5J: For Heaven's Sakes!

I read some words yesterday.

We remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted by love,
your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I found them completely lovely and exactly what I needed.

I wish I was better at beating back life but I'm not. I let things pile up. I get so wrapped up in my busy and in all my details that I get to a place where any wisdom I've learned and savored along the way is gone. Lost. Forgotten.

When I find myself in this place, I find my hands completely empty of the things I value most. I'm not holding onto faith, love, hope or gratitude. I've got nothing. Not. A. Thing.

Well. Okay. Not totally true. Typically I'm outfitted in cynicism, criticism of others, worry, stress and cuss words. If you take all those things and weave them into some sort of black magic fabric they would be the most incredibly comfortable and familiar yoga pants ever created.

Are you hearing me? Do you know what I'm talking about? Am I the only one more comfortable in my black magic yoga pants than in faith, love and hope?

For heaven's sakes. Why in the world do I let myself get there?

And so I begin again.

Oh yeah. Love. I love things. What are those things that bring me joy? What do I do to fill up myself and my hands with good things?

I always start with a bit of quiet and when I sat still with my pen and my journal in the early morning I was reminded of gratitude.

Oh yeah. Gratitude for the ordinary things that are like the seeds being dropped down into black Iowa soil. Thank you seeds. Plant a tiny seed, grow a stalk of thanksgiving that reaches to the heavens.

Here's my list:

Breakfast at the Cafe with Farmer Boy and Liz before she headed back to school.

A walk to the post office under a shared umbrella.

Coming home from work and starting laundry, dinner and puttering around my house.

Yes. Ordinary blessings.

Today is Thursday.

Spring is here and the miracle of life again after the harsh winter we came through feels like the air you take in after you hold your breath for too long.

This glorious season of Spring is the perfect time to begin again. I see bouquets of change everywhere. How could I not want to stop and admire the beauty?

I don't want this season to pass me by. I should probably burn those yoga pants.

Life will build up again, it always does. I'll set my yesterday words down again and frustration and disappointment will pile up. It happens.

But here is what I know for sure.

On a morning when I'm least expecting it some invisible hand will gently and lovingly tug at my chin and something will catch my eye or my ear and stop me from slipping into my comfy zone that, if I'm honest is all about me.

This time it was words I've read many times before but there they were.

Work produced by faith.
Labor prompted by love.
Endurance inspired by hope.

Lovely.

Like a new Spring wreath hung on my front door announcing a glorious season of new life and change.