Observations

I made a late evening run to the store.

Shopping after 8:00pm is always...shall we say entertaining?

One thought always grabs me and won't leave my mind. (I don't think it's supposed to.)

How would everyone's lives be different if they knew how much they are loved?

From the frustrated single mother

to the tired, worn down woman waiting for public transit

and the pregnant girlfriend who is probably looking for true sacrifice and commitment from her boyfriend-

they all need one thing.

Jesus.

I think what lodges in my brain is wondering how; how can I possibly affect their lives in passing?

What if I smile?

Just one smile for the man that looks angry.

Guess what. He smiled back and stood a little straighter.

One smile (and maybe a little honesty in my gaze) for the teenage girl acting out with her friends.

She noticed. She smiled back. She stood a little straighter.

I'll be the first to admit that it's really hard to always feel nice.

People can be frustrating. Annoying.

Sometimes I just want to have my comfortable little box.

Or I feel fat and unattractive. (It's okay, we all have those days.)

But why does that affect how I treat others?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

(That word, neighbor, in the original text references someone completely opposite of yourself.)

I am implicitly commanded to love everyone.

Not be them, just represent the love God has given me.

So, if I only have a few seconds, and I may never see that person again, and their life is hard and painful...

how do I respond?

How do you respond?

A knee-jerk reaction will flicker across a face in seconds, and it can hurt someone, and we never have the chance to take it back.

So, rather than feeling repulsion or disgust, what if I looked at everyone as created by and loved by the Creator of all things?

How would that change how I treat everyone I ever meet?

Whirlwind of Grace

This week has been a whirlwind of emotions.

People have made decisions I find to be completely wrong. They have disappointed me, and I believe hurt God. I know things are not as they should be, but God has shown me ways to truly love these people and hold nothing against them. He has shown me how to show grace.

One of the men at church gave his testimony last night. Something that was shared with him during a particularly hard time in his life was this: "What is the point of having a God if you will not trust Him?" That hit me about 3 different ways. Ultimately, I have to trust God in this situation, in every single aspect of it. He has shown me how He longs to give grace.

I was blog cruising this afternoon and was stopped in my tracks by this woman. Her take on grace was exactly what my heart needed today. God gives us grace no matter what, because He loves us. He has shown me how He unconditionally distributes grace.

I'm calling this week Grace Week.

Life has seriously been a whirlwind of grace, and I cannot help but praise God and thank Him for showing me this!

Sweet Little One

After 15 weeks of pregnancy, I described it as this: "I finally just stopped fighting what was happening, relaxed and let the pain do its work. I stopped fighting what God was allowing, and surrendered my baby completely to Him, knowing that my child would be with Him, and I will meet my baby someday."

I'm absorbing the impact of missing someone so deeply that I never met, never felt, never heard. Last night I sat in bed and thought that I should go take something for my heartburn. Then I realized that I didn't have any...and I cried to my husband that I never thought I would miss heartburn, ever. I felt sadness as I easily buttoned my jeans, and looked at my BellaBand, now sitting forlornly with my other maternity clothes.

Where there is sadness, there is always a greater purpose. At the end of my day, at the end of my tears, at the end of my thoughts, there is this: hope. God has given me endless hope, and endless peace in everything. I will see my baby someday, and I am thankful for that. I am also thankful for the empathy I have gained for other women through this, and I am thankful that I can have more understanding and love for others because of this. God works all things together for good for those who love Him, and he bring joy renewed ever morning! Great is His faithfulness!

Endless thanks go out to those who have lifted us up in prayer and have poured out their support and love to us. I only pray that I can give back in my lifetime.

Blessings to you, and love and peace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18