I wanted to write this gloomy morning, so here are some things that have been getting some attention in my life.
A lesson I learned last semester is that there can only be two things that come from comparison; self righteousness or feeling insufficient. Progress is never linear, as much as we would like to think it is. Some days you will find yourself taking steps back, but sometimes you need to be at your knees in order to pray. It is so easy to compare to others and wish that we were better in different aspects, or feel self righteous at being “ahead” of others, but are we really ahead if all of this is dust in the end? Does winning the rat race make you any less of a rat?
Kindness. “We often wait for kindness, but being kind to yourself can start now…Nothing beats kindness, it sits quietly beyond all things” (Charlie Mackesy). A gentle reminder that it is okay to trip on the sidewalk, to make mistakes, to not know things. It’s part of what makes life, living. Show yourself grace, and remember that when Jesus died for others, He also died for you.
Don’t be afraid to take pictures. I’d rather be able to delete them, than wish I had them.
Cherishing the moment looks different for everyone. Some may find the joy in taking pictures, or others putting their phone down to take it all in, some with words of appreciation and wonder, others even with silence and a soft smile. It’s different for everyone, but that’s what makes it beautiful. If we all had the same favorite color, everything being blue would be pretty boring.
It’s okay not to be okay.
It is good to know our days are numbered so that we can cherish each day, have the courage to take the risk, and to remember to take our faith seriously, but sometimes, it’s good to not know that either, so there’s no pressure to make the most out of each day. I think that’s why I am so bad at being still and resting. Even when asked, “How much money is enough?”, Rockefeller said, “just a little bit more.”
Chocolate is the 6th love language. It really does fix everything.
Taking a day to rest is often better for your body than pushing through. You can’t give it your all, if you have nothing left to give. It’s so easy to feel lazy and unproductive when we “rest” (if we even know what rest is anymore), but even God rested on the 7th day, just to set an example for us.
Home isn’t always a place. Home is where you feel peace, joy, and being known and loved, among so many other things. For me, home is in St. Louis, but I have also found home in the spontaneous car rides, playing checkers using the tile in the kitchen, fixing car problems, cooking, looking for lost phones in thunderstorms, falling out of hammocks, allergies because it means spring is coming, walks with old friends, and so much more. My garden is in full bloom, beautiful in every way. Sometimes it needs to rain in order for it to grow.
The Looking Glass Blog 