@JeanneTakenaka +Jeanne Takenaka
Our Five Minute Friday prompt this week is—PROVIDE. This largely unedited “rough draft” form of writing stretches this perfectionist, in the best of ways. We write for five minutes on a given word. If you’re interested in learning more about 5-Minute Fridays, check out the Five Minute Friday website. Or, click on the link at the bottom of this post. As you read my simpler Friday posts, I hope you’ll join in the conversation!
PROVIDE
Each day, as I drive the boys to school, we pass this pond. I love it. It reflects the mountains when its surface is glassy. It provides food for geese and ducks and other birds.
It’s just pretty to me. Snapping pictures of it makes my spirit happy.
I’m sure as some people drive by and watch me walk to the pond to snap photos some mornings, they may think I’m just this side of crazy.
It’s a pond.
In the middle of a city.
Right next to a development of apartments.
Big deal.
But, God brings beauty from it. Through it. He offers food for the water fowl. And glimpses of His glorious color for those who take a second to glimpse that way when they drive past.
How much more does God provide for us? His provision may not look like we’d expect. Sometimes He doesn’t provide what we think we need.
But God.
He knows exactly what we need.
As the geese need a place to land, rest, and feed, so we need places in our days—our lives—to land and be filled. Physically Spiritually. Soul-fully.
And He gives this. In Psalm 23, the first verse is meaningful to me. “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.”
He knows what I need. If He’s provided something—whatever that is—He knows I needed it.
And, if He doesn’t give me something I think I need . . . did I really need it?
I have seen Him provide for many of our family’s needs, and a number of our wants.
But those things He hasn’t given . . .
sometimes He’s saying, “Wait.”
Other times He’s saying, “This isn’t My best for you, Daughter.”
Like those geese, I need to trust that He knows. And if He hasn’t given it, then I must not need it.
He has a better plan for me. For my life.
As I walk through my days, I want to see His beauty. His provision. I want to be on the lookout for His presence in my days.
What about you? How have you seen God provide in your life? When has he not given you something you thought you needed and offered you something better instead?
Click to Tweet: He knows what I need. If He’s provided something—whatever that is—He knows I needed it.
I’m linking up with Five Minute Friday—Provide
Beautiful post and pictures, Jeanne.
God’s kept me going so far. More than that I’m too ill, and perhaps too ignorant to say.
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Thank you for stopping by and sharing your words, Andrew. You are in my prayers!
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“I want to see His beauty. His provision. I want to be on the lookout for His presence in my days.” I want this too. I want to see God’s beauty and provision more clearly.. but too often things get cluttered.
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Yes, Annette, my vision gets cluttered too. I’m praying on that though. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
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Beautiful, friend. Tthat looks like a lovely pond, and I love that it’s right in the middle of a city. Happy Friday! xo
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Thanks, friend! It is a pretty pond. I was so sad when the apartments began going up next to it. But, I can still get pretty glimpses and the birds still stop over there. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
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Sometimes I’ll wonder why the Canada Geese in my area decided to make a home on some urban pond surrounded by concrete when they could have flown and settled in much more prettier places! But they do provide me beauty. And likely to receive tossed bread from the hands of toddlers. 🙂 The word trust popped for me in your post. It does so much come down to seeing our provisions, our needs met through trusting His promises, doesn’t it? Keep trusting those urges to snap those pictures no matter what you may think others may be thinking! They provide beauty to our places too. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Lynn, I don’t pretend to understand the ways of birds. I am glad they show themselves to us city folk, though. 🙂 Trust came to my mind too. God knows what we need in every facet of who we are. Will we trust Him to provide what He knows we need? That’s the question, methinks. Your pictures provide beauty in my spaces too, friend.
I hope your weekend is wonderful!
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And, if He doesn’t give me something I think I need . . . did I really need it? THAT IS THE QUESTION, isn’t it Jeanne? You’ve got me pondering!!!
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Pondering is good, Susan! 😉 Have a great weekend!
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Perfect word for this week. He does supply as you said, our need. I especially love the analogy of the geese. If He provides for them, how much more will he provide for us!
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Del, you’re right. God knows our needs and provides for us. I’m glad I can trust Him to know what I need, sometimes before I even realize it. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by!
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I love the little graces God provides us. I’m at #23 this week.
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I’m with you! I am so thankful for the little graces God provides us. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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Beautiful! You reminded me that God’s provision isn’t simply providing the fundamentals. He provides beauty in the midst of it. Visiting from #28 FMF. God bless!
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Vicki, God knows what we need on every level, doesn’t He? I’m so glad He provides for all of who we are. 🙂 And the beauty? I love that. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
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hi jeanne:) i love how GOD often brings beauty into our lives. i grew up in a home where beauty was considered to be a luxury…even tho’ most of us had artsy souls and loved beauty in many forms. it wasn’t until we were older that we were able to plug into that part of us and realize that it was GOD given too, and not a luxury. thanks for your post today:) i’m at 24.
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Martha, yes. God does bring beauty into our lives, our days. I’m glad you’ve learned how to look for beauty in your world. I’ve never really thought about it, but you’re right. It’s not a luxury. I consider it icing on the cake He’s already given us. 🙂
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Beautiful post, dear Jeanne. I especially appreciate the reminder that if we don’t have something it’s because we already have what he believes we need for now.
Blessings on your weekend ~ Wendy Mac
P.S. This is my first time doing #fmf . I’m impressed with what you can write in five minutes. I need more practice. 🙂
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Thank you, sweet friend. I am thankful that God knows what I do and don’t need. I’m so glad you tried FMF! I can’t wait to read your words.
Have a beautiful weekend!
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I love your pond photo! I too have been known to pull off to the side of the road to photograph a pond, cows, leaning pole barn, flowering tree, etc. But beyond your beautiful photos, I really appreciate what you said. “If He hasn’t given it, then I must not need it.” Oh how true! –Visiting you from #42.
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Angela, first of all, I’m sorry it took me so long to respond back to you. I truly appreciate you stopping by! I’m glad I’m not alone in pulling off the road to snap pretty photos. It’s almost a catharsis for me. It’s not always easy to trust God to know what we do—and don’t—need, is it? But, if we can trust Him to provide what we need, we can know a little more peace in our days.
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Don’t worry about the time. I’m just now catching up on 3 days of comments myself. 🙂
Amen to finding peace through trusting God more.
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Thanks for your grace, Angela. 🙂 Life has been kinda crazy lately! I hope you have a great weekend!
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Thanks. You too, Jeanne.
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God truly does provide. I’m so thankful for that. I’m in the 31 spot this week.
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Tara, I’m with you. Thankful God does indeed provide. Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
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Our yard has lots of blooming azaleas & butterflies are enjoying them so much as I enjoy watching God’s beauty..what an amazing God He is!
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Frances, you’re so fortunate to have azaleas and butterflies! I fell in love with azaleas the year Uncle Sam moved us to Alabama. I still love them, but I don’t see them much in the part of the country I live in now. 🙂 I am enjoy meeting other beauty-seekers. Thank you so much for stopping by!
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Jeanne, what a great reminder! Wouldn’t our lives be lovelier if we’d just lean into God’s provision for us? I am a bird watcher and God teaches me many lessons through them, and now another through you and your geese! God’s provision in my life has been unending but bringing me to this place I live always stands at the forefront. Never did I expect to be a country girl instead of a suburb girl but that’s exactly what happened and it has blessed me more than I can put into words. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photograph and wisdom, Cindy
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Cindy, I’ve definitely had times where I’ve chafed at God’s provision. A substituting job instead of a teaching contract. Singleness instead of a husband. Empty arms instead of babies. But, God provided exactly what I needed in those seasons of life. He gave me Himself. I had to learn to accept what He provided instead of pine for what He didn’t. 🙂 How fun that He has given you the life of a country-girl. I’m guessing that was a transition, but probably one that you’ve learned to love, from the sounds of it. Thank you so much for visiting!
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Goodness Jeanne, what a GORGEOUS place you have here. I shall now go and read your post…but I was awestruck by the beauty of your header…such hope!
Sometimes I have to be reminded to find the joy in the little things. There is so much blessing in stopping and really SEEING the things that lay before you, weather it is something that catches your eye like this pond, or some flowers you pass by at the store. Its so easy to get lost in the big picture and not take in those special moments of the seeming mundane.
I’ve been reading Shannan Martin’s book ‘Falling Free’ and one of the gist’s of her book is very much about God’s plans not looking at all what we anticipate or expect but how much better they are then what our minds can have imagined. thank you for that reminder!
love you girl!
You are Loved!
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I so agree with you! It can be heart-refreshing when we are intentional about seeing the little things, the glimpses of beauty God places in our days. They do bring joy, don’t they? And it breaks up the mundane. 🙂
I’ve heard a number of good things about Shannan Martin’s book. I’m glad you mentioned it here. I will need to get my hands on it. A number of times, God has had to bring me back to the place of trusting in His plans more than in my plans or my expectations. I hope you have a glorious Easter!
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