Is there something or someone you need to say No to? It’s an important word … especially this time of year.🎄

Two days before Thanksgiving, we had new floors installed into 4 rooms. Imagine the amount of stuff we boxed up out of closets and off of bookshelves, etc. And of course the cleaning & dusting that’s involved too. Oof.

The clutter and I are sloowwllyy getting organized as I prepare for a weekend with 5 of our grandbabies and my MIL.

There will be happy messes with cookie-making, gift-opening, and other random shenanigans. But if I’m not careful, I’ll burn out before they even get here.

So. I’m saying YES to peace even if it means saying NO to help at church. I’m saying YES to simplicity even if it means saying NO to traditions that require too much of me this year.

This is my motto for times such as this: “What gets done, gets done. If we don’t have it, we don’t need it.”

No guilt. No shame. No worries.

☮❤

 

 

We all need rest. 

A supernatural peace to carry us through our days and our nights. This peace does not panic, this rest is not rattled. It does not strive and it does not over-think.

But oh my, life gets heavy and we get weary. And when we’re tired, we often forget we are children of the Promise. 

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'” ~ Matthew 11:28-29 

Jesus is near. Always. He wants to teach us to live freely and lightly. This passage reminds us to exhale and refocus our weary heart, mind, and spirit.

Whether it’s 3 a.m. or 3 p.m., when restlessness robs you, think on these beautiful promises. Here’s a little trick that helps me refocus:

• Remember ~ You are God’s cherished child. He’s with you and for you.
• Engage ~ Talk to your Creator. Spill it all. He is patient, kind, and merciful.
• Surrender ~ “I hand it all to You.”
• Trust ~ When your thoughts want to worry and strive again, say “Nope. God’s got this.” Then think about your blessings, not your burdens.

                      When I am afraid, I will trust in you. ~ Psalm 56:3

                   ☮ May we continue to protect our peace and truly rest.

 

Click to see Uncover Your Divine Design on Amazon

 

 

Image by Joe from Pixabay

 

 

 

Sheesh. Grief. It’s unpredictable, isn’t it?

Sometimes it wafts in on a gentle breeze and other times it hits us like a thunderstorm. 

Forty-two years ago, our daughter Ashley Nicole was born on May 1st and passed on the 10th. It’s also my brother’s birthday month. He died suddenly at age twenty-eight. And of course there’s Mother’s Day coming and missing my mom. 

I know, you know sorrow too.

Grief is utterly uninvited and unwanted.  It wars against every fiber in us because we’re wired to love and nurture life, not to say goodbye.

Whether it’s the loss of a job, a dream, or a relationship ~ grief is our common and unavoidable human experience. But while it’s absolutely universal, it’s intensely personal. And it’s often a lonely place.

So we’re careful not to stuff it or run from it. We breathe deep and  sit with the pain.

We let our tears release what our minds can barely accept and what our bodies should not hold on to.

With grit and grace ~ courage and gentleness ~ we make a raw choice to keep our emotions moving up, out, and forward. Because we don’t want to give pain the last word and let it rob us of joy and peace. We want to thrive in this life, don’t we?

Thank God, for this beautiful paradox: We can turn grief around ~ for our good and the good of others.

A few years ago, I started a tradition. On Ashley’s birthday, I go to Jewel-Osco and ask if I can pay for a pre-ordered birthday cake. The first year, the manager showed me a cake with “Happy Birthday, Oma” written in pink frosting. So I blessed Oma, her family, and the bakery manager.

This fun tradition gives me happy tears and honors our baby girl’s memory.

This is Ashley Nicole’s legacy: To redeem pain for good. To trade ashes for beauty, and sadness for joy.

But maybe this message is too soon for you. If so, please know you are not alone. And if it seems you can’t move forward with your grief, maybe it’s time to talk to a counselor. I’ve spoken to many through the years.

Wherever you are today, I pray you experience God’s comforting presence. May you find Peace and Happy Tears.

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” ~ Isaiah 61:3

☮️❤️  

    Photo from Pixabay.com