sunrise thoughts 27 October 2015

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down. Do you remember those lyrics? The Carpenters... a brother & sister singing duo... was a group loved by my father. I remember going on family rides in the station wagon on Sunday afternoons & listening to them on an 8-track cassette tape. (Anyone remember those?!?!? And, did anyone else just ride around in the car with your family for entertainment??)

I often think of those words on Mondays or when it's raining - especially at the beginning of the day. Sometimes, I really relate to that melancholy feeling. But, truth be told, I kind of like Mondays & I kind of like rainy days. And, this morning I got a rainy day...

Rainy Day Recipe - Country Cemeteries

It was what I like to call my birthday week... which generally turns into my birthday month for celebratory reasons. The weather was not cooperating!! Although the forecast called for only a 30% chance of rain, we seemed to be getting all of our portion during the daylight hours - specifically between the hours of 7:30am and 3pm - when my schedule is more open due to family members being out of the house. A brisk walk for 3-4 miles along country roads in the rain might happen every once in awhile. But, my idea of "walking in the rain" does not meet true exercise standards.

HOPE, Rainy Days 10-19-13

It's October here in "Hoosier Land" or, as I call it, StuckInIndiana. And, the weather today is cool & rainy. I've been battling a sore throat, body aches & a bad cough for the past few days. I'm determined to nip that in the bud! There's no time to be sick in my world right now. We have a sweet little 9-month old angel & her mommy living with us now. Life is FULL :) Thankfully, I'm blessed with a great LOML (aka spouse) who's been willing to help out a little more than usual with meals at night. That's allowed me to get some much needed rest at the end of the past few days.

The night brought cooler temp's and a light rain. That didn't discourage some of our household members! Our sweet daughter is totally loving motherhood & had the day planned already for her little girl. They were up early, all excited for the day regardless of the weather. And, as I posted on Facebook this morning...

Q: What does a girl do on a rainy Saturday?

A: She puts on a frilly skirt & glittery boots

and heads to the Children's Museum with a few dear friends!

Sometimes when we encounter life's rainy days, it's the perfect time to dress up in glitter and ruffles to face the day head on. Sometimes when we encounter life's rainy days, it's the perfect time to stay in fleece jammies while reading & writing and leisurely catching up on a few things around the house. Instead of letting a rainy day dictate what you do, choose what you do to suit what you need! I've learned that life lesson through the rainy days of my life! Some days I head right out into the rain. Other days, I nestle into the warmth & comfort of my home, resting up for another day.

As a little child, I memorized the verse, 

“Honor the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8

The New Living Translation reads, “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” And, their commentary notes read, 

“The Sabbath was a day set aside for rest and worship. God commanded a Sabbath because human beings need to spend unhurried time in worship and rest each week. To observe a regular time of rest and worship in our fast-paced world demonstrates how important God is to us, and it gives us the extra benefit of refreshing our spirits. Don’t neglect God’s provision.” 

This cool, rainy Saturday, I am enjoying SABBATH!

Linking October 2013 with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge

Crazy Habits! - 31 DAYS OF CRAZY - 05 October 2012

Today was wonderful... gray, cool, rainy... a perfect day for a photo shoot.  And me, the one who doesn't want to leave her house for all sorts of social things, is CRAZY about going outside for photo shoots in inclement weather...

• Walk-abouts in a blizzard - bundled up & looking like the Michelin Tire woman
• Putting on leopard Target rain boots to hike across a newly plowed, muddy field to check out a small wooded area for recent deer trails
• Sitting in a car beside the ocean in a lightning storm to see if I can catch a brilliant lightning strike with my camera
• Slowly driving alongside newly harvested fields in search of gorgeous displays of autumn & peaceful moments

Today was such a day.  And, I couldn't resist it.  I donned a light rain jacket (since I usually CAN'T stay IN the truck) and headed out for a mid-morning photo shoot in the rain.

 

I just recently read a National Geographic news article stating that women see colors more vibrantly than men do.  Could that be? I'm sure National Geographic wouldn't lie. And, it certainly would be explanation of the lack of ardor from my husband when I shriek with excitement, "Stop the car. Let me take a picture.  Isn't that awesome!?!" 

Regardless of the validity of that study, I am so very grateful that I get SO excited about the simple beauty of changing leaves & muddy puddles of rain & horses coats soaked with rain as they graze in a field & grass worn down in a path in a wooded area across the field by last night's deer.  For me, they are all signs of God's love for me.  He made me the way I am - to love & be touched by those simple things.

I might have some CRAZY HABITS... but, I am blessed daily by so many of them! 

Go check out over 1200 topics
in the 31 days {of change} with...

Shared with the Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts Community on 10/22/12

Check out my October list too :)

And I sat... and wept...

Today, I wept as I read words that "I" had written in an older post -- when I had opened my heart for all to see. That blog post exposes so much raw emotion within me. Will it touch someone else's soul?  Will the words I wrote open and begin to clean wounds in preparation for healing in another?  I don't know. I can only write from the heart. 

The intensity of emotion shook me... and, through the tears, I posted the following: 

"For those of you who write... or blog... are there things you've written that bring tears to your eyes? What joy to feel so deeply."  

Within moments one of my followers responded with:

"The blog I wrote last night brought tears to my eyes, but it wasn't joy."

My immediate response:

"I'll say this before i read your post... the fact that we can FEEL deeply... isn't that, in a way, JOY?"

With rain comes the rainbow.With tears come the promises.

It's said that one of the hardest things in life is "not knowing".  Well, I'd like to submit "not feeling" to the list.  There've been times in my life when I have not "felt" - insulating myself in a cocoon to protect me from the "real" of life. And, in those times, I've felt anything but alive. Feeling the pain allows me to know that I am alive - a living being, dealing with whatever life throws in my path. And, choosing JOY in those times makes all the difference.  Nothing will come my way that I cannot handle. But, I don't handle it on my own.  The only way that I'm able to handle anything is through my relationship with God, the Father; Jesus, His Son; and the Holy Spirit. I believe promises... and claim them... even when I don't feel it...

"The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy.

I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing." 

Jeremiah 31:3

There's so much pain in the story of the untimely death of Trayvon Martin.  There are so many unanswered questions.

How do we deal with it? 

We feel!

Please read the blog which was shared with me by Beyond Normal Limits - Raising Boys In A Dangerous World  She felt the pain & she responded.

Dear God,

Thank you for feeling -- both the good & the bad.

Let me continue to look for Your promises with expectation.

Awake my feelings.

Bring reassurance & joy in the midst of pain. 

"I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth." Genesis 9:13 NLT