It’s been said “It’s the little things that count.”

True that.

Big things count too, but it’s hard to notice the little things without practice.

Recently our family’s gone through an extremely trying life-changing event. Well, it was the pinnacle of a series of unfortunate events but nonetheless a line was drawn in the sand and we had to cross it. Haven’t quite yet finished crossing that line but we’re moving along.

As a result I’m now rebuilding a lost life, using what tools I have left at my disposal.

So, the big things that God provides during this time are quite easily noticed, and sometimes even by others outside of my bubble. We celebrate the milestones and pray during the big challenges put before me and my children.

As it is with our “daily bread” God provides, we don’t survive off the feasts, but we survive and prosper when we are given a daily dose of nourishment.

It truly is the little things that count. If we are aware of them, they provide hope and encouragement, which is the best thing the Holy Spirit can bring to each of us.

Here’s an example.

I’m an avid book reader. Love fantasy, sci-fi and science material.

I spent about 16 years building a collection of books – and sadly, in about the same number of years after that, the collection has been decimated, and eventually all have been lost. We won’t go into details here…

Part of my life-rebuilding dream is to get some of these books back. Starting with one of my favs, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld stories.

So I put on my Facebook profile a list of these books I would like to see. Just as a reminder to myself really, nothing more. I figured I’d get these over time, and read them slowly, kind of like my version of “comfort food” to help me through tough times.

As you have probably already guessed by now, the good Lord has provided. And as His wont, He’s provided in abundance for this little thing.

I was hoping to find a couple of these at a time from a local used bookstore I discovered when looking for my daughter’s reading assignment.

I went into the store yesterday. I didn’t find one of these books, or two, or even three.

Someone had sold his entire collection of Discworld books to the store, including the first three in the series. I haven’t yet gone through to see which ones are included but I did spot these.

Sold to the store the day right before I got there.

Nineteen books in total.

And because they were used, the price was half-off the normal price.

Quality? Pristine. O what a find.

But there’s more.

These aren’t just any printing – they are the versions printed in the UK – meaning the title of one, for instance, reads “The Colour of Magic” instead of the American version (without the ‘U’). Also meaning that the cover art on the books is special and meaningful to those in the fantasy and sci-fi world.

Therefore these are special by any means, and not just to me.

Lucky?

Not me. Thankfully I’m in God’s heart and as such don’t need luck in my life.

This isn’t a braggart’s boast here – bad things happen to those who accept God’s love, but even better things happen to them as well. Such is the reason for not needing to rely on luck, which is, by definition, unreliable 🙂

What I have is a God who provides the little things as well as the big things. With this little gift He’s brought to me much-needed nourishment.

It’s not the stories themselves or the special printing or the cleanliness of the books that is nourishing to my soul.

What’s nourishing to my soul is the fact that He’s caring enough to hear my little prayer and to provide in this way.

I’m thankful for the giver, not the gift. I’m thankful He’s teaching me to listen and observe and see this little thing for what it is.

I encourage you reading this to look for the little things He provides. They are there. We just need to have eyes and ears open to see and hear them.

And if you have family, open arms to hug them.

“One has not mastered the art of forgetting,” he mused, “until one has forgotten the reason why they needed to forget something in the first place.”

Having wrapped his head around this idea, he felt like he had accomplished something at last. But he wasn’t sure that it was.