Two days ago, I met a four-week-old Swedish Mountain Dog named Cheddar. He was the softest little pooch you could imagine. He also jumped up on my knees and licked my face.
Three days ago, I made creme brûlée for an event I was putting on with the rest of my small event leadership team. I put the ramekins in the oven and proceeded to forget about them entirely. (How could you forget creme brûlée, you ask? Because I'm impulsive and I was cuddled up in a blanket, eating tomatoes and sprouts and watching Man Vs. Wild, that's why). Several tomatoes later, I remembered the brûlées and I rushed back downstairs and ripped them out of the oven an HOUR late and, voila, they were perfectly done.
Yesterday, I was walking alone to go pick up some groceries from a local market when a man caught my attention and complimented my smile, saying it "made his day." (Cheesy, I know, but it did brighten the moment.)
Today, I was listening to my excited friend talk about her preparations to go on a mission trip to three different exotic countries. I was reminded that I was never able to go on the Papua New Guinea missions trip I had planned on for so long. I looked down at my leg and let myself feel the dull ache that always arises after consistently using it for several hours. I began to feel the remnants of having slept terribly last night--my rest had been riddled with maintenance insomnia and nightmares. I went downstairs to pick up my laundry from the dryer and found a hole in a new dress I loved. Later, I scratched my hand up while cooking dinner for the students at the base. I never drink enough water, but the weather is becoming hotter now, and by the early evening I had developed a sore throat. My temper was short by the end of the day. When the unreliable, irresponsible gene that most people contain somewhere in their veins was displayed by some of my housemates, I became just generally bad-emotioned. That's the best way I can describe it. Disdain, impatience, a desire to shame others into acting in regulation with the code I conduct myself by, an annoyance with myself and an unhappiness with my current life all bubbled to the surface.
HOWEVER. I have recently come to realize the ultimate importance of cultivating a heart of gratitude. It is silly indeed to heap the blessings of the past on the alter of my unfortunate "today." It is even sillier to lose any measure of hope and enthusiasm for tomorrow based off of my unfortunate "today." I believe the Lord desires to see his children grateful for the gifts He gives them. I am reminded of a scene in the book "Hinds Feet on High Places" where "Much Afraid," the helpless protagonist of the book, is told she will have to take a lengthy and grueling detour away from her destination of the "High Places." After sobbing at the feet of the "Good Shepherd," she looks to the crags of the mountainside and sees a small yellow flower, smiling and raising its petals to the heavens. The flower speaks up and says to the Shepherd, "Behold me, here I am; Thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy, and all that is in my heart is Thine."
What a powerful message to be taught from a talking wildflower.
Life can be annoying sometimes. It can often be even downright discouraging. But to learn the art of accepting life with joy-- taking the highs with gratitude and the lows with grace-- this is what we should be striving for.
I just wanted to pop in and share this message with all of you. Many blessings, and thank you for praying for me as I know you do! Contact me if you'd like to know more details about my life here, or if you're interested in donating to my mission or hearing my prayer requests! My email address is located here and my address is 602 Langdon Street, Madison, WI, 53703. Thank you for your time!
Love,
Anna Click Here to Read More..
