What Sand and Grace Have To Do With It...
Over the past few weeks, I've been taking full advantage of the nearby public library. I'm not quite sure if it's a good or bad thing that it only takes me five minutes to get there, but at any rate the books call my name and of course, as my Mama taught me, I'm obligated to answer when someone calls. If that someone is your Grandmother and she uses your full name-middle included- you RUN. Sometimes I think I hear the shelves calling my full name, so I obey and run to the library. Every time.
As I was perusing the shelves one sunny afternoon my fingers stopped at a book called "Graceful". For any of you who know me well, grace has been the word that I've been learning for the past 2 years and counting. Sometimes I get annoyed that God hasn't given me a new word, then I remember my last experience when I asked for patience, therefore I keep my mouth shut. Rightfully so.
I thought to myself, "sure why not give this book a shot! There are only 12 chapters, it's pretty thin and probably an easy read. Bring it on."
I have no complaints. The book is all about being graceful in our everyday lives, it's straightforward, to the point and digs deep into my interior design. I've spent the last 6 days reflecting over my choices and avenues in life and striving to find the grace and mercy that can be displayed in the new avenues and choices I have yet to make. Last night as I was reading, the chapter was all about control. I will not lie, I thought of skipping it and moving on. Until that little obnoxious voice that sits just inside my inner ear and has a direct line to my heart said, "if you skip this, you'll regret it, but go ahead and choose for yourself." So I read it.
The chapter is called "The Heroine" and it addresses those of us who hide behind our strength and responsibility with a passage from Matthew 5:3.
1. God doesn't ask us to change people's lives, He simply asks us to live ours. Not in order to figure out how to do life right but to learn what it means to live life well. And He will do remarkable things when we live our lives as though we really trust Him.
I've always thought and grown up with the idea that I have to do life right. Get the grades, be responsible, volunteer and go the extra mile, but when I read and re-read this for myself to truly understand and digest it I realized, God wants me to learn what it means to live life well. I pondered what that means in my life. What does living life well look like for this year and beyond? The answers I got came to me as: love others well, even when you don't want to or when you think they don't deserve it. Love them anyway. When you think you've gone the extra mile, go another one-you won't die from helping someone else. Be content with everything you have and where you are in life-there's no grass in Colorado so it can't be greener on the other side. (At least in my yard) Seek Me out, bask in the moments you share with Me and you will learn how to live life well.
2. God does not ask us to carry burdens. He does not ask us to save the world. He does not ask us to come up with a plan. He simply asks us to come.
That's all. Just feel free to kick off your shoes and walk into His presence. Step on the expensive rug, come in with dirty clothes, it doesn't matter. What matters is you're here, you've arrived and He is waiting to take the burdens of the day or of the hour or whatever and tells you to just rest. That's hard to do if you're like me. We can't just rest. There's too much to do, too many people need me, and I need to help everyone. Perhaps one of the hardest things for me is to let things go. I don't mean I hold a million chips on my shoulder, I'm talking about relinquishing things to the One whose hands are strong enough to hold onto them when they are slipping through mine. I'm just not in control. This is key. I realize that I often take responsibility for things that are unnecessary. Is it good to make sure others are taken care of and comfortable? Absolutely, but I'm not the only one who can do it and do it right. Others are capable and ready to help. I have to let them.
In the quiet of the evening, with no distractions and only the thoughts I've shared with God (and now you), I begged Him for the GRACE to relinquish the need for my life to be in order and for things to be in place. Because sometimes they won't be, and sometimes order will be a pipe dream and that will have to be okay. I do not pray that He won't allow things to happen that spiral my tip top shape world into a frenzy, but I pray for the grace to accept it and grow from it when it comes. I would much rather let go, let all of it go, and let it rest in the hands of the One who knows my life best. The One who holds my destiny. That's where it belongs. But opening my fingers and letting it fall like grains of sand back to the seashore is so hard, my hand has been clenched for so long. And so I prayed that as this journey begins, He would lead me like He has done so many times before. That He would take my hand, like a parent takes a child's hand, and tenderly pries open the fingers one by one until every grain of control and order has fallen and I am left with nothing. Because in that nothing, I have found something. I have found complete rest in my Savior's presence. To live life well. So I hold out my hand....
Note: Take time to check out Emily Freeman's book "Graceful: Letting Go of Your Try Hard Life" today. It's for sure worth the read. Perhaps your library shelves are calling you...better run!
As I was perusing the shelves one sunny afternoon my fingers stopped at a book called "Graceful". For any of you who know me well, grace has been the word that I've been learning for the past 2 years and counting. Sometimes I get annoyed that God hasn't given me a new word, then I remember my last experience when I asked for patience, therefore I keep my mouth shut. Rightfully so.
I thought to myself, "sure why not give this book a shot! There are only 12 chapters, it's pretty thin and probably an easy read. Bring it on."
I have no complaints. The book is all about being graceful in our everyday lives, it's straightforward, to the point and digs deep into my interior design. I've spent the last 6 days reflecting over my choices and avenues in life and striving to find the grace and mercy that can be displayed in the new avenues and choices I have yet to make. Last night as I was reading, the chapter was all about control. I will not lie, I thought of skipping it and moving on. Until that little obnoxious voice that sits just inside my inner ear and has a direct line to my heart said, "if you skip this, you'll regret it, but go ahead and choose for yourself." So I read it.
The chapter is called "The Heroine" and it addresses those of us who hide behind our strength and responsibility with a passage from Matthew 5:3.
1. God doesn't ask us to change people's lives, He simply asks us to live ours. Not in order to figure out how to do life right but to learn what it means to live life well. And He will do remarkable things when we live our lives as though we really trust Him.
I've always thought and grown up with the idea that I have to do life right. Get the grades, be responsible, volunteer and go the extra mile, but when I read and re-read this for myself to truly understand and digest it I realized, God wants me to learn what it means to live life well. I pondered what that means in my life. What does living life well look like for this year and beyond? The answers I got came to me as: love others well, even when you don't want to or when you think they don't deserve it. Love them anyway. When you think you've gone the extra mile, go another one-you won't die from helping someone else. Be content with everything you have and where you are in life-there's no grass in Colorado so it can't be greener on the other side. (At least in my yard) Seek Me out, bask in the moments you share with Me and you will learn how to live life well.
2. God does not ask us to carry burdens. He does not ask us to save the world. He does not ask us to come up with a plan. He simply asks us to come.
That's all. Just feel free to kick off your shoes and walk into His presence. Step on the expensive rug, come in with dirty clothes, it doesn't matter. What matters is you're here, you've arrived and He is waiting to take the burdens of the day or of the hour or whatever and tells you to just rest. That's hard to do if you're like me. We can't just rest. There's too much to do, too many people need me, and I need to help everyone. Perhaps one of the hardest things for me is to let things go. I don't mean I hold a million chips on my shoulder, I'm talking about relinquishing things to the One whose hands are strong enough to hold onto them when they are slipping through mine. I'm just not in control. This is key. I realize that I often take responsibility for things that are unnecessary. Is it good to make sure others are taken care of and comfortable? Absolutely, but I'm not the only one who can do it and do it right. Others are capable and ready to help. I have to let them.
In the quiet of the evening, with no distractions and only the thoughts I've shared with God (and now you), I begged Him for the GRACE to relinquish the need for my life to be in order and for things to be in place. Because sometimes they won't be, and sometimes order will be a pipe dream and that will have to be okay. I do not pray that He won't allow things to happen that spiral my tip top shape world into a frenzy, but I pray for the grace to accept it and grow from it when it comes. I would much rather let go, let all of it go, and let it rest in the hands of the One who knows my life best. The One who holds my destiny. That's where it belongs. But opening my fingers and letting it fall like grains of sand back to the seashore is so hard, my hand has been clenched for so long. And so I prayed that as this journey begins, He would lead me like He has done so many times before. That He would take my hand, like a parent takes a child's hand, and tenderly pries open the fingers one by one until every grain of control and order has fallen and I am left with nothing. Because in that nothing, I have found something. I have found complete rest in my Savior's presence. To live life well. So I hold out my hand....
Note: Take time to check out Emily Freeman's book "Graceful: Letting Go of Your Try Hard Life" today. It's for sure worth the read. Perhaps your library shelves are calling you...better run!
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