A beautiful life
As soon as breakfast was over I took my coffee outside and sat outside on the deck. It was a gorgeous morning, cooler than it has been but there was one little spot on the bright red cushioned couch that was right in the shaft of morning sun. It was calling my name.
I opened my Bible to Isaiah, took a sip of my coffee and began reading the prophecies from thousands of years ago. It’s amazing how God can speak through such ancient words.
In January I began in Genesis to read through the Bible. I have no plan, no timeline, no restraints on myself other than to read from start to finish. It was going fairly quickly through all the interesting old testament stories, but recently Psalms started to drag on (reading one psalm at a time to reflect is amazing, but trying to read many psalms in one day is kind of challenging!). I’ve regained momentum through Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and made it to one of my favorite books of the Bible, Isaiah.
It gives me such hope for our future. While some of his prophecies were for the age he lived in, many are yet to come. And I like to hope that I am one called to rebuild the ancient ruins, or an oak of righteousness so poetically described in Isaiah 61. And unfortunately the darkness in chapter 59 feels way too close for comfort in our world right now.
But God’s light is shining, and I’m thankful to be reading this book of hope.
I sat outside this morning because I want to use the beautiful spaces God has given us better. I finally got the deck cleaned off and situated for summer over the weekend, so I thought I should pretend like every day is vacation and go read scripture on the red couch with my side of coffee and vitamin D.
I was surprised that it set my mood higher for the day. Most of the kids stayed inside playing, and I got to have some nice conversations with Ira and some uninterrupted time to read.
Most mornings I don’t get up early. I used to feel guilty, like I wasn’t spending time with God first but then I began to realize no relationship filled with guilt is a very good one. So I do what works best in this season, and generally getting up before the kids is near impossible. The days I do try and tiptoe down someone follows me and then I’m frustrated.
I think it’s good for them to see me reading the Bible, but they can be loud and distracting. That’s ok, though, God and I are generally tight all day long.
I ponder big questions, I asked Him for help on an hourly basis, I pray to him in the afternoons when the kids watch a show and all is quiet for a bit. God speaks to me in the mornings, but He also speaks to me when I’m washing the dishes or pulling weeds in the gardens (so many weeds to be pulled right now). It’s those times, when my hands are busy that my mind can be free to hear him and consider the big questions that may arise.
Maybe that’s why gardening is so meaningful to me. I meet God so often in the time I spend out there.
God has given me this beautiful life, this beautiful family, and a gorgeous place to call home. I’m doing my best to remember that every day, to use it wisely and tend it not only for me and my kids, but for others that grace our presence as well. It’s a legacy I’m leaving, and one in which I hope lots of beauty and grace is present.
A beautiful life can’t help but speak of a beautiful God and Savior.
