Consider It Pure Joy
Today was awesome... until it wasn't.
I got up early this morning and had an amazing time watching the sun come up with friends. I read. I journaled. I ate a chicken biscuit and drank sweet tea. And then I came home to take on the day.
That's when the day went downhill. My work from yesterday carried over into today and a 2+ hour customer service call from last night began again and lasted 3.5 hours today. Somewhere by the end of our call, we had broken more than we had fixed and the defeat of the day started to wash over me.
When we finished the call, I went outside and sat on our roof and stared at the sky. I laid there thinking, "Man, today sucked." And then I remembered, "No it didn't, it started out awesome." I remembered watching the sun come up and sitting with Jesus this morning and I just kept wondering, "How did such a great day turn into such a bad one?" And then the life lessons started to pile on as though they were shovelfuls of sand being heaped on top of me.
As I laid there I remembered that I took two pictures this morning before I started working. One was of the peacefulness of the sunrise as I sat and read and took in the day. The second was of some wildflower seeds that I was planting in our backyard. As I reflected back on these pictures, I recognized the value of them both.
Because the day took on a such a life of its own, I realized the value of spending that time in the morning with God, and that it truly is the only part of the day that I really have control over before the rest of the world comes rushing in. The picture of those wildflower seeds reminded me that perseverance in struggles and trials creates growth. I know that, but I definitely needed this reminder today.
After getting in my share of life lessons for the day, my roommate and I were standing in the backyard talking and out of nowhere, a Boxer/Rottweiler leaped over our back wall and came at us. I happened to be holding a machete in my hand and went towards him with it and he turned and ran away. I just stood and stared like, "What is happening?!" To me, this just felt so symbolic of the day. Everything felt like it was coming at me today.
I thought about scripture and where it talks about being on guard and prepared and ready for any circumstance. For me, this dog jumping over our fence and coming at us in our backyard was the greatest visual of this example. Because I had what I needed to protect myself, I didn't back down, I went towards him and he cowered down.
I feel like this is where I am in life right now lately too. I'm trying to dig in, to read scripture and to ground myself before the day starts, so that when life does throw its hardballs at me, it may knock me down, but it won't steal the day out from under me. I know that trials create perseverance and perseverance makes us stronger, but I also know that some days are just harder than others and this one just felt like it came at me from all sides.
I'm grateful for the life lessons though, and the reminder that we are never in this alone. I'm also grateful for Connie Herrera + Lacy Jo Sexton for walking in with two bags full of my favorite snacks because they knew that this day was a doozie! 😘
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
I got up early this morning and had an amazing time watching the sun come up with friends. I read. I journaled. I ate a chicken biscuit and drank sweet tea. And then I came home to take on the day.
That's when the day went downhill. My work from yesterday carried over into today and a 2+ hour customer service call from last night began again and lasted 3.5 hours today. Somewhere by the end of our call, we had broken more than we had fixed and the defeat of the day started to wash over me.
When we finished the call, I went outside and sat on our roof and stared at the sky. I laid there thinking, "Man, today sucked." And then I remembered, "No it didn't, it started out awesome." I remembered watching the sun come up and sitting with Jesus this morning and I just kept wondering, "How did such a great day turn into such a bad one?" And then the life lessons started to pile on as though they were shovelfuls of sand being heaped on top of me.
As I laid there I remembered that I took two pictures this morning before I started working. One was of the peacefulness of the sunrise as I sat and read and took in the day. The second was of some wildflower seeds that I was planting in our backyard. As I reflected back on these pictures, I recognized the value of them both.
Because the day took on a such a life of its own, I realized the value of spending that time in the morning with God, and that it truly is the only part of the day that I really have control over before the rest of the world comes rushing in. The picture of those wildflower seeds reminded me that perseverance in struggles and trials creates growth. I know that, but I definitely needed this reminder today.
After getting in my share of life lessons for the day, my roommate and I were standing in the backyard talking and out of nowhere, a Boxer/Rottweiler leaped over our back wall and came at us. I happened to be holding a machete in my hand and went towards him with it and he turned and ran away. I just stood and stared like, "What is happening?!" To me, this just felt so symbolic of the day. Everything felt like it was coming at me today.
I thought about scripture and where it talks about being on guard and prepared and ready for any circumstance. For me, this dog jumping over our fence and coming at us in our backyard was the greatest visual of this example. Because I had what I needed to protect myself, I didn't back down, I went towards him and he cowered down.
I feel like this is where I am in life right now lately too. I'm trying to dig in, to read scripture and to ground myself before the day starts, so that when life does throw its hardballs at me, it may knock me down, but it won't steal the day out from under me. I know that trials create perseverance and perseverance makes us stronger, but I also know that some days are just harder than others and this one just felt like it came at me from all sides.
I'm grateful for the life lessons though, and the reminder that we are never in this alone. I'm also grateful for Connie Herrera + Lacy Jo Sexton for walking in with two bags full of my favorite snacks because they knew that this day was a doozie! 😘
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
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