I haven’t been blogging for… too long. Life has brought transitions and turmoil since my last long-ago post on here. (There has also been much good… I often have to remind myself that transition is not a bad thing!) The last few months have led me to the goal of having more trust, and showing more transparency… and for me, that is easier through writing than talking. SO… I’m trying to find the good — and bring it back here. Whether it is an inspiring quote, a blog post plucked from Google Reader or a tidbit about my day, my plan is to update this blog with positive things to think on. I hope you will join me on the journey!
I’ve spent too much time lately getting upset over the little things. I’m dealing with some big decisions and big stressors… but it is the little things piled on top of that that seem to cause my mood to spiral downward.
Here’s a song that speaks to that feeling. I did not like it when it first came out… now I love it! (Plus it is hilarious to hear my 5 year old belting out, “Call me please, ’cause I can’t find my phone!” from the backseat.
Fortunately… I have learned that it is the little things that can pick my mood back up just as quickly. That is one of the reasons I am so glad to have started writing down 1000 Gifts!
This week’s gifts include:
#137 Green after the rain… is it just me, or do the grass and trees look even more brilliantly green after a rainstorm?
#138 Clouds
#139 The tunnel of green on a road near my house… the trees almost completely cover the sky above and it is just gorgeous to drive through. So often I wish I could stop in the middle of the road and take a picture… but since it is on a winding two lane road that is probably not a good idea!
#140 Relaxing at the park for a few minutes ALONE… which went a long way towards disappating the horrible mood I was in at the time.
#141 Watching my little boy’s excitement the night before Easter — he was literally jumping up and down when we set out decorated eggs and a basket in anticipation of the Bunny’s arrival
#142 An unexpected invitation to a friend’s house for an Easter egg hunt… watching Andrew have a blast with some friends and getting some chat time with the adults
#143 Encouragement at a time I was discouraged over a lack of progress
#144 Getting treated to wonderful service by a waitress when we were eating out tonight… she was incredibly sweet (and I have to admit that bad customer service is usually one of those “little things” that really gets to me… and it is all too common here!)
#145 Yummy homemade pretzels
#146 Daisies and roses blooming in my back yard
#147 A floor swept clean
#148 Warm clothes fresh from the dryer
#149 Wireless internet access
#150 Being able to celebrate Easter and a risen Christ!
What little and not so little things are you thankful for this week?
Last night my little boy shocked my husband by announcing that Easter was more fun than Christmas. 🙂 (Christmas is a big deal at our house, and we love all of the traditions around it). When asked why, he listed all of the “fun activities” about Easter. The last few years we have spent Sunday morning attending a sunrise service near our house and watching that church’s teens put on a short play about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Andrew loves it (and admittedly doesn’t have much experience with Nativity plays at Christmas). For him, Easter means jellybeans (and one year an activity that incorporated jelly beans into Lent… which we didn’t do this year), egg hunts on beautiful spring days, and worship.
His comment got me thinking… I didn’t really grow up celebrating the religious aspects of Christmas OR Easter. I’ve grown to love that side of both of them. Easter is my favorite as well. The message of Christmas is hope and God entering the world… and that is amazing. But the message of Easter is that what began on Christmas has been completed. Sin has been defeated, creation is being renewed, God’s redeeming work is finished (and yet somehow still working today). Easter is a time of praise and rejoicing and happiness.
Easter is even more special because it is preceded by days of waiting… by the celebration of Good Friday… by commemorating the silence that was Saturday. Last night we attended a Good Friday service. We reflected on what the cross meant. We reflected on Jesus’ name and his work. He honored his taking on of sins even yet to come. We knelt down (admittedly, that was figuratively and not literally) in honor of his sacrifice… and can’t wait to stand up in praise as we celebrate his resurrection on Sunday.
Merry Christmas to all of my blog readers! I love reading all of your comments and reading along on your blogs as well! Thank you for listening to my musings, and responding at times.
Today I am very thankful for the blessings of health, safe travel, a white Christmas(!), family & friends, and especially the gift of hope that we celebrate today. I have been enjoying this song during this holiday season… it reminds me that even when life seems dark and it seems despair and evil are winning that we have hope; that we know that the Good will and has prevailed; and that the hope that comes from that knowledge and the peace it enables us to have and pass along is the true Christmas spirit. Wishing all of you a peaceful Christmas…
(Did you order cards from Shutterfly this year? Post your card on your blog and e-mail the link to shareproject@shutterfly.com to receive $25 off your next order! We loved our Christmas cards this year!)
to listen to the song of the week. I have more Christmas-ish songs that I love than weeks left to share them in… and then this one snuck in earlier this week. So… since it has been stuck in my head… and because it has a great message… I am sharing it with you!
My church has started a Christmas tradition of performing Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God, which is a lyrical retelling of the story of Jesus’ coming into the world (yes, I took that description straight from the writer). The following song is the introductory song to the story. I’d encourage you to check out the rest of the songs as well.
Lyrics:
Gather ’round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of Death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Gather ’round, remember now
How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh
And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man
CHORUS
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but He made Himself nothing
He gave up His pride and He came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted Him
To the place of highest praises
And He gave Him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God
CHORUS:
We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but He made Himself nothing
He gave up His pride and He came here to die
Like a man
So in heav’n and earth and below
Every knee would bow in worship
And ev’ry tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but He made Himself nothing
He gave up His pride and He came here to die
Like a man
Gather ’round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of Death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Sometimes I feel like the “me” portrayed on this blog is more reflective… more spiritual… and much less impatient and overwhelmed than I often feel.
So this is more the typical.
Today, I woke up to my husband yelling goodbye to our 4 year old and slamming the door in a rush to get to work. I went back to sleep… only to be awoken a few minutes later by a little voice asking to watch PBS Kids… and I sleepily consented (hoping it was even on, because I had no idea what time it was!) Got up a bit later to the mass chaos which was my kitchen when I went to bed last night (how is it possible for 3 people to need so many dishes washed so many times a day?)… a husband home for a quick morning break from work… neck pain from sleeping the wrong way…and a brownie for breakfast. TV blaring… incessant questions from the 4 year old… exasperation from me from the noise onslaught… and sudden realization that much of the 5% of things I have left to do for Christmas need to be done in the next 48 hours. A little boy upset at missing storytime because I cannot deal with library drama today… a rush to try to get Christmas wrapping done (only to discover I have no bags to wrap trinkets in), and the realization that it is going to take some creativity to make the food in the refrigerator cover lunch and supper if I really do want to stick to the menu plan.
So I stop the rush… and try to stop the internal frenzy… and try to remind myself that the hustle and hubbub isn’t what Christmas is about… or what life in general should be about for that matter… (if only it were as easy to put simplicity into practice as to long for it…)
With lunch still uneaten but husband back to work and little one having some quiet time in his room, I log on to Google reader for a bit of sanity time… to find my blog friend Jennifer’s post… and a link to tragedy… and a reminder that love and time and letting those around me know I love them *now* is so much more important than getting things done. And yet so hard to balance at times too.
And so I’m about to recall my overtired little boy down from his room… read some Christmas books, take a moment to escape the house for an hour to run a few errands and have a bit of fun. And be, even more than usual, grateful that he is here… and four years old for another few weeks, with all the joys and challenges that brings.
God, help me remember how quickly time passes… and how quickly life can change… and to be grateful for the season of life I am in and the people you have placed in it. How is it I have to learn that lesson over and over again? I know how quickly tragedy and bad news can come… and life can change… and yet I am still learning these lessons to be thankful and grateful and appreciate the moment over and over again…
If you are reading this… say a prayer for Dana’s family today… and for so many who are having a difficult time at this Christmas time.
Have you ever been driving down the road listening to the radio… when a song comes on that reaches in and grabs you and leaves you scrambling for paper and a pen to jot down the lyrics so you can find it again? (Surely it isn’t just me that this happens to all of the time)
That was my Wednesday. The first few days of the week had left me spent and needing some hope. By Wednesday… life was looking better… and into the drive towards the second, holiday-filled half of my week came this song. I scrambled for a bit of paper to jot down the lyrics… and suddenly realized that I had done that before. Several years ago. The first time I heard this song.
I can’t even explain what it is about the song that speaks to me. Maybe it is just that trying to keep faith and searching for hope and realizing over and over again how quickly I can forget Who I am living to please has been the focus of much of the last few years of life.
Enough of me. Listen to the song. It is “Hope Now” by Addison Road.
Lyrics:
If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I’m Yours
I’m not my own I’ve been carried by You All my life
(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I’ll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm
(CHORUS)
And everything rides on hope now
And everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
I’m not my own
I’ve been carried by You
All my life
(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
So when the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
And everything rides on hope now
And everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You’ve become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Linking up with Amy at Signs, Miracles and Wonders today for her Then Sings My Soul Saturday. Feel free to join in! Today… I am thankful for this song… and thankful to K-Love for the uncountable times the right song has been on the radio at the right time.
I came across this verse on another blog this week… on a day I was feeling very much in turmoil and needed the reminder and impression of peace and comfort this verse gives.
Today I read it in the context of Zephaniah 3. I really don’t know much about the minor prophets… or the book of Zephaniah. But basically I get the impression of a people who did not trust God… who wanted things their own way (how often do I do the same?). And yet… when even a few trusted… God relented. He did not punish. He did not give the consequences they deserved. (If you have read the Bible, this should be sounding really familiar… God has done this over and over again).
The impression I get is of a parent dealing with a child who is upset, overwrought, in a tantrum. Who won’t listen to what their parent has to say… even if that is what is best. And yet, God swoops down… accepts the anger without condoning it… and offers comfort, a refuge, a lullaby… a reminder that child is loved.
That’s all. I could muse a bit on how I am that child at times. Or on how I am not that kind of parent as often as I should be. Maybe another time. This week, I just needed the reminder that I can be irrational, unreasonable, overwhelmed… and still be loved. And I’m offering what has blessed me in hopes it will do the same for you.
WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have made their way out of the depths…Beautiful people do not just happen.” -Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
27) Rescue inhalers (tons of cleaning + dust allergies = not fun!)
28) Homemade garlic rolls
29) And the therapy of baking them by hand
30) And the fact they came out really well even though I put in a few wrong ingredients (oops)
31) Friends who listen and help me feel a little less alone
32) A.A. Milne’s The Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh
33) And the experience of reading it to my little boy (which was the highlight of the day for both of us)
34) Friends who connect their friends who can help each other out
Yesterday, my husband and I took our 4 year old to a local pizza place for some pizza and games. Exploring the kids’ area, he decided to ride a small merry-go-round. Before the ride started, he changed his mind. “Too high! I’m scared!” I relented. We explored other rides. After watching him thoroughly enjoy riding in a small car on the ground, I encouraged him to ride in a helicopter. What I didn’t think about… and didn’t mention… was that the helicopter went up and down instead of back and forth. Ten seconds into the ride, a startled little boy peered down at me, pleading, “I’m scared!”. I looked into his eyes and assured him, “I’m right here beside you. I will not let anything happen to you.” It worked. He relaxed… and enjoyed the ride… and then wanted to do it again.
How often I am like him. My life has been full of experiences I could not foresee. Too often I turn, startled, and exclaim, “I’m scared! I can’t do this! I want off!”. But I too have a loving Parent beside me who tells me, “It’s okay. I’m right here beside you. You will get through this.” My 4 year old trusts me, enough to not only overcome his fears but enjoy the rest of the journey. Why is it so difficult for me to do the same? Father, thank you for the times you have guided me through the difficult, dark, and scary times of life. Help me to trust you unreservedly to guide me through the rest. Offering this prayer for myself and for others traveling their own uncertain paths at the moment… may we all remember that God will give peace through uncertain times.
You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. –Isaiah 26:3-4
WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.
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Melody's Musings... 