God of this heart :)

Today I have reason to celebrate,
today I have a reason to shout and sing for JOY
I have a hope that does not fade,
that will not give up on me,

Sitting here today in my house has been refreshing
it's weird being in an empty house,
over time it starts to feel confining and overwhelming...
simply being alone for so long.
HOWEVER...in those moments of stillness and quietness...God speaks
and God loves
I am so thankful for this afternoon of quieting my heart,
of realizing the fullness of God's love and blessing in my life
and I am so thankful for who He made me to be,
and the areas that He is constantly chiseling at
and turning into something beautiful.

I will shout for joy,
because the Lord has shown me great love,
love that I do not deserve,
love that I usually take for granted

but it is in the little things of my day,
that I am beginning to notice and hold onto
the unexpected encouragement from a friend,
the way the wind feels when I walk outside to the mailbox
the lights that comes in from my slanted window blinds,
the feel of being able to sing loudly as I fold my laundry
and praise the God who made me...
these things are the beautiful things of life,
the precious things that I never want to forget...
the things that so often can seem mundane and boring,
but when noticed and appreciated become the things
that make up our days and our lives

If I could pray for anything,
it would be....to appreciate and notice the small things,
which I tend to forget...
I want to see the wonder in the leaves on a tree, and
the wind that though I can't see it, I feel it, and it refreshes my body.

Life is too fast...too crazy
and when I lose myself in things that don't really matter...
I stop being thankful for the little things that do.

I want to live this day for the Lord,
if for no one else,
in Him there is freedom and contentment,
and all good things.

Praise the Lord.