Tag: inspiration

25 Things That Make Me Smile

Almost a month has passed since I last posted. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to – it’s either that I didn’t have an idea for what to write about or I didn’t have the energy to put “fingertips to keyboard.” The depression and anxiety have been relentless, but God has gotten me through day by day. In an effort to focus on something more positive, I’d like to share with you – in no particular order – 25 Things That Make Me Smile. 😀

  1. My Hubby. He’s a wonderful friend and a good “Daddy” to our pets.
  2. Dunkin Donuts Cold Brew coffee. With cream and *regular* sugar (not the liquid stuff).
  3. Sleeping in! I love being able to wake up slowly and get my bearings before beginning the day.
  4. Sliding into bed at night with the cool sheets enveloping me. I love letting out that sigh and snuggling deeper into the covers.
  5. Sunrises. They are so quiet, and still, and beautiful…and they help you look forward to the rest of the day.
  6. Daisy. Our little pup. She is energetic and vocal, and she brings joy to our lives.
  7. Misty. Our food-loving cat. She enjoys snuggling up in her “cat condo,” sleeping, and – of course – food!
  8. Soup. Specifically a creamy, comforting soup, and accompanied by a crusty bread.
  9. A good hair day. It makes you feel like you can conquer the world!
  10. The appropriate usage of a descriptive adjective in a sentence.
  11. A hot cup of tea between shivering hands.
  12. Warm, fuzzy socks on ice cold feet.
  13. My God. He is always there for me…and I wouldn’t be able to “do life” without Him.
  14. Our little succulent plant that sits in our window and brings cheer to our home.
  15. My family. I have been blessed with a supportive family on both sides, and I am so glad to have each one of them in my life.
  16. Baby giggles. Enough said.
  17. Long, hot showers.
  18. My friends. God has also given me awesome friends – friends who are gracious, understanding, and there when I need them.
  19. An engaging book. I love getting lost inside its pages!
  20. The Bible. I’m thankful for its truth and it’s relevancy to our lives.
  21. Trips to Target to grab a Starbucks and visit with my Hubby on his work break.
  22. Re-watching NCIS for the umpteenth time.
  23. When I don’t have to cook or clean up after a meal.
  24. Getting a card in the mail that really encourages me.
  25. The Lord’s provision. Somehow He has gotten us through this far, and I’m very grateful for His generosity.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope to continue this list at a later time. Now what I want to know is, what is something that makes you smile?

 

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Glory Through Tears

Tears –
Tears that I wish I could cry –
Fall into an empty bottle
Clasped in my Savior’s hand.
The tears fall quietly –
As if not to disturb;
But they also fall quickly –
As if each tear knew that
It must make room for the next.
Consumed with darkness
I let the teardrops fall,
And trust that my Father sees them.
He alone knows
The purpose for this darkness,
And He alone can shine His light.
So I wait, and I hope, and I trust…
Relying on Him to get through each day;
And knowing that although
My tears are filling His bottle,
My Father’s grace and love
Are filling my life
And He will display His glory
Through my tears.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” ~ Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

 

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

He Holds Tomorrow

I struggle a lot with anxiety.

Whether it be navigating a social situation, obsessing over something that I haven’t done perfectly, or feeling completely overwhelmed by an upcoming task –  my tendency is to rely on myself instead of looking to God for help.

But I know that this is not the right way to respond to life’s difficulties.

There is a song by Jason Gray called “Sparrows.” I like it because it helps me to put things back into perspective when my world feels like it’s spinning out of control.

Here are some of the lyrics:

You can’t add a single day by worrying
You’ll worry your life away
Oh don’t worry your life away
You can’t change a single thing by freaking out
It’s just gonna close you in
Oh don’t let the trouble win

You may feel alone
But you’re not on your own

If He can hold the world He can hold this moment
Not a field or flower escapes His notice
Oh even the sparrow
Knows He holds tomorrow

So how would it help me if I truly believed that my God holds tomorrow? If I trusted that He cares for even the sparrows – and that His love for me (and you) is so much greater? I should think that it would have a major, positive impact!

But it’s a little more difficult to flesh this out in daily life.

When you can’t pay your bills…
When a loved one is sick and there is nothing you can do…
When you fear for your safety…
When a relationship is falling apart…

It could be any number of things. But I think the important thing is that we try to bring each worry to God. He is the One who sees us and loves us and desires to take care of us.

So what is it that you’re worrying about? Why not give it over to the Father – situation by situation – and let Him handle today’s worries…along with the worries of tomorrow.

 

Photo by Przemyslaw Reinfus on Unsplash