I know I haven’t been around a whole lot lately. I could say it’s been because I’m busy, and that is partially true. But it has been more about the brain-fatigue blank-ness, not at all negative, I have been contending with.
I have been in a quiet soul time recently. Examining, watching, contemplating, reading, praying. I suppose hard times have a way of doing that. We have continued through that mill that grinds exceedingly fine and have found that as we learn to trust God, we are learning again (because we are so human and are constantly forgetting) what the truly important things are.
Joy has come out of some pretty unexpected places. But first and foremost it has come out of the knowledge and experience of God’s sovereignty. There are times we know we are held with tenderness, that our days are held in God’s hand. And then there are times when we tangibly experience it.
Like when there is no money for anything. Bills are there, blinking from the desk and there is literally nothing to pay them with. But then some friends, out of appreciation for you and a love for God, send a check that exactly covers all of it.
Like when there is no food in the refrigerator and in a response to a prayer of “I’m asking only for my daily bread”, He answers with just that. Daily bread.
Like realizing there is no money for school books, and then a woman hands over a stack of textbooks…as a gift.
Like when you think you couldn’t possibly take another moment of stress, of the unknown, of the thought of losing everything, and God reminds you that He is all in all.
Like after a long spiritual drought, He brings soul-deep refreshment in the form of friends. If you have ever been my friend and are reading this, I appreciate you all. More than you know. Thanks.
Like the decisive releasing of the temporal, in exchange for the eternal.
I know it hasn’t ended, the grinding. But now I’m not fighting it. It isn’t comfortable, sometimes it’s downright painful.
But I know this for sure. This path we are walking is transient, it shall pass. But the gems of wisdom and growth we have gathered along the way are those of an eternal God, toward us.
Goodness. That’s huge.
Was going through my “trunk of old photos”, i.e. “all my computer photo files”, and ran across some photographs I took last year right around this time.
It’s fun to find old stuff.
ha.
The latest photo of little Anna. Shot last week with my plain, old Nikon D40 and kit lens.
I love it when simplicity works.
Bear, Age 3: Mama, can I have a piece of gum?
Me: Sure, HoneyBear.
Bear: Can I mix the gum? (His way of asking for two pieces)
Me: No, buddy. Sorry. Just one.
Bear: But one is for Michael Phelps, and one is for Zula Patrol, and one is for Regular Me (himself).
Me: Ahhh. But isn’t that three pieces?
Bear: Yup. But I’m sharin’.
That boy. What a gas.
