Thank You for My New Garden Hose

This year, I challenged myself to keep a daily log on my phone of three things I was grateful for each day. Spiritual blessings and heavenly mercies. This church family. My home and my loved ones. These all made the list in various ways, and I imagine the same would be true for most of us.

But sometimes, the blessings that came to mind at the end of the day were far from grand or inspiring. Take my August 20th entry, for example: “new garden hose.”

Let me explain. I was helping my garden club water the flowers in front of the Jordan House during the fair. Even though I went early in the morning, the August heat, combined with the weight of a 150-foot rubber hose, left me exhausted before the day even began. And when the watering was done, there was the dreaded task of rolling the hose back up. It always kinked or got stuck under the porch lattice, and I’d have to wrestle with it to get it in some kind of order. After all, you can’t leave a tangled mess of hose lying around during the fair.

One morning, as I was struggling with the hose yet again, it hit me: Why don’t I just see if there’s a lighter hose on the market and buy it? A quick search online led me to a lightweight, expandable hose. I’ll admit, I was skeptical—it was one of those “As Seen on TV” products—but the price was decent, so I decided to give it a try.

To my surprise, it worked like a charm. It didn’t kink, it was easy to handle, and putting it away was a breeze. I couldn’t believe the difference having the right tool for the job made!

And that’s why, on August 20th, my gratitude log simply says “new garden hose.”

Some may scoff at this type of entry. I don’t think God minds this one bit. He knows I’m thankful for the big blessings in my life, but I believe He also delights in the small things we notice, like a garden hose that makes life just a little easier.

After all, Scripture reminds us that God cares for every detail of our lives, even the seemingly insignificant ones:

• “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” (Luke 12:6)
• “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
• “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

These verses remind me that God’s care extends to every corner of my life, from the grand to the mundane. So yes, I’m grateful for the big things—but I’m also grateful for “As Seen on TV” garden hoses. 

I like to think God smiles at that.

Reflect & Respond

• What's a "small" thing you're thankful for that you think others might find silly or insignificant?
• What does PEACE mean to you?
• What do you think "Peace on Earth" would look like?