A Blessed Life to Cherish


I open my back patio door and step out into the warm August afternoon. My left arm is full with my two notebooks, my devotional, and my large study Bible. I'm in the mood to write. I place my chair in the shade and sit down. As I sit down I am greeted by a warm breeze that rustles the aged trees above and provides a hum of noise as the wind captures the leaves and branches and makes them sway and move. The sound and feel of the wind is like a warm welcome from the Lord saying, "hello, I'm glad to see you and thank you for making time for me today." I'm urged to write with the thought of simplicity is on my mind. I sit here in the shade on a small concrete patch with overgrown plants and flowers surrounding me. Our back "patio" is nicely concealed behind our garage and is beyond fancy. The concrete is littered with roof flakes that fall from our decaying roof, sand and toys from the kids sandbox, weeds spit up through the cracks, and our three grills stand awkwardly unkempt, only one of which actually works. I've learned to accept this not so pretty, clean, or organized as part of our reality. No longer making excuses for the dumpy mess, but accepting in my heart that the informality is, okay. It may not fit to some peoples standards. In fact, at one point I would have turned up my nose to this sort of living and thought, "I will never live like that." But here I am accepting the unorganized seemingly chaotic life, aiming to focus my thoughts on what's upright and true. I have been blessed with a home, a safe place to raise my children, an honorable husband, and a drive to stress less on the material things, but stress more on living life full and well.

Take time, like me, to sit amongst your chaos and breathe in the fresh air of life and thankfulness. We are so blessed with our unique selves and our unique life and circumstances. Let go of comparing and rejoice in the life you have been given! When we are standing before the Lord one day, I hope he says to many of you and me, "well done good and faithful servant."

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