Sliver of Light ...
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
Or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life,
Granting me the joy of your presence
And the pleasures of living with you forever.
(Psalm 16:8-11 NLT)
How is it February already? Valentine’s Day is just a couple days away and here’s my Mom confession: I’m not the least bit prepared. I know there are a lot of Moms out there who make a whole lot more effort than I do, but at the age of 47, having been through the delight and anguish of these elementary days/parties/events/etc. 3 times previously, I have gone to a much simpler approach with our youngest tribe member. Decorate the Valentine’s Day party box, load her up with a bag of labeled pre-packaged sweet treats, and call it good. And whoever came up with the idea to pre-pay a flat amount of money for class parties at the beginning of the school year-you are a freaking genius!! Thank you for making my life a bit easier. We will give our kiddos a Valentine’s treat, enjoy family dinner and decorate heart shaped sugar cookies, and then the Chief and I will head out to celebrate date night style over the weekend. I love my tribe!
This week is more busy and frantic than most, between the rehearsals, auditions, performances, meetings, errands, appointments, school, church, and throw in the hiccups that can occur in the work day because something or a few somethings just didn’t quite go the way I thought they would, and now I’m stressed more than I was when the day started. And this is just Tuesday. I feel like my steps into this new year have been a bit of a slow and wandering pace, trying to figure out what it is God has for my focus, and not sure if there is something new, enlightening, unique for me. There have been a couple of moments in my quiet time recently, I feel like everything around me is literally frozen, time stops, and I can sense just this sliver of light coming into view. And it warms my soul. It makes me pause, breathe deep, and just praise Him for Who He is. Last night He pressed lovingly on my heart as my older son Bailey came home from rehearsal, came over and hugged me, and didn’t let go for a couple minutes. Ugh, my heart! How is he 18 already?! Bailey is a senior this year, about to graduate high school and head to college: if you are keeping count that means I will have 2 kiddos and 1 husband in college. Phew! If you ask me like the Southwest Airlines slogan says, “Wanna get away?”—Yes. Yes I do. These are stressful, challenging, and very tiring days.
I believe the vision I have had so far of this sliver of light, is a beckoning for me to step in and let the Lord be all I need more so this year than what I have allowed for myself in the recent past. Last year was difficult, for a number of reasons, and so far 2019 is unfolding with what seems to be some relief. I was reading in Psalm 16 today and it was a comfort for me right now. God has a way of allowing me to experience the peak of a frenzied moment, to meet the edge of myself and realize I am nearly spent and can’t push through it but instead I need to simply know He is here and has been all along. Just let it be enough. Trust that He is entirely enough. It is a simple but powerful action that I choose to take, to release and trust Him.
His name, His presence, His mercy new each day. He is a good and faithful Father!
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
Or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life,
Granting me the joy of your presence
And the pleasures of living with you forever.
(Psalm 16:8-11 NLT)
How is it February already? Valentine’s Day is just a couple days away and here’s my Mom confession: I’m not the least bit prepared. I know there are a lot of Moms out there who make a whole lot more effort than I do, but at the age of 47, having been through the delight and anguish of these elementary days/parties/events/etc. 3 times previously, I have gone to a much simpler approach with our youngest tribe member. Decorate the Valentine’s Day party box, load her up with a bag of labeled pre-packaged sweet treats, and call it good. And whoever came up with the idea to pre-pay a flat amount of money for class parties at the beginning of the school year-you are a freaking genius!! Thank you for making my life a bit easier. We will give our kiddos a Valentine’s treat, enjoy family dinner and decorate heart shaped sugar cookies, and then the Chief and I will head out to celebrate date night style over the weekend. I love my tribe!
This week is more busy and frantic than most, between the rehearsals, auditions, performances, meetings, errands, appointments, school, church, and throw in the hiccups that can occur in the work day because something or a few somethings just didn’t quite go the way I thought they would, and now I’m stressed more than I was when the day started. And this is just Tuesday. I feel like my steps into this new year have been a bit of a slow and wandering pace, trying to figure out what it is God has for my focus, and not sure if there is something new, enlightening, unique for me. There have been a couple of moments in my quiet time recently, I feel like everything around me is literally frozen, time stops, and I can sense just this sliver of light coming into view. And it warms my soul. It makes me pause, breathe deep, and just praise Him for Who He is. Last night He pressed lovingly on my heart as my older son Bailey came home from rehearsal, came over and hugged me, and didn’t let go for a couple minutes. Ugh, my heart! How is he 18 already?! Bailey is a senior this year, about to graduate high school and head to college: if you are keeping count that means I will have 2 kiddos and 1 husband in college. Phew! If you ask me like the Southwest Airlines slogan says, “Wanna get away?”—Yes. Yes I do. These are stressful, challenging, and very tiring days.
I believe the vision I have had so far of this sliver of light, is a beckoning for me to step in and let the Lord be all I need more so this year than what I have allowed for myself in the recent past. Last year was difficult, for a number of reasons, and so far 2019 is unfolding with what seems to be some relief. I was reading in Psalm 16 today and it was a comfort for me right now. God has a way of allowing me to experience the peak of a frenzied moment, to meet the edge of myself and realize I am nearly spent and can’t push through it but instead I need to simply know He is here and has been all along. Just let it be enough. Trust that He is entirely enough. It is a simple but powerful action that I choose to take, to release and trust Him.
His name, His presence, His mercy new each day. He is a good and faithful Father!
