It's almost been a Year...

"Sing on, dear child.  I hear you and I am coming to deliver you.  I will carry that load for you.  So just lean hard on Me, and the road will get smoother by and by."

Streams in the Desert -- Dec. 28

Tid Bit + many photos

Live differently...

       (...coaxed by life -changes, -circumstances, -lessons, -heartache, -joy, --all of it!)

"Examples basically come down to generosity, honesty, and being content rather than complaining."

       -from scriptureunion.org.uk

Newness

Clear ice on a frozen lake beauty

Crystal clear ice over oak leaves and seaweed near the shore

YMCA bound on last day of Christmas break

Trying to get outside myself and my expectations (from God Calling which I think I posted last new year!):

Bury every fear of the future, 

of poverty for those dear to you, of suffering, of loss.  

Bury all thought of unkindness and bitterness, 

all your dislikes, your resentments, your sense of failure, 

your disappointment in others and in yourselves, 

your gloom, your despondency, 

and let us leave them all, buried, 

and go forward... 


to a new, refreshed, renewed day - year - life...


Then aiming to my attention and energy towards others (also from God Calling):

How many burdens can you lighten this year? 

How many hearts can you cheer?

How many souls can you help?


To give is to gain.

I've got to change my subtitle and web address for this blog or get some of Jason's cooking on here again!  Digression!  Woo!

A small note

Search your heart several times a day, and if you find something that is disturbing your peace, remember to take the proper steps to restore the calm.  ~ Francis de Sales

Transition Times

There are so many things to be thankful for.  However, of late, I've been giving energy and thought to the things I want changed; to feelings of unfamiliarity and isolation, to the feeling of being on the outside looking in, judgement of how we should be treated and welcomed.

I'm hoping for and going to work towards finding balance as my feelings of loneliness and judgement deserve acknowledgement just not so much focus.  And an excerpt from Courage to Change helps:

If I am always reacting, then I am never free.

Losing (and then comparing) the familiarity and relationships from our east side communities and entering into new communities -- 2 schools, neighborhood, church, town -- is taking a little toll.  My heart aches a little with the feelings mentioned above.  But alas!  Again!  Help from above in the form of God Calling and Streams in the Desert:

SitD
I came to learn that a place of isolation is often the most useful place of all in this diverse world.  Its harvest is more rich than the seasons when the corn and wine were the most abundant. 

GC
Be full of gratitude.  Wing up your prayers on Praise to Heaven.  Take all that happens as My planning.  All is well.  I have all prepared in My Love.  Let your heart sing.

'Let your heart sing' -- sounds so joyful and nice!  My heart feels heavy much of the time -- maybe it's just learning the words right now... and soon it will in fact sing (:

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a posed picture of Graham on his first day.  He was in a zone and has handled all of the changes like a champ.  He started in August so we were commuting his first week of school...way to go Graham-bo!  Proud a ya.

Making time...

We've moved!  It's here and it always felt so far off...

We're on the tail end of the higher hectic stress of it, albeit stress still looms...

Though I feel there are one million things to do, what matters is the walk down the path that He has uniquely for each.

This morning I'm compelled to share a paragraph from Streams in the Desert that is so beautiful, calm and simple...the opposite of how I feel when I am in the midst of trouble.  God, grant me the calm and my eyes on You to remember and practice this:

Yes, there are many crosses, and every one of them is heavy and painful.  And it is unlikely that I would seek out even one of them on my own.  Yet Jesus is never as near to me as when I lift my cross, lay it submissively on my shoulder, and welcome it with a patient and uncomplaining spirit.

Huh, whoa, yaaaaa...much needed reminder and lesson.  Can I learn it?  IIIIII hope so.  xoxo, hh