Gratitude Day 481

Tues., June 30, 2020

Psalm 18:19 – He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out safe because he is pleased with me.

In just a few days, we will have reached the unofficial half-way point of summer: 4^th of July. Yes, the summer has been different. Yet, I pray that you are finding special ways to fill your heart and soul this summer. I have been! Here’s a few ways.

This book. Years ago, a friend shared this book with me. And it sat on a shelf until this past week. While it says that it is a book about photography, DO NOT let the cover fool you. Yes, it talks some about photography. Honestly, this small 80-page book is chuck full of life lessons. Seriously. These little lessons are ones that we’ve heard before. Maybe I just needed to hear them again. And again. Here are a few examples:

Search for and discover your identity. The better you understand yourself, the better you can make art.

Your personality is the one feature that you own. Use it. Copy it. No one can copy you. Your personality should become or reflect your style.

Most people waste time. Sometimes it looks like they think they will live forever. Any day, any hour wasted is lost forever. You can never get it back. The long you wait, the less you can achieve.

There is always a “Next Step.”

I know photography books aren’t for everyone. But this is so much more than photography. SUCH. GOOD. WISDOM.

Share Your Heart. I always feel a little awkward sharing things that help praise on me. So, I hope you’ll see the true point in me sharing. In the last month, I’ve received two very nice, very sincere comments about my book, The Mary Experiment. The first came from a teenager. She sent me a letter and shared how this book changed her life. To put this into perspective, I’m not sure a lot of teenagers write letters these days. This already says this young gal is exceptional. Secondly, that she took the time to write exactly how she feels she was influenced by someone else. A teenager. It’s easy for us to lump teens into a category in which many spend the majority of themselves focusing on themselves. Lauren is one of those girls who looks beyond herself and is such a giver.

The second person who shared with me how the book has impacted her was basically on the other end of the spectrum from Lauren. Connie celebrated her 85^th birthday a few weeks ago. She’s basically 70 years older than Lauren. One day, she picked up the phone and called me. We chatted about a few other things and then, she shared her experiences of reading The Mary Experiment. Again, I was blown away. Now, in reality, one might have expected the letter from Connie and a text from Lauren. But neither happened this way. What did these two situations say to me? When something important is on your heart, please take the time to share this information with the person who will benefit in knowing how you feel. That Lauren and Connie went out of their way to convey back to me something so personal is HUGE. BIG. NOTEWORTHY. And it has made an impact on my life.

Imagine how two people, taking time to share their hearts, made a difference. We must ALWAYS make time to share our heart with the person who we feel has made an impact. It is so easy to be busy, not take time and think they already know. Whether they do or not, take the time to personally share the message.

Sabbath time. Hubby Rick and I have been committed to taking Sabbath time while he is on sabbatical. Yes, he’s doing things that feed him. Together, we’re making sure we take extra time to enjoy life together. Over the weekend, we took about 36 hours of Sabbath with friends. It was WONDERFUL. Time away, if only for a short time, can feed the soul. Enjoy small things. Celebrate little wins. It’s OK to change it up and do things differently this summer.

For finding space this summer, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – Even in these strange and different times, there is SO. MUCH. OPPORTUNITY for us to grow. Change. Find space. Help us embrace these opportunities and not be afraid. Amen.

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