🎶This joy I have…the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it way…🎶
This joy is not contingent on ideal circumstances or life without trial. This joy is rooted in a heart surrendered and trusting the God who sees, knows and loves me. I’m not taking for granted His daily mercies, second chances and plentiful patience (because Lord knows, sometimes I’m a little slow on the uptake).
Today I’m welcoming my 48th year with gratitude and anticipation. And thank you, friends and readers, for continuing this journey with me.
The sun’s energizing vitamin D. A vibrant tapestry of color. The promise of renewal. What was dormant is revived. What is dead is alive. All the things I love about Spring. The season also marked the celebration of my birthday (a little closer to the half century mark) and the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection (He got up!). It’s all put me in a (more than usual) reflective mood the past few weeks. Just a few musings…
Aging is a gift. Gray hair, wrinkles, menopausal mom bod and the like means I’m alive. Having the choice and resources to “fight” it or just let it do what it do is a blessing. I will see beauty at every stage.
There’s a difference between being nice and being kind. Too often I’ve been nice when I should have been kind enough to rock the boat. How often do we prioritize our comfort over someone’s need for the truth?
Most people just want to be seen and heard. Good, bad or indifferent- to see and to be seen is a mercy. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own stuff and miss it. Grace is a gift we can continually give and receive.
Less is more but extra isn’t bad. We can treasure simplicity but also find joy in the complex.
Jesus really is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I’ve questioned my faith. I’ve questioned the church. But the answer has remained the same- He is faithful and He is trustworthy. This is the Good News, ” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”
Ready, set and we’re off! The holiday season is in full swing. Expressions of gratitude, tidings of comfort & joy and shopping deals abound. But for some of us there is only stress and trepidation. The goodness and beauty of the season are eclipsed by neverending to-do lists and unrealistic expectations.
So what if we changed our perspective? Minimized perfection and magnified grace. What if we decided to simply opt out? Opt out of traditions and expectations that weigh us with dread and mask us with insincerity. What if we dared to do something different? Let our “yes” be genuine and purposeful. Let our “no” be firm and free of guilt. What if in the midst of it all we took time to just be…Grateful.
Endless Thanks
Unable to contain in just one day,
A lifetime of profession.
A daily exercise of appreciation,
For this life uniquely my own,
For the glorious triumphs,
For the disheartening defeats,
For the gift of grace,
For mercies renewed,
For everyday blessings,
For the difficult journeys,
For the smallest joys,
For the sting of self-reflection,
For the hope in growth,
For love unfettered and unconditional,
For the joy of family,
For the solace of friends.
Thanks to a God so Magnificent, so Wonderful, and so Good.
Humbled by His presence and in awe of His care. -LAS
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.”
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”-2 Corinthians 9:8
On this ?? Day of social/physical distancing and isolation I’m checking in…How are we doing?
Well, over here, I began eager to maximize this time…”I’m going to write! And write some more!” But my creative juices didn’t get the memo, so most days it felt like trying to squeeze water from a dry sponge and on the days I was suddenly awash in ideas and words, I’d sometimes lose half of it before I could put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. *Sigh* What is it they say about best laid plans? My expectations have been realistically adjusted. I also learned early on my anxiety around this virus was real. Although my brain didn’t register it, my body certainly did. My remedy? A whole lot of prayer and turning off the news, filtering the talking heads and limiting my scrolls through the Wild West of social media.
These days…Takeout is a highlight of the week. Weekly early morning store visits are as much an indulgence as they are a strategic maneuver. Music is vital, each day has a soundtrack that calms and energizes. I’ve talked to more distant family and friends in the last few weeks than I probably have all of last year. I’ve Zoomed, FaceTimed, Duoed, HungOut and I’m pretty sure I’m nearing video chat burn out. I’m also convinced we all could use mega doses of patience and grace right now…
Grace for the spouse grappling with unemployment Grace for the child hitting the keyboard in frustration with virtual learning Grace for the lonely family member or friend sending random texts in the wee hours of the morning Grace for every essential & front line worker, the visible and not so visible And grace for ourselves, just winging it one step at a time.
You can’t help but to love Maddie Buckner, the heroine of Krista Phillips‘ debut novel Sandwich, With a Side of Romance. You will root for this sassy tough girl from page one, as she lives out her new faith in Jesus while struggling to make a new life for herself and the little brother she desperately wants to get out of foster care. Her move to small town Sandwich, IL marks a new beginning and as her heart eventually accepts, so does Reuben-the-Jerk Callahan.
This novel is engaging and humorous yet seriously deals with the realities of life. Universal themes of grace, forgiveness, acceptance, and unconditional love are woven throughout the story. The characters are memorable and endearing, especially the Callahan clan, a family so rich in love that one can’t help but to cheer on a Maddie and Reuben romance. Krista writes in the novel’s Acknowledgments that “no man is an island” and this novel speaks loud and clear to how God uses the people around us to bless and enrich our lives.
I have followed Krista’s blog for a couple of years now and though I’ve never met her personally, Â it is so exciting and encouraging to see prayers answered and dreams fulfilled. God is nothing short of amazing!
Barnabas Blessings 