Gifts of Summer
Good Morning!
It's a lovely quiet morning, and I am soaking in every little second of being home, on a Tuesday, with no real demands, agenda, project, job or responsibilities screaming down my neck. For now, that is... and I love it.
I even slept well last night. Which is a gift, since REST is from the Lord. Yes, I must admit anxious nightmares have been flickering through my nights, stirring me to action, as school is about to start up again. It's my minds way of dealing with fear of "oh no, it's just around the corner" and I will have to face the end of these lovely do-what-I-want-to-do days in a week.
What a gift this summer has been! It has been a full, very productive, eventful, surprising summer! From summer house projects, family time, reconnecting with old friends, trips all over, meeting and making new friends, to leisure mornings like today: Thank YOU Jesus for refreshing my soul!
"Refreshing" is the word that my soul has repeated when asked how my summer has been, a refreshing gift!
My soul indeed has been replenished with each day. I desired to spend special time with Him, and I did cut out a few days to go away, seclude myself in a private, other-than-home destination, a place called "Whispering Willows" yet the whole summer was wrapped in His love. I just wanted to share and rejoice over His goodness to me.
One thing that has been rising like air bubbles from the depths of my soul, is a settled joy over where I am. So much of my life I have felt as if I was on a daunting search for where I belonged. I have lacked a true sense of belonging that I just assumed that was embedded in me, and I would not feel at home until Heaven, which is partly true. Yet, I love that I feel like I belong here, right now.
Sure, there are a few things I would still love to come to fruition: a more formal use of my counseling degree which would utilize the gifts God has given me more fully, meeting the love of my life and marriage, to list a few. But, God is over all that, and He is drawing me deeper into His arms of love, His sure hold on my life, and He is sovereignly working out all these things.
Funny how He gives us hope for these things, in the oddest of moments. One morning as I was doing whatever I needed to do around the house, I was in the bathroom, picking up or cleaning or something not-to-personal and His whisper came, "In a moment I can do it." Of course, my mind was thinking on "when will You bring him into my life..." I can still see the towel rack, the edge of the shower curtain, the place my feet were planted, as He put this knowledge into my being, like living knowledge. That kind of whisper that gives you a solid place to stand, and doubt just vanishes.
I love His Whispers...
How else did He refresh me? Glad you asked!
The Lord brought people my way this summer! Family, of course, was a blessing. I spent a week in Florida, limiting my contact with mostly family. It was definitely a sweet treat to my heart. What a gift to have siblings who share a deep love of Jesus, live for Him and share the spiritual blessings of peace and joy. I don't take this for granite!
The Lord also brought some very dear, old friends around and through my summer. I have a wide sphere of friends, and some are far away, sporadically connecting, but what joy and blessing they are to me!
I completed a few projects this summer as well. I am going to create separate posts for those. This post is long enough as it is. So, stay tuned!
So, I worked on house projects, spend time with family and friends, and loved life this summer, resting my mind from the worries of the school year behind me.
I love His Refreshing Gifts to me this summer.... Free days, Family, Friends, and fun... :-)
It's a lovely quiet morning, and I am soaking in every little second of being home, on a Tuesday, with no real demands, agenda, project, job or responsibilities screaming down my neck. For now, that is... and I love it.
I even slept well last night. Which is a gift, since REST is from the Lord. Yes, I must admit anxious nightmares have been flickering through my nights, stirring me to action, as school is about to start up again. It's my minds way of dealing with fear of "oh no, it's just around the corner" and I will have to face the end of these lovely do-what-I-want-to-do days in a week.
What a gift this summer has been! It has been a full, very productive, eventful, surprising summer! From summer house projects, family time, reconnecting with old friends, trips all over, meeting and making new friends, to leisure mornings like today: Thank YOU Jesus for refreshing my soul!
"Refreshing" is the word that my soul has repeated when asked how my summer has been, a refreshing gift!
My soul indeed has been replenished with each day. I desired to spend special time with Him, and I did cut out a few days to go away, seclude myself in a private, other-than-home destination, a place called "Whispering Willows" yet the whole summer was wrapped in His love. I just wanted to share and rejoice over His goodness to me.
One thing that has been rising like air bubbles from the depths of my soul, is a settled joy over where I am. So much of my life I have felt as if I was on a daunting search for where I belonged. I have lacked a true sense of belonging that I just assumed that was embedded in me, and I would not feel at home until Heaven, which is partly true. Yet, I love that I feel like I belong here, right now.
Sure, there are a few things I would still love to come to fruition: a more formal use of my counseling degree which would utilize the gifts God has given me more fully, meeting the love of my life and marriage, to list a few. But, God is over all that, and He is drawing me deeper into His arms of love, His sure hold on my life, and He is sovereignly working out all these things.
Funny how He gives us hope for these things, in the oddest of moments. One morning as I was doing whatever I needed to do around the house, I was in the bathroom, picking up or cleaning or something not-to-personal and His whisper came, "In a moment I can do it." Of course, my mind was thinking on "when will You bring him into my life..." I can still see the towel rack, the edge of the shower curtain, the place my feet were planted, as He put this knowledge into my being, like living knowledge. That kind of whisper that gives you a solid place to stand, and doubt just vanishes.
I love His Whispers...
How else did He refresh me? Glad you asked!
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| This would be my affectionate nephew Colby! I love this boy! Next time I see him he will be all grown up! Wah!!! |
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| Here I am in Iowa with Seth! I have never been (except when I was in Africa) in such a rural place. |
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| new friend, Allison and old friend, Danielle |
Something new also developed this summer in the arena of friends; close neighbor friends! I have a lovely group of friends in the area yet I have longed to have friends within walking distance. This summer several new friends have popped up within blocks of my house! I love that I can go for a walk and spend an hour or so with someone just over the hill, and no car is required!
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| Sailing with my new friend Mia! |
I completed a few projects this summer as well. I am going to create separate posts for those. This post is long enough as it is. So, stay tuned!
So, I worked on house projects, spend time with family and friends, and loved life this summer, resting my mind from the worries of the school year behind me.
I love His Refreshing Gifts to me this summer.... Free days, Family, Friends, and fun... :-)
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