider it pure joy.