1,000 Gifts > Chapter 7

This post is part of my Book Club Series

which was started by {this} and {this} lovely lady

To start from the beginning click {here}

SOUND BYTES:

"You can't positive-think your way out of negative feelings. [...] The only way to fight a feeling is with a feeling. [...] Feel thanks and it is absolutely impossible to feel angry. We can only experience one emotion at a time. And we get to choose - which emotion do we want to feel?" (p136)

I mentioned last week that I was headed off to chase my moon. Well I found it -

In the clink of carabeaners securing rope

In the numerous conversations with strangers just because we both love the outdoors and doing crazy things like walking a line and climbing a rock wall

In the fabric stretched tight of a double hammock

In the late night, triple shooting star, conversations

In the green green mountains stretched before me on hours un-ending of road

In the hugs, laughter, tears and comfort of a friendship with a 6 year foundation

In the exploring new cities that seem more exciting than mine

And over the weekend I slowly planted seeds.

One of doubt.

One of resentment.

One of desire for things and places that are not mine to have.

One that thinks the grass is greener on the other side

But luckily  Abba was there to give me a heart check on my 10 hour drive home. Mile by mile he helped me remember all the things he's given me in Chicago that help to make it my home. Mile by mile he allowed me to look back fondly on college and those friendships that will continue to be there. But Chicago is where I'm supposed to be living day to day life. Chicago holds new adventures and new friendships that I'm building and places to explore and it may not seem as green as Chattanooga, TN, but there is just as much growing here.
And so, I pulled back into my driveway after chasing the room remembering that God's grace is here, now, with me always - all I have to do is choose it.

"Grace - that is what the full life is full of,
what the God-glory is full of." (p129)

TRUTH TO WRITE ON HER HEART:

GRATITUDE EVERYDAY:

Camping and Rock Climbing in the Red River Gorge
More pictures to come!

Adventures in Chattanooga, the new home city of fantastic college friend and her family.

1,000 Gifts > Chapter 6

This post is part of my Book Club Series

which was started by {this} and {this} lovely lady

To start from the beginning click {here}

As you are reading this post I'm making my way down to the Red River Gorge near Slade, Kentucky.
I'm gonna hammock and slackline my heart out.
I'm gonna try my hand at rock climbing.

This is my own "Chasing the Moon" moment and my heart is happy.

Have a great weekend folks!

SOUND BYTES:

"How do you open the eyes to see how to take the daily, domestic, workday vortex and invert it into the dome of an everyday cathedral? Could I go back to my life and pray with eyes wide open?" p120

TRUTH TO WRITE ON HER HEART:

"One Thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."

Psalm 27:4

GRATITUDE EVERYDAY:

• snuggling babies during nap time
• Serve Sundays and friends to cheer with
• random furniture buys (bought a BEAUTIFUL sewing cabinet I'm gonna re-purpose as a desk for my new home)
• a good story to slip into (if you haven't heard of The Name of the Wind you should check it out)
• hammocks
• friends to check out Craig's List furniture with
• The Hour that Changed the World prayer method
• Home Depot and gearing up for a project!
• Puppy snuggling
• LOTS of great friends who let you cry
• bags packed and ready for the next adventure

On "Becoming (Be)loved"

For those of you faithful readers, you may have noticed that I've changed the look of my blog

The title has been rolling around in my head for over a year now, and with the recent life changes

I felt like it was time to make the transition for my blog

And with this transition, I want to begin to share my story and how the theme of

Becoming Beloved

is beginning to define how I live.

So tune in next Monday for the first in my life story series.

Until then...

check out these great posts

The Power of Our Stories

Wrestling with God: Reflections on Brennan Manning

What is Grace?

1,000 Gifts > Chapter 5

This post is part of my Book Club Series

which was started by {this} and {this} lovely lady

To start from the beginning click {here}

"What joy and peace I find in your scriptures God. All is well when I'm reading of your goodness that remains no matter what comes out of my heart. May I go throughout today dressed in your armor to battle the things, in myself and in this world, that seek to destroy the peace you are giving me." 

- Journal entry from 3/13/13

I was in complete shock the days following my release from LeaderTreks

(the ministry I was supposed to be working for till this coming August).

I had my schedule down pat, super early mornings to get my desperately needed time with God, heading to the gym to care for my body that would then be stuck in an office for 9 hours of my day. Life was "easy" when you knew where you had to be from 9-5 and set up things to do with the few brief hours outside of that time frame.

And suddenly, when I didn't have anywhere to be, my favorite time of day, mornings, became the moments that I dreaded. Waking up without a real plan to my day, and my mind and my selfish soul were screaming "INJUSTICE!" and asking me to wallow in my own self pity.

But I fought, just like Ann, with her cards of Trust, I forced myself into Scripture. Into the only true and constant thing I could claim in my life.

This chapter is the key to the whole process for me. The transforming of simple "Pollyanna moments" of thanksgiving to the seeing of God's Grace in all things. 

SOUND BYTES:

"And i can see in it in the looking back, how this daily practice of the discipline of gratitude is the way to daily practice the delight of God." (p82)

"To read His message in the moments, I'll need to read His passion on the page; wear the lens of the Word, to read His writing in the world." (p87)

"Without God's Word as a lens, the world warps." (p91)

"I can say it certain now: All is grace. [...] All is grace because all can transfigure." (p100-101)

TRUTH TO WRITE ON HER HEART:

GRATITUDE EVERYDAY:

My first Gratitude Journal

The Scripture I used to fight over the past month:

• Jeremiah 17:7-8
• Jeremiah 12:14
• Psalm 46:10-11
• Psalm 91:11
• 2 Corinthians 1:9b
• 1 Corinthians 2:6-7
• Excerpts from Ephesians (especially the armor of God in ch 6)
• Philippians 3:10-11
• Romans 12:1
• Colossians 2:6-7
• 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

"Another morning, another battle, another time to need to hear your truth."

- journal entry from 3/19/13

What truth are you using to battle for thankfulness today?

1,000 Gifts > Chapter 4

This post is part of my Book Club Series

which was started by {this} and {this} lovely lady

To start from the beginning click {here}

So I know I'm coming a day late to the party, but I have a really good excuse for my tardiness.
I was driving across the country yesterday

From Virginia Beach back to Chicago

Counting Gifts mile by my with my sun roof open, blue skies and singing loud to new country music.

This week's chapter was all about slowing down time - enjoying every moment. 

I don't think I could have been in any better place to practice this art - and yes, I believe it is an art. I crammed a whole lot of stuff into 3 brief days with my brother, sister-in-law, and niece. Taking every precious moment to just BE with them and not rush through events of the visit. Even the 14 hour drive each way was moments to take, and thank God for each moment I have to enjoy Him as I zoom across this AMAZING country. I feel content as I write this from my room in Chicago. This week, each day, has been perfect. Not because I have been happy the whole time or that plans have gone my way to perfection -

but because I accepted EVERYTHING that God gave me this week. I ceased striving and practiced getting everything from the moment that God was giving me.

SOUND BYTES:

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." J.R.R. Tolkien (p62)

"'--Where ever you are, be all there,' I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive. [...] It's not the gifts that fulfill, but the holiness of the space. The God in it." (p69)

"When I'm present, I meet I AM, the very presence of a present God." (p70)

"And I can always give thanks because an all-powerful God always has all these things - all things - always under control." (p74)

TRUTH TO WRITE ON HER HEART:

This week I didn't choose a verse from the chapter. The whole time I was reading Ann's words, Psalm 46:10 continued to repeat in my mind. "Be Still." The ESV version says "Cease Striving." I love that picture. I don't have to move at all. It is in the stillness that I find God and his movement in every moment.

GRATITUDE EVERYDAY:

I thought I'd share by pictures rather than words this week!

Wait

A Lesson in Patience

I've spent this week with my brother and sister-in-law and my one and only niece JUNE!

She's is 2 and in that stage where everything is a lesson and she's just a little sponge to soak it all in.

What I've noticed is my brother and sister-in-law are incredible patient with this active 2 year old. They are constantly and calmly listening to her and giving her choices when she is fussy or obstinate

(I know, big word to use for a 2 year old.. but that's what she is sometimes)

My favorite lesson I've heard them teach multiple times in the 3 days I spent with this is how to practice patience herself.

June will begin to get fussy because something is not happening instantly like her little heart desires

(typically focused on the arrival of food -
whether it's at a restaurant after ordering on at home while her mom is cooking dinner)

Here's what the conversation looks like between my siblings and their daughter:

June: *beginning to fuss* I want food now!
Parent: June, mommy is preparing food. But we have to be patient.
June: *calming down a little* Patient?
Parent: What do we do while we're patient?
June: Wait.
Parent: That's right. We wait.

This young child does not grasp the concept of time quite yet. And so much in her life is given instantly, that this waiting is a new thing. Practicing patience is a lesson that she must learn and work on.

I feel a lot like my two year old niece with God as my parent right now.

Heather: *beginning to fuss* I want to know my future now!

God: Heather, I'm preparing your future for you. But we have to be patient.

Heather: *calming down a little* Patient?

God: What do we do while we're patient?

Heather: Wait.

God: That's right. We wait.

I've been without a job for 1 month now - and I trust that God has a plan -
and the truth is he's given me a lot of gifts instantly
Just like June gets

snacks

kisses

TV shows

stories 

and many other things immediately upon request

God has given me

peace

a new roommate situation

a hiking backpack

and time to travel to see my family

But just like June, when the stomach grumbles and that Chicken Pot Pie seems to taking forever in the oven, I can forget that there are times when we do have to

WAIT. 

Lots of times.

June's parents will continue to repeat this lesson for June

and I know my Abba will continue to repeat this lesson for me.

What do we do while we're patient?

Wait.

Leaving

I left on Monday

Finally let myself go

and just drive

all the way to Virginia Beach

-Donald Miller in Through Painted Deserts