notice -

- Notice -

Today I will be intentional to notice;  

Where are my thoughts?

Where do I focus my heart?

What holds my attention?

A trip to Costco for a few last minute Thanksgiving ingredients and I’m bombarded by the sales and shiny things and high tech deals and cozy enticements. Everything marketers want me to notice vies for my attention.  It’s hard to resist.  

The drive home pulls my attention to multiple homeless camps along the side of the highway. I feel the weight of sorrow mingled with repulsion.

Scanning the radio, the news begs me to notice the latest tragedy & recent political theatrics. Fear and anger threaten to hijack my heart.

The thing is, what I notice the most - shapes me.  

Spirit, soul and body all respond to where we focus.  

So this day, let’s notice what is beautiful, even though there is ugliness.  

Let’s notice what is good and honorable.  Let’s fix our noticer on things that will cultivate gratitude, contentment and peace.  

Jesus never asked us to turn the other way and ignore the painful and the ugly.  He didn’t model that.  He noticed those, yet He reminds us through Paul to continually return our notice to Himself and all that is good and beautiful and honorable.  

When I notice God first, I am tethered to what is good and beautiful and worthy of praise.
When I choose to notice the things in His kingdom, My heart overflows with gratitude and I am met with His peace. 

I can choose what to notice. Where to set my gaze. This is a key that opens the door I have chosen to walk through this holiday season.

What is one thing you noticed today that lifted your heart to God?

Philippians 4:6-9 (Passion Translation)  Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,  then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.  So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always … and the God of peace will be with you in all things.