It's 9:00 o'clock on Thursday evening and I'm sitting on the deck in our backyard. Birds are chirping, the moon is rising, the breeze is cool, and I have a cold beer and good book sitting next to me. We got back from my baby brother and sister's soccer game a little while ago and a good friend of my husband is here visiting and sharing beers.
Fireflies are lighting up the yard. My potted herbs and tomato plants are flourishing next to me and I can't quite explain the joy that growing plants brings to my heart. Granted, that joy comes from only a few plants, not a huge plot of land. I'm not that dedicated.
I may not last long out here as the mosquitos decided to start swarming almost as soon as I started typing. Also, my dog smells like poop. Just a random fact I thought I'd share, as she pants next to me.
This week has gone by quickly, which is a bit unusual for a work week. The hubby hasn't had such long days, which is a huge blessing. We've had time to take the dog for a walk, make croissant french toast, grab a few groceries, get ice cream, celebrate my mom's birthday, and, as I already mentioned, watch soccer games and visit with friends.
Life is good.
It's hard. It's really hard. Job, marriage, health, and financial struggles attempt to smother our joy and damage our relationship.
But it's good.
It sometimes boggles my mind how easily and quickly we lose sight of the goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty of God. I am so guilty of this. It is an hourly struggle. Often all it takes is a difficult doctor's appointment, a smug comment from my husband (spoken in jest), a long work day, or a messy house to screw up my attitude of gratitude and ruin my day.
It's pathetic, really.
I sometimes think of the Israelites in the wilderness and how often they forgot the goodness and faithfulness of God and complained. And then I look in the mirror and realize I'm just like them.
It's convicting and grieving and all I can do is get back up and turn my eyes upward to Christ and move on in repentance and gratitude.
It's now 9:30 and getting darker and I can overhear my husband and his buddy discussing church and theology and it's getting heavy. As interesting and enjoyable as it is to listen to, I think I'll go get the sheets out of the dryer and put them on the bed and crack open my book again.
God is good.
Fireflies are lighting up the yard. My potted herbs and tomato plants are flourishing next to me and I can't quite explain the joy that growing plants brings to my heart. Granted, that joy comes from only a few plants, not a huge plot of land. I'm not that dedicated.
I may not last long out here as the mosquitos decided to start swarming almost as soon as I started typing. Also, my dog smells like poop. Just a random fact I thought I'd share, as she pants next to me.
This week has gone by quickly, which is a bit unusual for a work week. The hubby hasn't had such long days, which is a huge blessing. We've had time to take the dog for a walk, make croissant french toast, grab a few groceries, get ice cream, celebrate my mom's birthday, and, as I already mentioned, watch soccer games and visit with friends.
Life is good.
It's hard. It's really hard. Job, marriage, health, and financial struggles attempt to smother our joy and damage our relationship.
But it's good.
It sometimes boggles my mind how easily and quickly we lose sight of the goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty of God. I am so guilty of this. It is an hourly struggle. Often all it takes is a difficult doctor's appointment, a smug comment from my husband (spoken in jest), a long work day, or a messy house to screw up my attitude of gratitude and ruin my day.
It's pathetic, really.
I sometimes think of the Israelites in the wilderness and how often they forgot the goodness and faithfulness of God and complained. And then I look in the mirror and realize I'm just like them.
It's convicting and grieving and all I can do is get back up and turn my eyes upward to Christ and move on in repentance and gratitude.
It's now 9:30 and getting darker and I can overhear my husband and his buddy discussing church and theology and it's getting heavy. As interesting and enjoyable as it is to listen to, I think I'll go get the sheets out of the dryer and put them on the bed and crack open my book again.
God is good.