The last few weeks have been exhausting. Like Grizzley, my concept of how to recover from the throes of life is to simply rest. Rest from the physical exhaustion that comes at times, rest from the mental strains of losing folks you love to disease, rest from the endless media that urges only to look at what is sad,bad, or horrid in the world. Our minds and hearts need rest just as our bodies do, and re-fueling from resources that are focused on love, intentional peace, and beauty.
My father is continuing to fight for his life. Our household is buzzing with teenagers, summer courses at college, and the usual family of six energy that comes with young adults. Our friend lost her battle with cancer at age 42 leaving behind four beautiful young children and a husband who know only too well that each day is precious. Storms in our area took another friend’s home. There are struggles among us.
Life is precious. This day is the one we have, and despite somedays the desire to overlook that THIS day is the one we have and the only one we’re guaranteed, the truth is each day is precious. My focus has been on gratitude the past few weeks. Purposefully seeking each hour to stop, look around, and be fully cognizant of all that I am thankful for, all that is going well, all that supports our needs, all that we have each day that we simply sometimes forget to be thankful for.
What do you focus on throughout your day? Are you mindful of the blessings in your life? How easy it is to forget that you are the one God loves, that He is ever present in your times of need. Are you sheltering yourself in His love?
The hard parts of life come, some days they seem endlessly unfair in the level of presence in your life, but yet there is God. I am ever reminded that my life is so very blessed, so very provided for. That in each thanksgiving moment, more blessings are apparent than any trouble I ever face. The trouble is real, and some of it at times feels overwhelming, but the key is there…. “it feels”…not is. We choose what overwhelms us, we choose what we hold on to, we choose when we’re ready to let whatever comes come…and for most of us, even at it’s worst….what could come rarely does. My own experience has had some “come what may’s” happen….spouses leaving, jobs ending, health diminishing….and yet, each time God has opened new doors, new opportunities that left me wondering down the road why did I fear that so much. The discipline of peace is a continual exercise, for God has left us this passage:
and so I focus on gratitude and recognize that even in the storms, there is beauty in the presence of trials.
Sweetie
