Happy - Happy - Happy!

I am seeing the word – happy everywhere lately since preparing both for our summer trip and my heart recently for a blog I contributed to that will post here in early summer.

So much going on in my little world that has bumped into my happy that I believe I needed to see this word happy more than usual here on a coaster my girlfriend gave me.   

My girlfriend gave me this precious bag of goodies as a send off for my summer trip and it reminded me of the gift of giving encouragement - and being happy for someone else's happy!

How often do we:

*Get bummed out by someone else’s happiness…..rather than be happy for them.

*Get grumpy trying to control a situation/person…..rather than be happy and let God control. (no matter the outcome).

*Get discouraged by one thing that happened……rather than be happy and thankful for all the other things that happened.

I am blown away by girlfriends and family in my life who encourage me to be happy.  They drive me to be a better wife, mother, sister, and friend. 

And – I have to believe that God is encouraging these happy choices rather than the bummed out – grumpy – discouraging thoughts

Don’t you?

Today I am going to be cognizant and choose more happy!   I am on a hunt to find God in my day and point Him out to my boys all summer long.  What choices are you making to be more aware of God today? 

Glad On The Path...

Psalm 32:7: You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble, and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Do songs of deliverance ring your ears?  What does this sound like?

After a couple of very busy years for myself and quite a few more for my hubby we are off in just a few days, heading on our big sabbatical trip...oh to be delivered with some rest and special family time ahead.  

I have been reminiscing this week about our last sabbatical RV trip taken in 2006 up the East coast.  I cherish these memories with my boys, who were just 3 and 5 years old then. 

What an adventure! There was time for play and time for rest.

Fort Henry, NY

Lake George, NY

Trolly in Hershey, PA

Fishing at Golden Hill Lighthouse

Lake Erie

Helping dad with canoe

Canoe ride on Lake George

 Even lady bugs on the beach!

Ladybugs at Port Clinton

Sunset on Lake Erie

I am taking this down time to focus on my family and am asking God to make clear the direction of my path.  I am sensing a change on the horizon for several reasons.

Some things have come up recently for me that have caused me to take pause and re-evaluate my path- yes this Princess Path…that is why I am sharing it here.  Really, this is not a bad thing.

Do you take time to pause and evaluate your path?

 I so love this tidbit of info I got while listening to special guest, Laurie Beth Jones on Girlfriendit Radio.  You can listen here.  Laurie Beth shared 3 questions to ask ourselves in order to assess if we are on the path that God has for us…oh these were just nuggets for me:

1 – Am I doing work that honors God?

2 – Am I doing work that honors me?

3 – Am I making a living doing this work?

I am so thankful for these timely questions as I assess this path that I am on and what an opportunity for me to rest on this path and process through these questions? 

Such sweet words penned by David in Psalm 32 and I feel my body sink deeper into the cushions of my sofa as I absorb them deep within my heart.  Life is surely not perfect, but I am rejoicing in the Lord and glad to be on this path. 

A path full of joy and happiness amidst life’s uncertainty.  

Thankful for this path...

Making Room!

I sat on the porch of my dear sweet friend, my neighbor, a fellow princess wearing an invisible but still crown glistening for me to see. 

My eyes were wet with my own tears as I shared the weariness of my day with her. I struggled with thoughts of sharing.  You know it is just so much easier to share our UP moments.  God has not called me to be a Debby Downer; but He has also not called me to be a liar or dishonest with my emotions. 

I definitely don’t post many down days on Facebook or Twitter, and not everyone knows my every thought – only God does – but I do have struggles.  In the midst of trials I have been known to still have a smile on my face and it is not that I am ignoring the sadness, I just know that this present issue is not all there is and I always have multiple things to be thankful for.

But how do we walk our days honestly with those we care for and see on a regular basis.  We cannot ignore the issues and concerns of our day that quite frankly bring us down.  Those who know us see that something is not right? 

Like Naomi, there are times where we just feel like God has brought bitterness to our lives… (Ruth 1:20-21)

Who else has been there?

Who else has cried out like Hannah in utter despair to God?  (1 Samuel 1)

How can we help each other through these times?   Not ignore the pain.  Not encourage more unnecessary despair, but allow the despair to be talked about and processed?  How do we lovingly walk and encourage with truth? 

Seeing what was present on my friend’s porch opened my eyes to a lot.  I saw and felt God’s presence on my friend’s porch.

My porch is currently missing chairs, but I am on the hunt now for a pair.  I am making room for some things on my front porch…

*Room for safety (A place where confidences can be kept)

*Room for grace (Realizing neither of us live perfect lives-forgiveness and room for making mistakes)

*Room for wet eyes (Able to let emotions roll)

*Room for ME TOO – (A place where we know we are not alone)

*Room for dry eyes after (Allowing God’s truth to reign and bring hope and reminding us that this present struggle shall too pass)

This morning my heart is full and wanting to grasp more about how to keep walking when it hurts…or how to be vulnerable and share my struggles so others will too feel welcome on these chairs on my front porch.

How do you remind yourself to be brave and take a seat?

Is there room for you on your neighbor’s porch? 

Is there room on your porch?

Let’s make some room!