I’m still searching here. I haven’t given up, and won’t , but there are times when I’m processing and can’t get to the point of being ready to write. Yesterday, I experienced a couple or three moments of true realization and awareness of God’s presence and of the Spirit speaking to my heart and mind. I felt a tangible easing of my stress and tension as well as a fullness that I haven’t been feeling of late. It was more relief than what most would identify as joy, but I want everyone to understand that there are many aspects to our experiences of joy. 

So, how to I find The words to write and explain how my joy is impacted by moments of aunthentic communion with God? Sometimes there are no words….

Yes, that’s what I said, but food really isn’t my focus of joy today. It’s simply what chocolate covered strawberries represent on a day like today, Valentine’s Day, that is. 

Sweetness, a bit of sour, rich decadence, and the slight bitterness of semi-sweet chocolate….somehow this is all representative of all the celebrations of love on this special day. So, hopefully you enjoyed some today, as my daughter and I did, and maybe now you might ponder the significance of how chocolate covered strawberries came to be an example of all that’s wrapped up in our love for others…all the joys and sorrows, the sweetness along with the tart and the bitter. 

Possibilities viewed positively, instead of with fear of the negative, bring hope…and hope makes me smile , keeps me moving forward, gives me joy. 

What about you?  I know some days it’s easy to fear the unknown and see all the potential dangers or disappointments, yet, we can choose to see potential possibilities with hope instead …. and that can make all the difference in our being able to press on…

Yes, I didn’t post yesterday. I’m tempted to do two posts today to catch up, but the fact is, I have enough on my slate today and it’s supposed to be a day of rest. 

I’ve been living mostly overwhelmed the last several months because of the season of life transitions in which I find myself. There is a lot on my plate for which I’m responsible right now, and there really isn’t much I can do to let go of any of it. Therefore, it has to be managed , and I’ve employed lists and people to help, as well as accountability, in order to move forward one step at a time, knowing that in six months or so, give or take, my life will be in a new phase and hopefully will once again be more settled.

Right now, I don’t have any margins, no space to add things in or say yes to extras or for spontaneity. Even my rest/relaxation times are scheduled in, and I hang tightly to them because I know I require them or else I’m no good to anyone or anything. So, in the midst of all this, at times I get too concentrated on the details of the moment and forget the bigger picture …. I mean THE BIG PICTURE. 

Reminders to turn my gaze toward eternity and my eternal purpose have been coming at me from multiple people and books, songs and sermons, in the last week or so. So today, the thought of Heaven is bringing me joy. I’m not just meaning Heaven , per se, but rather, The Kingdom, God’s home, being with Him…

There is comfort and joy for me today, in particular because it’s the Sabbath, and the thought of just resting in the arms of my Abba Father is exactly what I need. 

Yesterday was one of those days when Joy was obvious, and it was abundant. From my oldest son getting his clearance to graduate with his MEd to my middle son calling me and sharing more about how he’s chasing after the calling God has placed on his heart,  to hearing about how one of my daughter’s best friends was miraculously protected in a horrible car wreck (an obvious story of the protection by an angel), and finally to my own accomplishing of some of my to-do list biggies and getting two nights of decent sleep, it all added up to overflowing joy and feeling truly alive. 

I know, I’ve already posted about snow being a cause for joy, but in a winter with very little snow, I couldn’t help but be giddy when I first saw some flakes. In my opinion, winter is all about the snow. I’m so very thankful for this white stuff!!!:

Philippians 4:8 …finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right , whatever is pure , whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. (NIV)

So what is it that holds you back from seeing the good in life?  I know that for me it is sometimes due to what I allow to fill my mind. I’m not saying that everything in life is Skittles and unicorns, balloons and puppies…God’s Word tells us there is a time for grief and sorrow (Ecc 3:1-8), yet I don’t think we’re supposed to stay stuck in the sad parts. Yes, somedays are difficult and it can be a struggle to find the good, to find joy , but if we choose to turn our minds towards looking for the good, it will be found. 

We all need each other. God made us that way on purpose.  It’s part of how we are made in His image, thus, relationships are a part of how we image His likeness to a hurting world. Being in close relationships is a part of our Kingdom purpose. 

I was walking through Kroger last night, and in my mind, I was literally praying there would be someone there who would hug me. Shortly before I had left my house to come grocery shopping , the weight of the day had hit me with an intense sadness and loneliness. My emotions do that to me sometimes; how about you…?

I rounded a corner in the natural foods and noticed a mom pushing her little girl in one of those cute carts that look like a bus or some sort of vehicle. I looked away and glanced again then realized it was my dear friend Amy. She and I used to work together. She’s at least ten years younger than I. We don’t get to see each other much because our families are in such different life stages, but whenever we have the opportunity, be it purposeful or by chance , it is a rich encounter. 

When it dawned on me who she was, my face and heart smiled. I was flooded with joy, and relief, because I knew God had heard my cry. We came together , hugged, talked for just a moment, then hugged again, and continued shopping. Fifteen minutes later, we both were heading to the registers and hugged one last time. What a God ordained encounter!  What joy!!

I know better now how God answers my prayers, how He hears my heart and can truly be trusted to supply all my needs. Do you have a story of a God moment where He reached out to you through other relationships in your life?

I admit that I do like football more than many women, but I’m not a fanatic, or even a consistent observer.  I learned the game as a girl because my dad always watched , along with my brothers, and we only had one TV and a small house. So, I do enjoy a good game and understand most of it. 

Therefore , watching the super bowl is something I usually do simply because it seems like the thing that should be done.  I do enjoy the commercials and halftime show, as well as the food when I get to go to a party. Yet, It seems there is something beyond the game with all its trappings. 

There is a connectivity with the world that happens when we watch big events such as this, a sense of community in the midst of our great big existence on this planet.  Somehow, our world seems a bit smaller when there is something that many of us can experience at the same time then discuss via social media or at the office the next day.  

I know there isn’t any obvious spiritual meaning attached to all the super bowl hype, and many would argue that much of it is opposite from religious values and morals. However, I would argue that God made us for relationships and there is something basic in all of us that longs to feel connected with others. Events like the Super Bowl add a bit of joy to many lives because of how it brings us together to share in an experience as humans in this great creation of our God. 

In the last week, as I’ve been out and about in our town, I’ve been very aware of one of the joys of living in a small town. No matter where we go, the grocery store, theater, restaurant, gym….wherever , we run into people we know. There are teachers my kids’ had in school who also went to our church, co-workers with whom we share sporting events for our kids, and pastors who were our college friends. 

In a few months, we will be moving back to a big city, after 18 years in this small town.  There are different joys there for us to re-discover and experience for the first time, and even though I feel in my spirit that it’s time to move, I will miss the joys of this small town….