The First Day of Fall

Each year when the first day of fall rolls around, my dad's excitement is contagious. He is of course ecstatic about the falling temperatures, and I am thankful for that as well. I also thought of a few more things to be thankful for on this Thursday (although this list is far from exhaustive). I am thankful for the decrease in gas prices as I increase my driving. I am thankful that my last orientation meeting at UCLA is scheduled for this morning, which means that I will Lord-willing be starting work soon. I am thankful to be starting another quarter of nursing school. I am thankful for God's faithfulness in my life, and that He continues to care for me and convict me of sins despite the ridiculous number of reminders needed. I am thankful for shrinking flip flops. Although that last one may sound a little weird, it's very much true. On the first day of fall I walked out to my car, and discovered that the Old Navy flip flops I had left in there had literally shrunk in the heat (...apparently the weather didn't get the memo about it being the first day of fall). Don't believe me? Here is photo evidence with another pair of my flip flops for comparison.

Anyway, I am thankful for shrinking flip flops because this discovery corresponded to a lesson I recently learned through Elisabeth Elliot's book "Discipline: The Glad Surrender." The last chapter I read was about the discipline of possessions, and she talked about the necessity for Christians to keep from becoming too attached to the things of this world. So when I discovered the shriveled little flip flop in my car, I laughed and was able to say, "Oh well. Guess I didn't really need those." By the grace of God, another lesson learned...for now anyway.:o)