My Mama

With Thanksgiving only 3 weeks away, it's on my mind (not going to lie, a break from school and work are always valued). So I was reminded today how blessed I am to have my mom.

I walk in my room after a full day of classes and work and on bed lays folded laundry, ironed dress pants, and a box of mint hot chocolate packs with a little note attached.

I walk in the kitchen and there are fresh cookies baked and dinner simmering in the crockpot.

Then, my mom walks up to my room and says to me, "Hi honey, how was your day? I was praying for you!"

My mom is one of the greatest blessings in my life. She gives up so much by staying home so that I can be successful in starting my life and career. She takes care of me and is always ready to talk to me about anything... I walk in the door and she always has a listening ear. I never realized why my mom stayed home or why it is so important for mom's to be at home...until now.

I know I wouldn't be the same person if she would not have been there for me at any moment of any day throughout my childhood and young adulthood.

Thank you Mama, I love you.

His creative power...

2 Cor. 4: 6: For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
This verse seems to directly parallel God's creative power in how He made the world to God's gracious power in how He worked in our hearts.

He created with His voice... and He is still creating by the Holy Spirit how works in our hearts to convict us of our need of a Savior. What a great parallel!

S e p a r a t e from suffering?

    My teacher in my medical nutrition therapy class said something that really got me thinking... We were talking about why illness occurs, both the physical and the spiritual side. As a follow-up to that class discussion, she continued on to talk about how we, as dietitians, will find ourselves in situations where we will be counselor, confidant, and comforter to our patients as they adjust to a new lifestyle. She told us, "you can't be separate from a person's suffering in order to be effective" ... Then she pointed us to Phil 1:29 which says, "For it has been granted for you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe on Him but also suffer for His sake."
  Then, I got to thinking.... Jesus was willing to suffer for us; Jesus is a God of comfort, Jesus is our friend in times of trouble; Jesus told us to weep with those who weep and laugh with those who laugh; Jesus told us to love our neighbor as ourselves... I'm to be like Jesus. I'm to be a light when all my patient can see is darkness in his or her present situation... I can't be separate from their sufferings if I'm to reach them with the hope that lies within me.

Separate from suffering?
No, sharing in suffering in order to be effective in breaking through the darkness.

"I Still Believe in You"

Scattered words and empty thoughts
seem to pour from my heart
I've never felt so torn before
seems I don't know where to start
but it's now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your holy word
even when I don't see, I still believe

Though the questions still fog up my mind
with promises I still seem to bear
even when answers slowly unwind
it's my heart I see You prepare
but its now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every finger tip, washing away my pain

The only place I can go is into your arms
where I throw to you my feeble prayers
in brokenness I can see that this was your will for me
Help me to know You are near

unexpected

I was sitting, sipping tea and sifting through notes. My window shutters clasped shut while the sun insisted on sneaking on through several leaky slats... catches.my.attention.
So I lifted the latch and slid the shutters open... a.glorious.sunset.

And so my thoughts turn to You, Creator...

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands." - Ps. 19

why the title?

Swamped with homework, class hours, work hours, home and church responsibilities, constant driving, exercise routines... I needed to find an outlet, something fun I could do to reward myself after finishing seemingly endless case studies or an intense cardio workout... So, I decided to list all the activities that make me happy... writing was the first thing on my list... hence, the blog :)

Why the title? Yea, it's the title of Andrew Peterson's song (which I love), and it perfectly describes my life at present. You know how I was writing about what makes me happy? I was thinking... is that the same as joy? I decided they couldn't be the same. Even though I feel as if I'm facing a minefield with trenches and obstacles surrounding me, whether hidden or seen, I have to dance through them instead of avoiding them. Only when I learn to dance through them will I be totally free. Happiness lasts for a moment in time... Joy is always within you if you have Christ. I can dance because my joy is found in Christ... And I can dance in the minefields because He has placed me there for a reason and will never leave me or forsake me.

So I'm dancing today... in the minefields.

sunnysundayskies

Challenged today to "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

~Ps. 96:9