Morning thoughts...

.."My soul doth magnify the Lord,.." (Lk. 1:46)

Woke up this morning to the an unusual quietness in the air. 

It's a snow day. No school.  Alex's first one here in Manitoba. 

 Phil and Alex are still sleeping, so I snuck upstairs, made myself a cup of black tea and cozied up on my "princess chair" to spend some time with my Creator.  How I love these times.

I've been reading a devotional by Ann Voskamp. I would call her one of my spiritual mentors in the last 2 years.  Her main theme:  Giving thanks.  Listing your thanks, writing them down, giving thanks always in all circumstances..  A life lesson. Something to be practiced over and over again...

So Mary's response, " My soul doth magnify the Lord.." to the angel announcing she was to be the mother of the savior of the world was praise, thankfulness, acceptance...yielded to God's will for the purpose of others. Wow!  

When I was back in Austria a month ago I visited a very good friend who had just buried her husband of 26 years.  We cried together, talked memories, did the things good friends do as well.

 Sitting in the train on my way back to Germany, recalling the precious moments we had had together.

I felt a peace about her life, her future. Why was that..?  For me it was her attitude of yielding to God's will..."your will be done". Not by renouncing her sorrow, anger, or questions she might never have answers for, but by yielding and allowing the person she claims to be savior and King of her life to take the wheel.

Last night when praying with Alex before he went to sleep I was lead to pray that he would have the awareness that he has a God who goes before him, stands behind him and walks beside him at all time.... therefore whom shall he fear.(Chris Tomlin's song "Whom shall I Fear" is one of my favorites at the moment).

So may our souls magnify the Lord today because, using Ann Voskamp's words:

You are the Giver infinitely greater than the sum of all gifts and how can I not slow and bow? Bow right now and worship. Kneel throughout the day in gratitude. Slow, wherever I am, in adoration.