the end and the tears always come, so we hold close to the memories, continue to let the laughter ring clear to the soul, and pray that time flies until next time.
the next few posts include a recap of our summer amusements.
brief, but documented.
the rest of the photos may make it into albums...eventually.
here are some highlights.
june
moseley family beach trip to hhi
the (dreaded) family portrait.
shipyard trees. hhi
seapines. hhi.
roller-coaster waves.
the children will always remember this vacation because they got to spend the night with their cousins every night. don introduced our kids to his bedtime creativity with night-time "shows". they weren't exactly the quiet lullabies you think of before floating off to sleep, but the kids loved them and it was so late at night that even wound up they crashed. a treasure.
i look back and wonder who spoke the words that just emptied from my mouth? my heart broken for the hurt i see in eyes like mine...in eyes i look up to.
how to fix what can't be undone?
i've blown it...again.
will i ever reflect the Christ in me? will i ever get it right?
perhaps i need to be pruned like so many of the sad looking bushes and trees around our house. a bit of a hair cut. no, that won't do. more like chopped back to the knees. emptied of all apparent life. a new start.
all the color taken out. every corner of the heart laid at the cross.
a humble removing of the trash. a plea for forgiveness.
and there is a lot of ugly to prune.
left to be picked up and eternally forgotten...as far as the east is to the west.
a heart laid bare. hopeful that renewal will come.
a desperate prayer...
for slowness to anger...
an abounding of love...
a download of compassion and grace to the heart.
a filling of Christ that will, in turn, be poured out.
the mind knows this is not the end, even while the heart breaks.
and then the melody breaks through. the key changes.
hope springs through the barrenness of yesterday.
what once bloomed will bloom again. truly?
a glorious promise of blessing shining through the ugly, the hard.
"the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise."
help me find the faith to believe the blessing in every disappointment, in every ache, through all the tears, even in drought...
this post is another lesson in finding 1000 gifts:
the gift of "i'm sorry"
psalm 103
the trumpet of grace playing loud through my doubt
a successful trash day
"blessings" by laura story (you'll want to press pause below to play this...)
we spent mother's day in southern pines with the family. it was such a glorious day. the beautiful weather, the delicious food, and the gathering of family from far and near. it doesn't get better. truly. thank you, john and julia, for a beautiful day of memories.
My heart feels the heaviness of the reality of this week. Yours may as well. I was encouraged this morning and thought it might lift you up as well.
My week whispered its 'good morning' to me with such Grace. I picked up what will likely become one of my all-time favorite books and began to read...again. ("1000 Gifts" by Ann Voscamp. Visit her blog.) There was so much to soak up the first time around. I need to keep it fresh!
The foundation of the book is about discovering eucharisteo...the Greek word that is translated from the last supper, where Christ, knowing He is hours away from death, breaks the bread and gives thanks.
I'm sure there is not another scenario that speaks quite so potently of gratitude in the midst of the hard. I can not relate to this. I am challenged to find thanks in the midst of my "hard", and laundry doesn't seem to compare! My mundane laundry chores recently spoke loudly of JOY to me. (recent post.) Finding the gratitude in the hard or mundane could be a challenge at first. Lord, keep my eyes fresh and alert to your gifts. I don't want to miss even one!
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