live well. laugh often. love much.
blessed...absolutely blessed.
still humbled by my experience at People Serving People...and feeling so absolutely blessed by the incredible intangibles the Lord has placed in my life. Yes, the roof over my head...the car I drive to work...our abundantly, overflowing cupboards and fridge following a trip to Cub are all amazing gifts that I am very thankful for.
but what's remained in the front of my mind since Tuesday is not the fact that these individuals don't have homes and are staying at a shelter. but more so the unfamiliar look of loneliness upon their faces.
even as Christians we go through bouts of loneliness at times. but reflecting on my week, i've been constantly surrounded by people whom I love and whom love me.
Thanksgiving was spent with family in AV. family who i am completely myself with. comfortable. calm. lovable. irritable. anyway i am, i can be with them. that is very comforting and reassuring. i spent the second part of the day with another group of people whom i've grown to consider a second family. i may not have known them as long, and may not know them as well. but there, we share a bond of Christ that is unbreakable. in silence or in chatter, there is love. with the beauty of new life resting upon my chest, the sweet smell of espresso in the air, the warmth of a homemade fire blazing in the center of the room, and the humor of amazing friends surrounding me, i was home.
last night, i was reunited with a close and dear friend. Lina is an incredible sister in Christ. she challenges me :) she lifts me up. her honesty motivates me, and her walk with Jesus inspires me. 3 hours of catching up, pie, and some deep reflection filled me with the Holy Spirit and quickly reminded me of the precious gift i have in knowing and loving Lina. she and i spend most time apart, and this will never change. she travels a lot, fulfilling the Lord's Will for her playing ball pretty much everywhere, and the recent news of her family's move from Brooklyn Park to N. Carolina will continue this long-distance friendship. but it's blessed by the hand of God, Himself. and His presence in it will make it last forever. praise Jesus!
tonight was a celebration of extraordinary friendship. it was pretty much just one year ago that i met two spectacular individuals. in just 12 months we have become very, very close friends. that may even be an immeasurable understatement! homemade dinner and dessert, Christmas decorations and ornaments...topped off by some old-school fun with Home Alone...it was an evening of constant laughter, uplifting spirit, and unconditional love...throw in a few runs through "grapestomper" and you've got a night of absolute perfection.
there's a quote that hangs on our living room wall that says, "live well. laugh often. love much." three very simple thoughts to live by. they all intercede one another. when one starts to happen enough, the others inevitably follow.
tomorrow night i think we're sharing what we're thankful for at group. the above are all examples of the simplicity of my thankfulness. i am blessed because i live well, laugh often, and love much.
we've all got a few crappy things going on in our lives that we wish we could snap our fingers and change just like that. but even if those things never, ever change...even if there's always a litte pain that just won't go away...there are people surrounding us who are living well, laughing often, and loving much...inspiring us to do the same.
for that, i am blessed...absolutely blessed.
still humbled by my experience at People Serving People...and feeling so absolutely blessed by the incredible intangibles the Lord has placed in my life. Yes, the roof over my head...the car I drive to work...our abundantly, overflowing cupboards and fridge following a trip to Cub are all amazing gifts that I am very thankful for.
but what's remained in the front of my mind since Tuesday is not the fact that these individuals don't have homes and are staying at a shelter. but more so the unfamiliar look of loneliness upon their faces.
even as Christians we go through bouts of loneliness at times. but reflecting on my week, i've been constantly surrounded by people whom I love and whom love me.
Thanksgiving was spent with family in AV. family who i am completely myself with. comfortable. calm. lovable. irritable. anyway i am, i can be with them. that is very comforting and reassuring. i spent the second part of the day with another group of people whom i've grown to consider a second family. i may not have known them as long, and may not know them as well. but there, we share a bond of Christ that is unbreakable. in silence or in chatter, there is love. with the beauty of new life resting upon my chest, the sweet smell of espresso in the air, the warmth of a homemade fire blazing in the center of the room, and the humor of amazing friends surrounding me, i was home.
last night, i was reunited with a close and dear friend. Lina is an incredible sister in Christ. she challenges me :) she lifts me up. her honesty motivates me, and her walk with Jesus inspires me. 3 hours of catching up, pie, and some deep reflection filled me with the Holy Spirit and quickly reminded me of the precious gift i have in knowing and loving Lina. she and i spend most time apart, and this will never change. she travels a lot, fulfilling the Lord's Will for her playing ball pretty much everywhere, and the recent news of her family's move from Brooklyn Park to N. Carolina will continue this long-distance friendship. but it's blessed by the hand of God, Himself. and His presence in it will make it last forever. praise Jesus!
tonight was a celebration of extraordinary friendship. it was pretty much just one year ago that i met two spectacular individuals. in just 12 months we have become very, very close friends. that may even be an immeasurable understatement! homemade dinner and dessert, Christmas decorations and ornaments...topped off by some old-school fun with Home Alone...it was an evening of constant laughter, uplifting spirit, and unconditional love...throw in a few runs through "grapestomper" and you've got a night of absolute perfection.
there's a quote that hangs on our living room wall that says, "live well. laugh often. love much." three very simple thoughts to live by. they all intercede one another. when one starts to happen enough, the others inevitably follow.
tomorrow night i think we're sharing what we're thankful for at group. the above are all examples of the simplicity of my thankfulness. i am blessed because i live well, laugh often, and love much.
we've all got a few crappy things going on in our lives that we wish we could snap our fingers and change just like that. but even if those things never, ever change...even if there's always a litte pain that just won't go away...there are people surrounding us who are living well, laughing often, and loving much...inspiring us to do the same.
for that, i am blessed...absolutely blessed.
posted by the way I see it... at 11:36 PM
1 Comments:
that sigh has always meant a lot to me. i didn't even know you noticed it!! :) but you're right...it's true. i always think, "i strive to have that life...living, laughing, loving..." i never thought about that fact that i already do...
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