30 Words Thursday: She

She seeks

beauty

in the smallest of things; finds

joy

in simple

truths.

Essential ideals that bring

wonder

to her

heart

and a kind of

peace

to her sweet

soul. 

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The premise of 30 Word Thursday is simple... take a photo, write 30 words (no more, no less) and post it each Thursday.  This is a blog hop hosted by Erin Prais-Hintz over on her blog Treasures Found, pop on over there to see her post for this week as well as links to the 30 Words from everyone else.

A Couple More For My Etsy Shop...

Just a quick post to share two new items for sale in my etsy shop:

"Just Peace"

"This beautiful copper enameled peace sign is a little rough around the edges, showing the unique effects of torch-firing with lavender enamel. It measures approximately 1.75" in diameter, and hangs on an 18" brown leather cord."

 

"Musical Heart"

"This beautiful and versatile necklace features a pendant made from a 1.5" w x 2" h patinaed and sealed copper cross that has been etched with a unique collage design, hanging from an 18" black leather cord."

 

Happy shopping!

Merry Christmas To All!

Transparency...

We had unbelievable sunsets last week. The colors changed minute by minute, causing the clouds to take on an increasingly deeper shades of pink, then purple, and eventually a deep black tinged with gold.

I felt so small in comparison to the wide-openness the sky. In that moment, when the last beams of light were fighting their way through the clouds, I realized that my desire is not only to let God’s light shine in me, but to have His light shine through me.

I want to be transparent.

Not in an “I don’t matter so therefore I don’t want to be seen” way, but in an “I want to be so close to God that you can see who He is because of who I am” way. I want you to know that I am hiding nothing; that what you see is what you get.

I want to be transparent.

I don’t want to hold onto secrets. I don’t want you to think that I have any ulterior motives. I want you to know me, inside and out, as a child of God, living my life for Him.

I want to be transparent.

I want you to know that, good or bad, all that I am belongs to Him, and that He is still working on me, turning me into the person He has created me to be.

I want to be transparent.

I want to love without reservation. I want to see you for who He has created you to be. I want to be merciful, not judgemental. I want to be grateful for the life I have been given and not the life I think I should have. I want to sing with joy. I want to rejoice in the opportunity to change and grow.

I want to be transparent.

I want to throw open my arms, turn my face towards the sky and say without hesitation, “With all of my heart, my mind, my soul and my strength, I am Yours. Use me. Teach me. Love me.”

I want to be transparent.

.

Calm in the Chaos...

I was just reading Deborah Truesdale's latest blog entry (Little Art Room In Back), and it got me thinking about my own life and how it can so easily get bogged down with the woes of the world. Most of my conversations these days tend to end with some version of: "Well, things should start to get better after the election".

Really...am I so naive as to think that an election, especially this election, will magically fix what is wrong with our country? There is so much to be done to cure what ails us, the reality is that there is no way that the election will fix it. I think if I spend too much time thinking about it, I could become paralyzed with indecision about what I should do next - how can I fix it enough to be satisfied?

Well, I don't know about you, but I am exhausted with just thinking about the enormity of it all.

I think that in the middle of all of the chaos I have forgotten to spend time in my own backyard. I have forgotten to spend time with the beauty of the yellow lantanas that are taking over my back porch. I have forgotten to laugh at my son's goofy Freshman boy humor. I have forgotten to stand in awe of the sunset tonight that was made of colors we haven't even thought of yet. Above all, I have forgotten to take inventory of the seemingly small joys that make up my life and to be thankful for them.

Hmmmmm......

So I will take this opportunity to quietly sit and contemplate what is really important to me: my faith, my family, my friends - in essence, my life. Trite, I know, but true nonetheless.

Without doubt we will make it through this season. What will we look like when it is over? That's a great question, and one I'm not prepared to even think about, let alone answer. We will be changed - no doubt about that.

And change is good.

In the meantime, I...will ...just...breathe...

:-)

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"...and all about her were friends..."

I have had a difficult time motivating myself to write over the past few weeks. Some very good friends of our family, husband and wife, both passed away at the same time, and every time I sit down to do anything, I find myself sitting here like a stick in the mud. So, in an attempt to pull myself up and out of this mucky mire, I will just say this:

To our friends: we will miss you more than you will ever know. Thank you for the love and friendship you have given our whole family over the years.

"...may the LORD bless you and keep you;

may He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

may the LORD lift up his countenance upon you

and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

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I am not home yet...

Last week was such a strange week. Five people I care for lost people they were close to. My friends lost a mother, an uncle, a grandfather and two friends. All of them died of different causes, and all of them were beloved and mourned by their friends and families.

What do you do with that?

I have to admit that I am the worst person when it comes to stuff like this. I never know what to say or how to act, and when I do say something, it never feels quite right. Last week, however, a powerful thought kept returning to me as I heard about death after death: our time here on earth is but a moment – and a short one at that - in comparison to where we will spend our eternity.

So what do I do with the short time I do have: do I look to the future or focus on the past? What?

Dwelling on the past is like falling down into the dirt. Instead of getting up and dusting myself off, I sit there staring at the stains of past hurts and bad choices on my hands, wishing I could change what has already happened but knowing it cannot be taken back.

Focusing solely on the future makes me forget about the here and now. I find myself longing for that sense of control over what will happen next that never, ever comes, no matter how hard I try to find it. The more I search, the more elusive it becomes, until I finally have to admit to myself that this control will forever remain out of my reach.

So where does that leave me?

With today.

With this very moment in time that will be gone in the blink of an eye.

There is a choice to make: to hold on to the guilt and the pain of the past and the apprehension of the unknown, or to spend my time in peace and with joy, knowing that I am flawed but loved, and that I am a part of all of it, good and bad. To know that I am a part of this life that is happening right now, right in front of me.

So I choose to participate. I choose to be present. I choose to live and love as much as I can, because I have no idea how much time is left to share life with those I love who God has placed in my path.

What I do is not just a means to an end. Life here on earth is not the end, but the very beginning of a life that I will ultimately spend elsewhere. My citizenship is not here, but with my Father in heaven:

“In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3

And so, with a smile and a sense of contentment, I come to a realization:

I am not home yet…

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Celebrating Freedom...

The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. We as Americans come together and celebrate in one voice the commonality we share that is our freedom, bought for us by the blood of those who had a greater vision for us than that which was evident at the time. It is something to be celebrated with thanksgiving and humility, as we are the direct beneficiaries of that sacrifice, and I am grateful to live under the promise of that freedom.

So beyond the fireworks, picnics and parades, we must stand back and recognize that which is greater than ourselves. To those who have sacrificed their lives so I can live in freedom, I say thank you.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

Being Thankful...

Some days I just wake up and realize how blessed I am. I have an amazing husband, a terrific son, a roof over my head, food in my belly and a song in my heart. Yesterday we sang "Happy Day" in church, and I can't seem to get it out of my head. Yes...today is a very happy day!