--Remember Blessings From our Lord ~~

--"Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on the earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." --

~~"THIS HOUSE IS IN YOU PRICE RANGE,...and it's been on the market for a while." The realtor ushered us into a dark kitchen. Battered avocado-colored appliances were wedged against a grim brick wall. A strange plastic sliding barrier outline a tiny eating area..

The bathroom had an ugly green sink and tub. The whole house looked dingy and forsaken. But when we stepped into the living room on the back of the house, we stopped short.

Beyond the ample backyard, the water of a public pond rippled in the breeze. Ducks swam , willow branches bobbed, and beyond the pond a protected wetland held native grasses, reeds, and endless trees. My husband and I looked at each other and knew this was our new home.

We spend years remodeling, first the main floor and then the basement. When the work was frustrating, we'd stop and look out the window. The beauty energized us to keep going.

Sometimes the view is everything. Life can be dingy, cramped, and ugly more times than we'd like to admit. The work of our hands is often repetitive and seems unrewarding. Relationships can wound us like rusty nails. Loss and grief can darken our vision like a blown fuse. But when we set our gaze beyond, the glimpse of Jesus's glory carries us through. No matter how ugly our present circumstances, we can focus on where He is guiding us--to beauty beyond imagination. ~~

~~Keep your eyes on Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. [Hebrews 12:2]~~

--"Gratitude"--Brandon Lake // <https://youtu.be/LDHCzm0mhuk>
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