Day 161 - Humming

 

"Hope means to keep living amid desperation"

and to keep humming in the darkness."

Henri J. M. Nouwen

After a very late night, I finally laid down to rest close to 3 am this morning. I had the foresight to turn off my cell phones, but I neglected to shut off the home phone, so I was awakened from my sweet repose way too early! The caller was a friend, otherwise I would have ignored it, and besides which I needed a wake up call, and God kindly sent one. He is faithful.

I realized, however, that my solemn promise not to work on my day off is compromised every time I go past 12 midnight on Tuesday and when I make five work-related phone calls the morning of my (supposed) day off.  If I don't escape this place I may have more calls, so I finally took the phone off the hook, until I am walking out the door for my lunch date.  I am having lunch with two of my gal friends who love to drag me out of the house on a regular basis, Flo and Sharon. We do not discuss work, and we giggle A LOT!

"The miracle of joy is this: It happens when there

is no apparent reason for it. Circumstances may call

for despair. Yet something different rouses itself

inside us.... We are able to remember what the sunrise

looks like.... We remember God. We remember He is love.

We remember He is near."

Ruth Senter

Each day I am reminded and encouraged by choosing to see the blessings, regardless of how my mental outlook for the day has been running. It's okay to get down at times, as long as we can rise above these moments with praise and thanksgiving. On my lowest days I am always in the company of my Best Friend, and He is a constant strength and source of hope for me. On the worst of worst days I can courageously (with a smile on my face) visit with others, giving them encouragement and strength in the midst of their struggles, because, although happiness is fleeting, joy is the fruit of the Spirit, and satan will never steal my joy! The Bible states that "The joy of the Lord is our strength," and it is emphatically a truth we can trust as much so as the fact that He loves us!

He floods my mind and heart each day with melodies of praise from wonderful times I've had in my past service to Him, and my heart overflows with joy beyond any understanding listening to music from today's contemporary praise artists and the old hymns of stalwart courage and devotion.

"The people came. They came out of the cul-de-sacs and office

complexes of their day. They brought Jesus the burdens of 

existence, and He gave them not religion, not doctrine, not 

systems, but rest. As a result, they called Him Lord. As a result

they called Him Savior."

Six Hours One Friday

by

Max Lucado

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are wear and burdened (heavy-laden), and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)  I need these days of rest in order to keep my perspective fresh and hopeful. It's important to have fun, to enjoy our family, friends, and to make new ones. I always feel better when I can make someone smile, ease their suffering, or just work along beside them in accomplishing a needed goal be it mental or physical. An honest day's work will not kill you...it makes you stronger, perhaps not so much in the physical sense, but definitely in the emotional, mental, and spiritual sense of the word. Reaching out to help someone who needs a friend is much needed!  Being a voice for those without a voice, or teaching a victim to have a voice is a privilege. We need to work together, sharing the burdens imposed on many forms of injustice, but ultimately laying the burden down at the feet of our Comforter, who takes away our heavy burdens and gives us rest.