the difference a day can make

Oh yeah, it's Tuesday... I had no idea what to write about today, and my overloaded brain wasn't interested in thinking too hard to find something. I'm just being honest. I let it go.

God didn't.

That's a big deal right now because I have been in a struggling place lately. Yesterday morning I sat outside my back door with tears streaming down my face feeling the deepest sense of hopelessness I've experienced in a long while. I sucked it up, put on my duty face and went to class. I don't know about you, but I hate being in public when I feel like a total basket case.

I walked into class an hour and a half late and did my best to put the tears on hold and focus on the task at hand. The day did get easier. My instructor is a kind, compassionate man. A couple of good friends piled onto the couch around me, let me cry, then showed me funny YouTube videos until I laughed. I felt more like myself in my second class. At 9PM I headed home to some hot tea and a movie snuggled on the couch with my hubby and daughter. My husband gently rubbed my back and prayed as I drifted to sleep.

This morning hubby took the morning routine reigns because I had an early doctor's appointment. One of the gals who works there is just learning to quilt. I excitedly gave her a list of blogs to check out online and the info for the annual quilt show in town. I left feeling good about connecting with her.

And... that's when it hit.

Twenty-four hours ago I was on my lawn chair feeling hopeless.

I lead a weekly bible study, and this week's focus is asking God for more of His presence. The challenge is to get Him off the sidelines and welcome Him INto our daily lives, moment by moment, to take full advantage of what He's made available to us through Christ. His presence. His peace. His strength. I felt like a fraud because I'm a wee bit not-happy at Him right now and still working through it.

But God knows that, and it hasn't stopped Him from being Himself. It reminds me of The God Hunt in reverse. Instead of hunting for God in every day I've been asking, "Where'd you go?"And instead of making me hunt for Him, He's showing me, "Here I am."

This honest moment brought to you by Tuesday's Unwrapped, an encouraging way to unwrap the magic that is life.

camouflage

Ahhh! There's a crisp breeze coming through the windows, the birds are singing, the aroma of soup stock simmering on the stove wafts through the house.... It's total camouflage for the craziness about to begin!

It's also my quiet morning moment when all is right with my world. It's what makes coming home worth coming home. The smells, the sounds, the promise of safety away from 'out there' and the opportunity to refocus on the truly important.

After all, isn't the purpose of camouflage to cover and protect? ;o)

This quiet moment brought to you by Tuesday's Unwrapped, a delightful way to unwrap the magic that is life!

an ordinary tuesday

It's just an ordinaryTuesday.

The day started at 5:15 trying to pry teens from their beds after staying up too late, followed by an acid-inducing race to get them to school on time. By time I arrived home my husband had already left for work.

And I didn't get to say good-bye.

It sounds silly, but on this particular morning, in the midst of all that's going on in our lives that small fact cracked the last vestige of my composure. The tears were ready to spill when I walked in a saw a note on top of the mayo I left out. A love note from my husband.

It quickly reminded me of the love notes God sends to me daily. A word here. A lyric there. An act of kindness from a stranger. An unexpected delight. Something silly that makes me smile. The little things He uses to whisper I'm here, and I love you in my ear. The small things that if I told someone they'd look at me like I was nuts. But I recognize them. Straight from His heart to mine. Even on an ordinary Tuesday.

ahhhh!

The windows are open and there's a nip in the air every now and then that gives away the approach of fall. I tell people and they think I'm nuts... but if you really pay attention you can feel it. Sometimes you can smell it. It invigorates me.

This post is part of Emily's Tuesday's Unwrapped, a place to stop and notice the little things that make life magical.