I was standing at my sink washing dishes, which seems like the easiest place for God to find me, because no one else dares come near. They are afraid I will ask them to dry or put away. Ha! As I was standing there, it came to me that these "details" that God takes care of are in no way "trite" or undeserving of His attention. And I felt a tear come to my eye.

Luke 12:7 – But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (KJV)

I am indeed. For when I went before God right before Thanksgiving, and asked that we have a "cash" Christmas this year (meaning we would buy for our three children using no credit this year), I began to see His hand everywhere. I mean, literally, everywhere.

Luke 12:24 – Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than fowls? (KJV)

I've been overcome by His finger pointing the way while I shopped, and leading me to "wait" on this gift and "search" for that one at a better price. My question to you now is, Why don't we do this during the entire year, in our everyday lives? It works so well. God jumps up and down like a little child (or as a pleased-as-punch Father!) when we ask for His help! I have seen the proof of this in this holiday season.

I will give one example (though there are many, and, as I am writing this it is only November 28). The day before yesterday I went to a large bookstore where they sell many, many calendars. I was looking for a little gift for myself, a perfect calendar for my coming year, to jot down all the appointments the kids and I have, birthdays, etc. Anyway, they had absolutely none that I wanted. I was despondent and a little surprised by this. Yet in the mail, the very next afternoon, was a free calendar from our pest control company. It was beautiful! I love it and cannot wait to start filling it with all the important dates and landmarks of our coming year.

So I am praying that, as we begin a new year, our New Year's resolutions may reflect what I am finding out this Christmas: God is in the details — of our everyday life, of every star that falls, of every life that He has touched. And He desires that we ask for His help. Amen.

Prayer: We thank you, O Lord, that you love us and count us more valuable and important than all the birds of the air, who have their daily provision from your gracious hand. Teach us to walk by faith and not by sight, and to ask you for our every need, and to watch expectantly as you provide. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I marvelled at the centurion's faith. Did he even know Jesus, or just know of Him? I wondered. And I wonder still. I asked God about it. He answered in my heart in that still, small way of His. Right away, I knew I was on to something. He showed me rivers of water, running deep underground. He reminded me of His sovereignty, of how the seas stay in their beds, how the rain falls, how the planets stay in their courses, and how the sun rises each day. I felt ashamed. "Who am I to doubt You?!" I thought.

The woman at the well met Jesus. She had a need. Situation: hopeless. He reminded her of something that every believer has inside of them. Living waters. Sure, we leak, but there is an endless supply.

Ponder with me those silent streams of water flowing deep underground. We have no way of knowing where those reservoirs of water come from that flow deep within the earth, and spring forth when we need them most, when we're at our lowest ebb, our deepest need.

This is not about faith-building. This is not about believing. This is not even about asking and receiving. This is about God's promise of provision. We are called to take it, and pass it on, in Jesus' name.

Prayer: Lord, we come to you, remembering the woman at the well, and the faith of a centurion. Lord, we know You, we feel Your residence within us, and it brings us such joy! Help us to just "let the rivers go!" Let them flow, Lord, to every corner of the earth. For it is Your good and perfect will and Your pleasure to do this for us. Thank you, Jesus, for it is in Your name we pray and ask. Amen.

My son Lucas, who is four, was sorting the family's laundry, shortly after the New Year. This was not his first foray into the art of sorting lights from darks, but he still sometimes asks for help.

While I was in the bedroom making our bed, Lucas ran back and forth, with a sock, or a sweater, seemingly never to tire, asking me, "Am this light or dark, mom?" I would sigh, look at the proffered article and tell him which pile to toss it in.

After several loads were washed and dried — with me folding, because Lucas cannot understand why we fold ("Them just get messy in my drawer, mom!") — I asked Lucas if he was ready to do another load of wash. He replied, "Aw, mom, I'm too tired!" So, while I loaded dryer and washer once again, alone now, I watched the snow falling outside the window, and sensed that the Lord sighed. I asked Him what there was to sigh about. He touched me with the lightest brushing of His fingers in my heart and said, "Where was all that energy Lucas had just a while ago?"

I thought about this. The child had unbounded energy. He was not really too tired to help. Was it not just like the way I feel when I sit to read the Bible? I thought of this because the most unusual tiredness comes over me each time I want to sit and read with God. Could this be a fight? Once again I had started the year with a brand new Bible reading plan in my hands, and already, I was neglecting my time with Him. I know it breaks His heart!

Prayer: Lord, please forgive us. Help us to fight the spirit of despondency, and win the battle of the Bible! May our energy for You match our energy for the things of this world. In Your mighty name, we ask this, Jesus. Amen.

While standing by my kitchen sink one morning, God walked by.

It was 8:00 a.m., and in just a few moments I would be heading out the door. Car pool! My baby, three other children and I were due to head off to the nearby elementary school. But things weren't going so well. The kitchen, hardly ever tidy anymore, was worse for the fact that I had neglected to clean well after dinner the night before. Crumbs crunched underfoot. I realized, in that moment, that I was too tired to sweep up one more crumb.

This led me to think of surrender. There is no surrender like that of the first pain of labour in childbirth. Nowhere to run, one settles in to wait and see what will be accomplished. A newborn!

So, as I stood there at the sink that morning, I could have resorted to anger and snapped at the kids to diffuse my own frustrations. I shudder to think how many times I have rationalized that. "Well," I've said, "It keeps me from bottling things up," or "They understand I'm not really mad at them."

This time, though, I slumped my shoulders and hung my head towards the suds and dishes and said, "Lord, I cannot do anything. I am just too tired." In that same moment I said to myself, "I will not let Satan have this victory. He is a defeated foe."

Instantly, I heard a sound in my heart like a dozen "'Atta girl!"s. "Well done, well done!" I heard. And then the peace flowed down, around and through me, like a balm.

It startled and shamed me to realize how immature a Christian I still am. I just had a lesson in "Surrender 101", again.

Prayer: O, Lord, we never meant to do all those awful things — yelling at the kids, kicking the dog, whatever. Only help each one of us to learn to walk more like you. Amen.