Mornings have often been a source of stress in our home. I can remember trying to sneak down the stairs early in the morning, eager to get at least 5 minutes of quiet time before the troops descended upon me in mass chaos. This silence which comes as our senses are waking with the morning was a coveted time for me, a pause before the storm in the day, which I considered necessary.
The waiting moments, hanging in the twilight of day’s transition, often seemed just enough to let me arm myself for the day ahead. Unfortunately, there were many days that ‘just enough’ didn’t make it.
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Today…I will smile, even if it doesn’t come naturally. I’ll look past the trouble and annoyances and find reason to smile.
A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 MSG
Today…I will pay attention to those around me. Family, friends, someone I happen to see once…I’ll notice and see them. And I’ll share kindness.
Today…I will find the positives in my life…the good in the midst of the trials. And I’ll give thanks.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
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My daughter and I have some favorite bedtime books. You Are My I Love You is at the top of the list.
In this sweet story, a loving parent tells her babe . . .
“I am your favorite book. You are my new lines.”
We are a military family, and slogging through this Army life, we get a practical re-write every two to four years. A new story, fresh plot lines . . .
But between the scrawling lines of new heart friends and the terse scribbles of unfinished chapters and sometimes unhappy endings . . . there is a deeper re-write in my soul.
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At a time when just being a young black man in America is enough to get you killed—you know what I’m talking about, you’ve read the headlines—I wonder what the other mommies tell their sons. All mommies worry about their sons, don’t they? All mommies tell their sons to be careful, to be respectful, to stand up for themselves, walking in the Truth of God in whose image they are made, right? Are other mommies afraid for their sons?
Here is what I know of fear. I am sufficiently realistic to acknowledge that I will never be free from them. However, I declare that they are not the boss of me, and will never paralyze me to the point of immobility.
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There are days when it feels like my efforts go completely unnoticed.
It doesn’t matter where we’ve gone, what I’ve tried, or how many errands were run. Someone’s mood is less than desirable. The one thing not accomplished or that was missed on the shopping list is the one thing being talked about. And it seems to get bigger…overtaking everything else.
We tend to focus on the negative, don’t we?
The one thing that didn’t work out instead of all the things that did.
The item we would like to have, ignoring all that we do have.
The unfinished work versus the completed tasks.
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Spring has always been my favorite season. I like that although 50 degrees in the fall feels cold, in the spring it feels like a heat wave. And with the warmer air, there’s hope that winter is nearing its end.
Spring reminds me of new life—buds on the trees, flowers peeking through the ground, the subtle shift of everything turning from brown to green…
And the new life we have in Jesus Christ.
New life because Jesus took on our punishment, and through His death and resurrection, we are set free from sin.
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.
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In a recent conversation in the office, we were laughing that no matter how many times we proof a document, it seems a typo or error will be found just after the e-mail has been sent or 1,000 copies have been printed.
“I always wonder what mistake I’ll be remembered for,” someone remarked. Light-heartedly, I said, “We are not defined by our mistakes.”
But, as I walked away I kept thinking about it. Isn’t that something we all need to be reminded of?
We are not defined by our mistakes.
Yes, some can be real doozies, and some mistakes are remembered for quite a while.
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There are days I feel sad and unmotivated. Maybe you can relate?
Life, and what’s going on, will contribute to my mood. But, my mood is just that—the way I feel today. And today won’t last forever.
The thing about moods is, they change…and often.
While one day I might feel like singing the blues, the next day I may be humming a different tune.**
So, today, I’m sharing what gets me through the I-feel-sad-and-don’t-want-to-do-anything-days.
1) Remember that this feeling is temporary.**
So many factors contribute to how we feel on any given day…hormones, the weather, how we slept the night before, lack of exercise, illness, and more.
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