Turtles sunning themselves on the edge of the pond.
Crocuses, hyacinths, and daffodils blooming.
A Labrador dashing up and down the flowing creek.
Trees budding and leafing. Seedlings growing in the greenhouse.
Puffy clouds in a clear blue sky.
Green grass. Lettuce in the cold frames.
Birds chirping and frogs peeping.
Pussy willows budding and fuzzing out.
Welcome e-mails from cherished friends.
Skyping in to Melissa's birthday party.
Meeting new friends and strengthening bonds at the midwifery association meeting.
Evening worship. Discussing life in the kitchen with Mom.
Talking with church family at Friday night vespers.
Prayer and meditation. An excellent new book.
Lying awake talking to God.
Short sleeves and bare feet.
Jumping in a friend's pond and swimming across.
Good scores on Western Civilization I practice tests.
Catching mousy invaders in my car.
Writing letters long overdue. Perfecting a song on my guitar. Progress on memorization goals.
Beauty. Relationship. Adventurous achievement.
Purpose. Worth.
Priceless to my feminine soul.
Not everything I experienced this week was lovely.
Twinges of loneliness at such short contact.
Frustration with not accomplishing everything I'd hoped.
Cliquey politics and illogical discussions.
Tiredness. Battles with the enforced circadian shift.
Temptations and emotions.
Cuts, bruises, splinters, and thorns.
Painful reflection on lies I've accepted from hurtful experiences of the past.
Pimples. News from family and friends who are struggling.
And, most infamously, a frightening run-in with a big, ugly hognose. (Is it OK to turn and run away from scary snakes?)
Reminds me of a profound statement I read last night:
You really won't understand your life until you understand this:
You are passionately loved by the God of the universe.
You are passionately hated by His Enemy.*
The God who loves me puts beauty, relationships, and adventures in my path to show me His love and teach me who He made me to be.
He wants to experience His beauty with me—to let it inspire my soul and nourish my heart. He wants to be my chief love, to let all my relationships model His unselfishness, to add richness and depth and companionship to life.
He wants to lead me through all my adventures, to teach me to trust Him in ways I have yet to fathom. He wants to create beauty, tenderness, and courage in me.
He wants to give me every good and perfect gift.
The Enemy wants to distort God's beauty and make me altogether unlovely.
He wants to mar my relationships and use them as a razor and a trap.
He wants me to fail and give up, or to strive after unworthy goals.
My permission determines who controls my thoughts and my life.
Who and what I turn to in those yucky moments slowly molds how I think and who I become.
And that moment-by-moment choice changes my world.
*Eldredge, John & Stasi, Captivating:
Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul, page 91.
Profound quote indeed. I'm writing it down for future reference. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIsn't that something amazing to think about? :) Life-changing, really.
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