live at peace with everyone

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

An excerpt of this passage was read at our wedding. My little brothers spent hours practicing and reciting it. They even took turns writing it out on paper and carrying it around in their pockets. And I'll never forget their voices during our ceremony: clear, a little sheepish, raspy, sure.

On that summer day -- july 13, 2013 -- I didn't really put much thought into how I would live this scripture out. I honestly didn't think it would apply to much more than my marriage -- a resolve & recipe for ben & for myself. I didn't think I'd actually have to use this as my "how to" guide for responding to real life on the outside with the real love of Jesus. I didn't think we'd find ourselves sitting at our kitchen table, his voice full of emotion as he reads these words aloud to me. I didn't think we'd be driving down fenton mill road, me ranting, and him reminding me softly: "as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

Now, it's become more than a scripture read at our wedding. It's become part of our life message. Part of our calling - to love others in spite of our preferences and priorities. I'm so thankful I learned this lesson when I did. I'm thankful God chose us to learn it and live it out - together. I am joyful because I have a sure and steadfast hope. I am faithful to surrender it to him in prayer because he hears and he has mercy. I am patient because I know God brings good out of affliction, serves justice, and grants peace.

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good."  -- John Steinbeck 

xoxo,

d

about time and about life

I realize that I've nearly completely neglected this beautiful little piece of me. I've missed blogging, but also been busy living...so I guess it's okay?

I'm in a season of stretching & trusting. I'm being pushed out of so many comfort zones (necessary!) and also trying my hardest to look to Jesus when things get sketchy & uncertain (also necessary). It's a funny thing -- trust. You worry about so many things in life and often the thing that creeps up on you to threaten your joy & peace is the last thing you ever thought to stress about.

I watched the movie About Time recently. It's full of british humor, face-palm time traveling escapades, and Rachel McAdams (whom I love soooo much). But it also provides some pretty good life advice that kinda stuck with me and even had me grabbing it a second time at redbox.

Like this quote about worrying:

"There's a song by Baz Luhrmann called Sunscreen. He says worrying about the future is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life will always be things that never crossed your worried mind."

Or this one about life in general and knowing when to stop stressing and start living:

"And in the end I think I've learned the final lesson from my travels in time; and I've even gone one step further than my father did: the truth is I now don't travel back at all, not even for the day. I just try to live everyday as if I've deliberately come back to this one day - to enjoy it - as it if was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life."

So my life may be ordinary. I may work a crazy schedule and have a huge family and be way too obsessed with quality time to actually accomplish tasks (or blog for that matter). I may be going through some health issues and growing into new roles and trying to figure out the future (futile endeavor). But hey! I am loved by Jesus, my husband, and my family. And sometimes when you're finding a new rhythm you see those types of things more clearly: like when your people bring you coffee, drop off Zoe's Kitchen for dinner, text encouragement, and give you the best hugs when you need them. And in all of it, I am reminded that this life really isn't about me at all. It's about whose name I carry. It's about showing people Jesus -- reaching out, showing up, being there. It's about making Jesus known and spreading his GOOD news to everyone I encounter. So really? I am living the extraordinary life. A life of ministry. A life of hope. A life of purpose. A life that's evolving, constantly taking new shape, and for that I am thankful because who likes to stay the same?

(Now who can help me with time management so that I have clean clothes to wear, painted walls in my house, friends who feel poured into, and me time to decompress?!)

spring, why couldn't you stay?

(forgot to post this...)

Our AC broke last weekend. It was 89 degrees in our little home...pretty miserable for us snow-loving people. We gathered portable fans and lugged them around to whichever room we were occupying. We ate ice cream and stayed as stationary as possible -- on the couch watching gilmore girls. We I complained and whined and tried to crawl into the refrigerator. We made watermelon smoothies and opened all the windows. We fell asleep to the swoosh of cars passing by every 10-15 seconds and kicked each other if we got too close in bed. It was an adventure. One that we begged Nelson's Heating & Air to rescue us from -- to which they did so, kindly.

It was spring when we moved in last year...so in a way, everything has come full circle. We have officially lived at the rothwell square for every season! And there is a small sense of accomplishment in that. The evening light and fast growing grass and warm weather remind me of our first memories here - when it was empty and bare and new. We had a fully stocked kitchen from all our wedding & shower gifts, but zero furniture. Okay...we had two nightstands and three barstools.

It's easy to look around now with a check-list view. And while I admit to having a "next priority" wish list with a budget and pin board, springtime days remind me of our humble beginnings. And the way we've smiled and laughed despite being the poor married couple putting cash in a jar to save up for a bed frame so we can stop sleeping half a foot off the floor.

It's home. It's what we've made. It's the place I love. The place where I exhale after a long day of work. The place where I can sit on counters and blast music I like. It's going to be that for me whether or not we ever buy another throw pillow for my collection. And the most fulfilling part is the joy of filling it with the non-tangibles: good dinners on the grill, songs in the mornings, loads of coffee and devotionals, ben always rushing me out the door, changing the mood with a dimmer switch, turning in early because a storm starts and it's nice to fall asleep to rain and thunder. You know, those things that make your heart sigh and completely blind you to the cans of paint waiting to go on the walls.

I like having space to fill. I like making room for more. I'll keep doing both.

 

"Ideals"

Courage to face tomorrow,
Love that is clean and pure,
Faith that clings to simple things,
Hope that is strong and sure;
Strength when the storm clouds gather,
A heart that will soon forgive...
This is the gold your heart will hold,
These are the things that live!

Oh, for a spot that slumbers
Warm in the evening sun;
Oh, for a gate where dear ones wait
After the race is run;
Oh, for a peace-filled garden
With roots in the good brown loam...
Behind each hill they call me still,
The sun-splashed walls of home!

Songs you sang in twilight,
The warm sweet smell of the land,
A love-filled face by the fireplace,
The touch of a loving hand;
A kiss from the lips of someone
That no other lips can give....
This is the gold your heart will hold,
These are the things that live!

-- Carey Holbrook