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Good Morning! (Or afternoon or evening depending on your time zone).
I hope you had a restful (and chocolate-filled) weekend. If you didn’t, stay tuned for some encouraging thoughts. =)
You may remember that last week was a bit of a challenge for me. I dealt with cell phone problems most of the week and the stress caused me to seek higher doses of chocolate than normal. If you’d like to read more about it, you can check out last Friday’s post.
I’m happy to report that my new (like new) phone seems to be working normally. We shall see…
I relaxed a good part of the weekend, visited educator son and saw his new furniture, and spent quality time with the fam.
Our crew of four ventured to a little Mexican restaurant we’d eaten at a few times before. We dined on authentic Mexican food in the comfy, laid-back atmosphere, ate entirely too much, and laughed at silly things. Ahhh. Good times!
And guess what? Four lunch specials, chips, salsa, and an extra order of cheese dip cost only $22 and some odd cents! We felt decadent, too, because we did ask for lemon with our water.
I also managed to squeeze in some writing time over the weekend and that kick-started my happy hormones. (Writers, you know what I’m talking about.)
I ventured into the world of LinkedIn if you’d like to connect with me there. Still learning the ropes, so if you have any tips, please share!
Social media takes a back seat to writing and I’ve slowly dipped my toes in the meme-youyou pool, only taking on as much as I’m comfortable with. I adore people (you may have guess that) and it tickles me to connect with like-minded folks, fellow believers, and even those whose interests may be a little different from mine.
For me, it truly is about the connection. Not just another number to ratchet up my quota. (Here’s a little more on how I really feel.)
NOW– I’m so glad (blessed) to have you join me today!
I wanted to sweeten your day by sharing some words of encouragement– not the namby pamby kinds of clichés that folks often say when they’re trying to be nice because they’re pressed for time or short on empathy.
Nice words are…well…nice. They do make us feel good sometimes.
The truth of the matter is I don’t want to just be nice.
I want to be real.
Tastefully transparent.
Encouraging, yet truthful.
Honest, but tactful.
Loving.
Giving.
A joy-sharer.
A hope-bearer.
A cyber shoulder to cry on if you need one.
And … I hope you’ll understand when I practice tough love and urge you to press on.
Put one foot in front of the other.
DO. NOT. QUIT.
Don’t think about the what ifs or the if onlys. (Tool of the enemy, friend.)
Imagine each stumbling block– each barrier to freedom, success, or whatever– as a victory in the making. When I learned to do this– to visualize each elephant-size milestone as a stairstep to possible, my mindset changed.
I could lie down and take life on the chin or I could summon every crumb of courage to channel opportunity.
Perhaps, I’ve not traveled your path or experienced your particular heartache, but I do know something about hardship and human frailty.
And I know, too, that sometimes, when life beats us up, sucks us dry, and scatters us to the wind, we still have choices.
Maybe the choices aren’t the most desirable. Maybe they’re the worst of the worst.
Maybe it means giving up someone/something you love. Or putting a career, a passion, or a dream on hold temporarily. Or for a season.
Been there, done that.
Pursuing God’s best often means tramping through the worst on our pilgrimage.
It grows us, builds us, and develops our mettle.
And somewhere near the breaking point of our journey, we realize that we’re still here. Maybe not completely unscathed, but encouraged because it’s a new day.
A better day.
One filled with a tad of reluctance, yet also promise.
We’ve walked through the fire.
We’ve survived.
The world really is our oyster.
We’re the pearl.
Imperfect, perhaps, but no less grand because of what it took to form us.
***
(I found this gem over the weekend by Pastor Tim Burt. Read and be blessed!)
Do you have an encouraging thought to sweeten our day?
PLEASE SHARE
Sometimes, we need more than nice words. Why truth-filled encouragement is best:
Blessings Always,
Comments 9
My encouraging thought to sweeten the day: It’s Monday! Okay, generally I’m not a Monday person. But I recently read Rachel Hauck’s latest book and there’s a line in there where her character remarks that Mondays are like mini-New Years Days…and so I’ve been trying to reframe my Monday experiences by seeing them as fresh and exciting starts of something new. 🙂
Love your post today, Cindy!
Author
Melissa, thank you! I like Rachel’s character’s perspective. You’re right– that makes us see the week through a whole new lens.
“We’re the pearl.
Imperfect, perhaps, but no less grand because of what it took to form us.”
Ohhh, you always encourage me!! Thank you!!
Author
Jennifer, thanks for your kind words! I pray your Monday’s super-blessed and loaded with joy!
A shoulder to cry on, yes. If only I could cry!
It has been hard to find anything encouraging in the past few days. Given the opportunity to be well again on the condition that I’d be permanently seconded to Helmand for convoy escort – I’d grab it with both hands.
However, there is is something to be appreciated through sheer…well, I was going to say ‘endurance’., but it dignifies the situation beyond reality. Endurance is no virtue. It’s necessary, and it’s not pretty.
Easy to quite, yes, but when one quits…what then? One still has to do something. Best to keep on.
I guess that in the end it approaches the grace of the Via Dolorosa, in having to put one foot ahead of the next, grimed in blood and worse things. I used to feel that a comparison was the height of arrogance, but really, it’s not. How can we more closely identify with Christ?
Sorry. I’m a bit incoherent. It’s been a hard few days. Tempted to just delete it but you’re a friend, Cindy.
And I’m crying on your shoulder, yeah.
Author
Andrew, I’m so sorry! You’re always in my prayers, but as read your comment I immediately began praying anew for peace, provision, and increased strength as you continue on this journey. If there was one thing I learned during our family’s walk in the valley, it was to never minimize a person’s sojourn. Also, it’s condescending to offer a pat on the back and a “There, there. It will be okay.” Because, sometimes, of course we realize it may not.
However– this I would say, my friend– be diligent in your fight. (I pray you know I don’t say that lightly.) Rail against the enemy; your life is your life and one that’s held in the palm of our Creator. The enemy may come to steal, kill, and destroy you, but with God there’s always–ALWAYS–hope. Active faith is the very thing that enables us to endure. You’re right– endurance is sooo not pretty, but necessary. Until we fulfill our mission and God’s plan. I mean without endurance, what?
Blessings over you and Barbara today and always.
Here’s the other shoulder.
I’m glad to see things looked up for you over the weekend–writing and family time. Can’t beat it.
Author
Patti, yes– family’s where I find my solace.
Cindy, thank you – diligence and duty are actually the major manifestations of grace in daily life for me.
Life can’t always be enjoyable, but it can be lived with honor, decency, and fair play, and those are inherent in ‘duty’.
Thanks for the prayers – we do need them.
And for the other shoulder.