Aspen, Colorado. Does it get any more beautiful than that?

It is occupied by the mesmerizing Maroon Bells, which are the most photographed peaks in the United States. Can you see why? It’s amazing. I am enthralled every time I visit, and it never feels like I can look at it for long enough.

On the last day of this mountain getaway, we headed to the golf course. We were paired up with a father and daughter who had just recently moved to the area.

I looked around at the lush scenery and captivating mountains that surrounded us.

“This is truly amazing,” I said to the daughter. “I could stare at this all day. I bet you are just in a constant state of awe, aren’t you?”

“Meh,” she replied to my surprise. “It was cool for the first couple months but now it’s just… normal.”

I have to admit, I was taken back for a moment. As I looked around trying to process what she said, I thought to myself: 

How do you get used to THIS?

But doesn’t this happen to all of us? Not just for beautiful scenery, but for blessings, health, relationships, and even miracles.

On my Instagram today, I presented the question, “What things do find it easy to take for granted?” Here are some of the replies that I received:

 

“Walking, talking, taking showers, getting ready, and driving to name a few.”

“Mobility.”

“A warm home and a hot shower. Food for every meal. Not living in constant fear.”

“My husband.”

“Being able to chew food. I never knew I could miss something so normal!”

“Everyday activities: Walking, washing clothes, running errands.”

“Our health!”

“The little joys God places in the moments of anxiety.”

“The fact that I don’t have to worry where my next meal is coming from.”

“My education.”

“The little things people do to either make you smile or help make your day go a little smoother.

“Having all of my family so close to me in our little town. A blessing I need to thank God for more often.”

“Waking up! Having a home. Access to food. Things that we think we need so we don’t really think about what it’s like without it.”

How many times do we ignore our surroundings because we are on our phones?

How often do we take for granted the people closest to us and forget how amazing they are?

How do we become so focused on our circumstances that we forget the blessings that around us?

How have we taken our health for granted knowing that it is a precious gift? And how often have we gone to the doctor/hospital complaining forgetting the blessing of having so many readily available to us?

How often have we prayed over our meal in thanks so quickly just to get on with eating, not remembering the blessing it is to have the ability to eat and the food available to us?”

How many times have we heard the story of Jesus dying on the cross and raising from the dead to forgive our sins and say it like a line memorized in song with no added thought to it?

Things that we take for granted are usually things that others would give anything to have/have again. I mean, let’s talk about my conversation in Aspen for a second: who wouldn’t want to live there? And don’t we get bitter/jealous/sad when we watch someone else take for granted the very thing(s) we wish we had?

So how do we do this:

• Erase bitterness/jealousy and become joyful.
• Celebrate what we have and encourage one another to do the same.
• Live every day like it’s our last because, well, it could be.

 

 

We’ve experienced this phrase far too often:

“You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

What if we started to actively marvel in our surroundings?

What if we decided to become “un-used to it?”

What if we asked God to help us fall deeper in love with him and all the blessings we do have down to the smallest and simplest ones?

I think it’s time for an awakening. 

A revival. 

Souls set on fire!

When things become strangely dim and dull, I pray that we can see them with fresh eyes. I pray that we can stop taking things for granted and start having hearts of gratitude.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which has called you,” -Ephesians 1:18a

I don’t want to take for granted the people in my life that I have another day with.

I don’t want the miracle that occurred in my life to become dull as I share the story time and time again.

And I don’t want to ever lose sight of the miraculous love of Jesus and how he forgives all of our sins.

Let’s start getting “un-used to” the things that we have forgot to see with eyes of wonder. Let’s choose to live every day in gratitude and marvel.

 

 

Choose one thing today. It just might change your life.

 

God bless you!

Sparkle on,

Nicole Body

 

 What can you start actively marveling in and showing gratitude for? Let’s start today and change our perspective by becoming “un-used to it.”