Celebration Friday

I am soooo ready to c e l e b r a t e ! I have missed sharing with you all the   j o y and b e a u t y around me! Yup, even amidst the terrible cold/flu there was life, light, comfort, truth, and daily graces.

So without further adieu, here are a few things I'm celebrating this week with a little catch up from the week before:

A boyfriend who reflects so much of the loving-kindness of Christ. He so graciously and tenderly took care of me when I was sick and reminded me that this too shall pass.

These little doodles who bring so much life and laughter to my life. Auntie Sue's bed is kind of a thing in our family. Everyone likes to come sit on it, play, and cozy up.

 Sometimes special, spontaneous concerts are even held there:

These little people are growing too quickly. Cody turned 3 earlier this month. He is a cozy cuddler! (Seriously, this may be his spiritual gift! It's like his spirit knows he's giving away comfort, love, and tenderness to another). He loves all things Batman and Star Wars, wrestling his big brother, making messes, and bringing humor and cute little comments wherever he goes.

Receiving abundant graces from the Lord, especially in this season with Mr. F. Funny how j o y is so opposed?  It seems like pain would be the threat. But I'm learning that letting ourselves hope, be full, be satisfied, is such an incredibly tender thing. Joy is vulnerable.

I grapple immediately with fear: What if Mr. F is taken? What if something terrible happens? My joy is directly opposed. Perhaps because when I let myself enjoy the receiving, when I truly live and dwell in the graces and gifts of the everyday, my heart overflows with thanksgiving and worship pointing to the Greatest Gift and Ultimate Giver of it all.  I feel naked again, tasting Eden and the wonder of intimacy with another and our Lord, touching a fuller worship, a kingdom collision.  And that makes me vulnerable. I've had a lifetime with the usual suspects of self protection and fear, anything different feels, well, so out there!?

But how refreshing (and honestly at times terrifying) to be opened up to receive. Remember? Last January, God gave me that as my word for the year--r e c e i v e. What awesome w o n  d e r  I am experiencing now at this part of the story!

Thank you Jesus! Thank you that you take away only to give back a hundredfold. Thank you that you bring us out into the parched, desert places of our soul only to pour out living water, abundance, and graces beyond our wildest imaginations! Thank you that you give us deep longings that can only be ultimately satisfied in you, but that you have graced us with partners, friends, and loved ones that can still intimately touch our souls. Thank you that you make us wait, that the waiting is good, expanding and swelling our soul with anticipation and expectation for your Life! Thank you that you are the Author and Perfecter of our faith and you are telling a good story of your lovingkindness and faithfulness!

Happy Friday folks! May you let your hearts swell with j o y and enjoy every minute of the present moment God is in!

p.s. If you have the time, or rather if you can make the time, go see "About Time" this weekend at your local theatre. I promise you won't regret it, time well spent for your soul to breathe!