Galatians 6:9 – Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.

Gratitude Day 845

These are the days.

This is the phrase that keeps repeating itself in my brain. At times, I feel like this phrase is like an old record, stuck with the last few seconds playing over and over again.

These are the days. These are the days. These are the days.

For the needle to be moved away from this phrase, it requires a little bump to get over the place where the needle is stuck. And then, the rest of the record can be played.

These are the days. This is my life right now.

I pray that I am relishing this season, even if it feels a bit too much at times.

A consistent struggle for me is how much to share in this space about what is going on in my life these days. Do I overshare? Or is context sometimes helpful? I find it a bit annoying when people talk too much about themselves, so I try to refrain. Yet, this is also real life. And these are real days.

There are things that happen in our lives that we can control. And other things, that feel less within our wraps. At times, I have felt my life has been filled a lot more with things less in my control. This is not all bad. Somedays, I’m not sure exactly what will happen or change by mid-day. These days are rarely boring. Instead, they feel a bit too much.

I took on filling in at two rural churches almost three months ago. My friend, Pastor Carol, was sick and then passed away. I have known these churches since I served them years ago. I am happy to fill in but this also means things I had planned on working on this summer have been pushed to the back burner. It feels good to teach and share and encourage others. This is something I do OK with. It just wasn’t exactly how I planned this summer.

These are the days.

We continue with  weekly worship and other things. It has been great to reconnect with people and share in special moments with people. Unfortunately, I feel like too often the Sunday message gets wrapped up on Saturday, rather than earlier in the week. I know they were be a bit more polished if I had a little more space to ruminate about the message. But that extra time feels like a luxury right now.

Summer is for baseball and softball. Hubby Rick and I have had plenty of opportunities to warm bleachers and watch our grandkids play. Sometimes, we divide and conquer. If I have a church meeting or another commitment, Rick takes in the game. One day this week, I helped at the 4-H Food Stand at the county fair while Rick and his son took the 11-year-old baseball player to his game. The 1.5 hour rain delay was OK, given we are in drought conditions and desperately needed rain.

These are the days.

Who knew that one day I would be wiping the butt of our grandchildren’s a beef animals at the county fair and 24 hours later officiating at a beautiful wedding in a serene outdoor setting with a canopy of oak trees defining the sanctuary?

These are the days.

As I look at my paper calendar (Yep, I’m still a paper girl) and see lots of ink on the pages, I try not to get overwhelmed but silently pray and guidance and wisdom.

And remember that these are the days.

The days can be filled with too few minutes and seemingly short hours. But when I lead a memorial service or guide families at a wedding celebration, then I remember that the little stuff is the big stuff. And I hope I’m getting at least some of the little stuff right.

These are the days.

Recently, when a friend’s husband experienced how full our lives are right now, he commented to my friend about whether I had written a book about too much doing and not enough being. Yep, that is me. And possibly re-reading it would be a good thing.  

These are the days for a quick phone call while in the car. A short lunch with Hubby Rick when we can. Keeping up with ball schedules, church commitments, my part-time marketing gig and a new project that I didn’t expect or anticipate. Should have I said, “No” to this new project? I wonder daily and pray for the ability to guide it through completion.

These are the days.

No matter what might be going on in your life, these are the days we should treasure. Appreciate. Celebrate. And not wish away. All too soon, these days may disappear and we will wish we had them back. I am more-than-gently reminded of this when words are shared at a memorial service and everyone where wonders, “Why?”

These are the days.

What do your days look like right now? Are you finding joy and happiness with some small sliver of your day? If not, build it into your day. Accept the things that you cannot change and mindfully seek guidance on what is best. Accept the moments when your heart is full and give yourself grace when the grief is overwhelming. The Lord yearns for you to ask for help. Others can step in and help. May we see these as God’s way to bring support in and offer opportunities for us to appreciate and express gratitude.

These are the days. These are YOUR days. They are my days. These are the days we should celebrate and let go of things outside of our control. May we discover that we can be satisfied right where we are.  

For the message to celebrate these days, I am very grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Loving God – May I have the grace to accept these days of my life right now. No matter what is going on right now, challenge me to see all the good around me. May I appreciate where my life is today. Amen.

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