Praise when I'm grieving

One would hope that one wouldn't need to write a post on grieving, but I guess in some ways I realise I have been experiencing some grief .  The biggest thing has been - grieving the ageing of a parent and the fact this parent has chosen to be 'away' from his family for a year now.

Now that I've written it - they seem like two significant but mutually exclusive challenges to deal with.

I don't really want to write in too much detail about it, but I'm learning to have to really look for the 'good' in the situations.  In the past I have been able to seek what God wants me to learn or how He wants me to grow in situations.  But I've found this particularly hard this time around.

I am thankful though for:

• God's faithfulness to be, despite feeling far away from Him...distant.
• Friend's honesty in not knowing what to say, but just being there.
• Simple things - it's often through challenges that I find I appreciate the simpler things in life more.  Nothing puts a smile more on my face these days than a dog!  Any dog....as long as it's not barking!

I think one of the hardest things about grieving is letting go and trusting God - knowing what to let go of without too much logic.  The more logic I bring into it the harder it is to let go....if that makes sense.

I know God can work miracles.  I need to trust and hope in that.

  

Praise when I'm laughing

A friend invited me over for dinner on Friday night.  It was good to:
...spend time with familiar friends
......catchup
.........be welcomed with home-cooked food generously and lovingly made
............and laugh....alot


There have only been a few times in the past months that I think I've heartily laughed.


Laughing helps me to relax and makes you feel, well, happy!


Blessed to have friends who make us laugh.
Blessed to be able to laugh.
Should do it more often....I even told my Project Manager this week - we should laugh more!

Praise in the evening

Life doesn't seem to stop the last few months - but strangely enough things seem to remain the same for me in parallel with lots of change happening around me.  


More recent events include a long time friend getting married this weekend (I will now be the remaining single person in this group of friends - we met in our graduate jobs), another close friend moving interstate and another dear friend returning to her homeland in Ireland.


I'm a bit sad moreso about the friends leaving.  But I've also been struggling lately with being single and where I'm at spiritually.  But at the same time feeling numb...The numbness makes time pass quite quickly.  Does that make sense?!


Each week seems the same.  And I seem to be consistently tired.
But I'm not unhappy.  Perhaps not content.


A friend who doesn't even know me that well said something quite poignant to me last week.  She mentioned I might need to let go of something I've been holding onto to free my heart up for (a man - in relation to my singleness)....But it made me think my heart has been caught up elsewhere instead of in God.  The numbness doesn't help though!  Selective numbness.... : )


But I can give thanks and praise tonight for:

• Dear friends - whether near or far.
• God's working in my friend C's life and the provision of a husband who has the same purpose as her.
• Despite my tiredness, I still have energy to do things I need or want.  Eg. so tired today but still managed to go for a run, do a load of washing, cook 3 meals, talk to a friend on whatsapp (whilst stretching post run) and sit down with a cup of tea and write this post.

Tomorrow is a new day, praying that the Father would pleasantly surprise me in His purpose for me, even if in the smallest way.

Goodnight!

Praise in the morning

Thank you Lord for the warming sun and crisp air which co-exist on a winter's morning.

Thank you that many of us are blessed with shelter, food, good health and rest.

We praise you for your creation - the birds that tweet, the flowers that blossom, the people who love us and we love.  

Thank you for buttery croissants & freshly brewed coffee.

Thank you for the talents each person has - for my hairdresser, chiro, personal trainer, doctor....Thank you for their passion!

Praise you that your love is new every morning.