fogged in

This past New Years we took a ski trip with some friends here to Switzerland. I am not a good skier but I love the mountains and the love the views and the best way to see a great view is to take the lift up to the top. I found that sking down the mountain is the quickest way down so I have learned a little about skiiing. There is this spot at the top of the mountain in Adelboden Switzerland that is just incredible. I was telling my friends of the view and how excited we were to get to the top and see it. The day that we arrived there it was snowing alot and the next day our first day of skiing it was still very foggy and cloudy. We went skiiing and took off on the lift to the top of the mountain all the time I was telling them of the beauty. We got to the top and you could not see anything in front of you. It was so "whited out". I was disappointed and a little ungrateful. We skied all day and then the next day we went to the same spot and the fog was gone and the view was incredible. See another blog entry for the view. It was / is awesome. What changed? The mountains were the same yesterday and today. The change was the fog. The fog lifted and we could see the view.

It dawned on me the next day as I was thinking about my rather ungrateful attitude. I should be thankful for the unseen things as well. God's beauty. His awesome works were there but I let the fog "fog" me in and I became ungrateful. It dawned on me that I need to be thankful for things even when I do not always see them clearly. I have a lot to be thankful for: I have a great wife, kids, good job, etc.... God has truly blessed my life but sometimes I let the circumstances fog me in to where I become ungrateful for the things that are always there but I cannot see them or in my mine be thankful for them due to the fog.

I ran across this verse.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18

I really think the key for me in being thankful always and in having a joyful spirit is to be in constant comunion with God. I think my prayer life affects my thankfulness and when I go through my day doing my thing and doing it my way and doing by myself then I get fogged in and I lose my gratefulness and joy.

Take a look at the scenery and be thankful.