Joy Dare- May 29

A gift at 8 am, 12 pm, and 8 pm:

 

8 am- I am thankful for friends at work.  It has been a tough year but a certain co-teacher has made it all worth while.  What a blessing it is to have a friend that you get to work with.  God knew how much I would need her last fall as He placed us together as a teaching team.

 

12 pm-  I am thankful for closure.  Its so rare that we get to close one area of our lives before another one opens.  At work this week, I have been able to close my classroom for summer.  This means everything has been sorted, cleaned, organized, disinfected, bagged, cataloged and stored... too bad life can't be that way. 

 

8 pm- I am thankful for reminders of God's faithfulness in the most mundane tasks.   Tonight- reading my Sunday School lesson brought reminders of God's love and forgiveness.  I needed that tonight.

Joy Dare- May 28

3 Gifts in Today's Work:

 

1. laughter-  I worked on a project last night at home.  Peanut and I laughed a LOT.
2. sense of purpose-  It is so good to feel like I am doing something worthwhile.  I don't feel I do anything extraordinary... just normal things.  But on the days when you feel useful... well today was one of those days.  (This is different than an "identity" which is what I have always prided myself on.)
3. completion- As a school year is winding down, I feel the completion of several projects both at work and in my personal life.  It feels good.

Joy Dare- May 27

3 Gifts found in church: 

 

 

1- the message I receive each week:  We are a group of messy people living in a messy world.

 

2- the wisdom of knowing: A-I am more sinful than I can possibly imagine and B-I am more loved than I can possibly imagine. 

 

2-  the love and commitment I share with fellow believers who are all struggling in some area of life.  and the peace to know that I am not going through life alone.  

Joy Dare- May 26

A Gift worn, white and whispered:

 

 

I have a cream colored sweater that my mom let me borrow about 10 years ago.  We named this sweater, "the old lady" sweater.  Quickly I realized it didn't matter how old it made me look, what mattered was how it made me feel.  There is something about putting on a piece of clothing that belongs to your mom. 

It has since adopted me.  I always know where the cream colored sweater is even in the hottest of July's.  The buttons have long since fallen off and there are stains all over the front of it from who knows where.  Last fall, my daughter needed to go somewhere and I was in a rush to find shoes.  I found the shoes and proceeded to go back into my bedroom to change my clothing.  Peanut said, "Just come on, you wear that sweater here all the time anyways, you can wear it to drop me off."  Awe... acceptance that maybe one day I will buy a cream colored sweater that may be a bit small for me but will fit her just fine.  And when she is blue, she will pull out her "old lady sweater" and put it on and feel me giving her a hug.  and as I give her said hug, I hope she will realize that she is one in a million to me.  I think that is what my mom meant when she gave me her sweater many years ago.  



Joy Dare- May 25

3 Hard giving thanks for:

1-  Not having a consistent routine during summer months.
2-  Being alone  (or at least being lonely)
3-  Stillness and quietness... of my house right now. 

Geez, I could have started on an easier day. 

Most mom's I know would love these "gifts".  Most women I know would love a summer of less responsibility, being alone with their thoughts and everything being still and quiet around them.  I know there have been times earlier in my life where I would have carved little bits of quiet time in my busy life.  So why is it so painful now? 

If I could learn to view these things as a blessing rather than a curse, I think life would be easier.  So maybe I could learn to do something new with these. 

1- Do something constructive every day... meet someone for coffee, do an art project, exercise with a friend.  That would all add routine to my day.

2-  Learn to do things by myself.  Dare I say, go eat at a restaurant or to a movie?  Probably need to go with baby steps.

3-  Embrace the quiet.  Fill it with music, peaceful music.  Read a book, journal, blog?!?!?!

Ann Voskamp and Joy Dare Collection

 

I've managed to keep up with a music blog for almost 2 months.  I thought I would try something different.  Ann Voskamp has become a regular guest in my home and in my heart.  Her daily devotionals and blogs encourage me when... I am overwhelmed, when I am hurting and when... I just need to take in a deep breath of God's grace.  She does a Joy Dare with her followers in which she encourages women to find things to be thankful for each day.  Her thought is that when we are looking for the joy in our lives, the things to be thankful for, then we focus more on Christ and less on our circumstances.  So, I am going to try it.  This summer I want to focus more on thankfulness and less on worry.