A thought provoker, I often need.
A story, scripture, song, or a memory.
Lately, I’ve asked AI to flesh out a thought
Give me words to start the train.
Out of the station, it barrels into the night
Like a steaming, fire-belching locomotive.
Today was no different.
The thought lay on the edge of the clutter
Of all the thoughts I awake with each day.
I need clarity for a single word. Quickly, AI.
Give it a start, and I’ll take care of the rest.
What do you have to say about taking life for granted?
From AI:
We tread the path with careless strides,
Ignoring beauty by our side.
The gifts we hold, both small and grand,
Eclipsed by the rush, slipping through the sand.
Careless strides. Rush forward. Ignoring and forgetting. Gifts we hold, small and grand. Oh, for a pause to remember the things we take for granted.
This morning, I was thinking about the things we take for granted as I slipped tired feet into tight shoes to control the Plantar, that tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. It’s been sore for a year, and it has been treated for 11 months—shots, orthotics, exercise, and common sense. I’ll never take my feet for granted again.
Then, I think about all the limiting events that my body has struggled with at various times. My knee surgery (torn meniscus) and the first time it gave me problems at age 15… I hobbled through Look Out Mountain in Tennessee when we were headed home from vacation. It took nearly 50 years before surgery made sense.
My mind starts down a path of memories and things I’ve enjoyed.
My church and walk with God, including His Word.
Hum that treasured song that is well remembered but scratchily sung.
The last conversation with a good friend, an anniversary, a passing.
A pleasant thought. A favored visitation.
Holding hands. Giving and receiving comfort. A quiet road trip.
As I start writing them down, the list doesn’t quit. There’s a lot we take for granted.
What does it mean to “Take things for granted?” Often, it means forgetting what we know or hold dear. When reminded, we may shrug our shoulders or say, “Yeah. I forgot about that.”
While visiting an antique store in Redmond, Oregon, on vacation, we oohed and aahed over the trinkets from a bygone era. “Oh, remember? We used to do it like that!” or, “I had one just like it.”
I’m reminded our past is replete with memories from forgotten times. When recalled, they are brighter and better today than they were back then. It’s like a flash of thought, and we pull the pieces of a time that includes more than just the trinket being sold.
I wanted to join track in 7th grade. Why? They were running cross-country, and I loved to run through the woods, jump across streams, and drink from a canteen on the go. But the two worlds never met. Their cross-country was running around a track. Mine was going cross-country! I dropped out of track.
Of course, that was a time when injuries were not slowing me down! Today, let me saunter through the woods with my dogs. A walking stick is nice, but Chewy tries to take it away from me—she loves sticks!
I spent some time remembering and searching through God’s Word…
- But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:16 NKJV)
- Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. (Hebrews 13:2 NKJV)
- For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV)
This week, as we close out our Christian celebration of Passover (Easter), let’s not forget what Jesus did for all of us. That Last Supper thought goes like this:
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,
and gave it to them, saying,
“This is My body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of Me.”
(Luke 22:19 NKJV)
As I begin my busy day this morning, I carve out a niche of time and place to remember. Why? So I won’t forget.
Thank you for reading.
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It helps me get my book written!
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