Choosing to look up!

There are so many friends of mine who are discouraged lately. They have lost so many things. They lost their job, a loved one died, a heart was broken, someones sick or it's just a little summertime blues. I found myself a bit down yesterday when opening some boxes remembering some things.

I recently moved all my worldly goods down from Washington to California where I plan on living forever unless God tells me different. I opened some boxes I hadn't opened in years. They held some treasures of mine that I had forgotten and loved.

They also held some hard memories of trials I faced and loved ones I have lost. I found the necklace my beloved grandma gave me when I was a little girl. It's got an M on if for Michele. I found my Father's Vietnam yearbook and photos of him. I found an old piece of paper my Aunt Paula had written a recipe on for me that she used to make before she died.

It's been many years since my grandma passed and about a year a half since my dad's passing and my aunt Paula's but it's still hard to miss them in the moment when you see a little glimpse of them you hadn't seen in awhile.

I have found you really have to let God heal the losses in His time. It's so easy to try to put a wall around those hurts and bury them. I have found that they are never really buried very far below the surface though. If you dig just a few inches it's still there until you replace it.

I think it's about a choice to choose to feel the pain for a time but let Joy reign supreme in the end. I let myself feel the pain of it but made a choice not to stay there to long. I have to look up and see the beautiful blue sky God gave me today and feel His Sonshine on my face.

He takes care of those little wildflowers that can grow from any old crack in the ground so surely He can take care of me. His grace covers us and showers us with peace if we can just look around and see How very much He loves us and has given us.

He gave us the blue sky, white puffy clouds, flowers, and beautiful day. He also let a little rain fall sometimes. I think it helps me always remember how very much we need Him. I choose to look up and see how very much He has given and see the rainbow of His promises ahead.

I would challenge you to find a little joy in something today. Look around right where your at in the middle of your crisis and find an eye to the middle of your storm. Sometimes it's when you stop and look around that you see your really not in such a tough place after all.

Fruit: Peace
Song in my head: Peets never ending classical song
Verse: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you...”