The Mystery- God USING things as HIS means

Honestly don't think I could be much more thankful than I am at this moment...

About a year ago Thanksgiving time, I was trying to share with my much older Jewish cousin about the Lord. A complaint that she brought up was that she was watching a show about a girl who couldn't get pregnant. She tried everything she could, and then finally took drugs and became pregnant. The lady on the show was like- 'We just really wanted to thank God for giving us these children...' My cousin was like- LADY GOD DIDN'T GET YOU PREGNANT... THE DRUGS DID. GOD COULDN'T GET YOU PREGNANT- THATS WHY YOU TOOK THE DRUGS.

A thought I have been tempted to think is that it is because I made myself look beautiful, curled my hair, and wore the right outfit... or was assertive about being in the right place, or because I baked him stuff.... that I met my most amazing boyfriend.

O the illusion of control... This is a never ending challenge, and it translates to SO many different areas of life. The problem is that I DO have to work and act in order to make things happen. At the same time- I couldn't do one darn thing apart from His magnificent grace!!!! LORD DO NOT LET ME FORGET THIS!!! Thank you Father!!! It is a total mystery to me how you have chosen to work. Thank you for allowing me a part and teach me how to see that appropriately.

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today." (Deut 8:10-18)