May It Be Well
“It is well, With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.”
–Horatio G. Spafford
Things aren’t always well with our souls. We feel burdened as parents, spouses, children, and friends. We feel the crunch of making decisions that can affect only ourselves, or ripple out and affect countless others. Our choices have consequences whether seen now or sometime in the future. But our souls…Oh, our souls.
When our children grow into adults, a little piece of our soul that became theirs at birth breaks off and goes with them. When our children at home are going through something hard, our soul weeps for their journey. When our spouses feel the crunchy feelings they are bombarded with and emotions are running hard, our souls feel cut and pierced. When we spend all our time working hard and spending countless efforts with a job or event, and it doesn’t go quite the way we expect, it stings our soul. When people crush our spirits by being judgmental, our soul just hurts.
Remembering the lyrics to this song is one way to remind ourselves that our soul belongs to The Creator of The Universe. The Creator. The one and only. He holds our soul in his arms like a newborn baby. Our helpless soul He has filled with wonder, yearning, and emotion. He takes it to the highest places and holds it during the lowest lows. Our soul is our life afterlife- it is the very center of our being. Our entire existence is based on having a soul that is protected by the One who created it.
Having a relationship with The Creator of The Universe continues to nourish our soul and provides us with a peace like no other. When things are seemingly going awry, our inner soul can be just as smooth as silk if we allow Him to cover us with his protective hands.
When the world is screaming, we can always turn inward to our Comforter and know that regardless of this current chaos, he is in control of all things. One thing we forget as humans, our soul needs repaired, fed, and polished once in a while. It needs rest, nurturing, and quiet too. When you take the time for “yourself”, take the time to renew the soul within. It is who you are, and it is who you will always be.
In order for things to be “well” with our soul, we must make a daily, sometimes hourly, commitment to converse with Him. Some days will just be harder than others- that is a biblical truth. Some days will find us rejoicing and some will find us mourning. Regardless of where we land in between, we must find a way every day to communicate our lives to our Creator, to let Him know where we are, how we feel, what we need, and to ask for mercy, grace, and forgiveness when we fall short.
He expects nothing from us but what we are capable of, and our commitment to Him and His plan. When our souls yearn for comfort and peace, it is awesome to know our Father has it covered, we need only ask. Pamper your soul during all of the seasons of your life, so that we may all be able to say, “It is well with my soul”.
XOXO,
When You Don’t Know What To Say.
SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPEALIDOCIOUS….
Its what you say when you don’t know what to say!
Right?!
When my kids were young, they loved Mary Poppins. I too loved the classic and learned fast that the nearly three-hour movie could quickly turn into a long afternoon nap for all of us if played right after lunch. There are other films my children enjoyed at this critical time of day, but this one was the most requested. Each time I would wonder about that infamous song.
Mary was all dressed up after winning an impromptu race that started out as a fox hunt.
The children, Jane and Michael, so excited when she gets an interview.
Bert just smiling and singing along.
And when the rain comes, they pop out of the sidewalk chalk like daisies in the spring and get on their way home to dry off and get set for bed with a Spoonful of Sugar.
If only it were this easy.
I mean, a spoonful of sugar, really?
(I must interject and agree that the rum-punch flavor Mary indulged in was probably best- not a big fan of cherry flavored cold medicine.)
However, when I am in a spot and I don’t know what to say, this huge word is enough to make me forget what I was trying to say in the first place. It has saved me on more than one occasion, and I am glad to have known it all these years. It does occur to me, however, that I could be using the wrong word.
What?
What did I just admit?
I am using the wrong word?
Oh My.
Let me explain. When I have an argument with my husband (whether he knows we are arguing or not), sometimes I just do not know what to say. I can say what I feel, think, or have an opinion of, but that doesn’t magically make him agree with me, understand me or keep him from running from the topic at hand.
If there is an issue with a friend, at work, or with the kids, I do not always have the right answers. Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious doesn’t always work. It’s great for some things, not so great for those most important relationship things. Not so great for those moments that define us and our relationships with others.
Then the only other word I am left with is Jesus. There is a popular Christian song that says:
” When you don’t know what to say,
Just say, Jesus.
There is power in the name,
The name of Jesus.”
-7th Time Down
Can you imagine it was here all along?
To call on the most powerful name ever, added bonus- its easy to spell and pronounce.
Simple letters, simple truths.
When you don’t know what to say when your husband just doesn’t get it- say, Jesus.
When you don’t know what to say to the friend making a super-bad choice- say, Jesus.
When you don’t know what to say to a distraught child- say, Jesus.
When you are feeling a little more than a little lost and confused,- say, Jesus.
When you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus.
Praying for saying Jesus when I just don’t know what to say.
XOXO,
Where I Stand
It seems everywhere we turn, someone wants to know where we stand.
Rich Mullins wrote a song called “If I Stand“, and for me it conveys where I stand perfectly.
Sometimes, it can be unnerving to explain your position. It is especially exasperating when your answer is clearly not what the person wants to hear. Mostly when some well-meaning (or information seeking) person asks where you stand, they are expecting you to choose a side specifically.
There are moments when your response is brutally disappointing.
When you choose your own side, by stepping out on faith and being like Jesus.
When you choose to do what is right and biblical, regardless of what others may think.
When you make a prayerful decision instead of hustling to fight or campaign for a cause.
Sometimes you choose a side and leave the rest up to God, recognizing he is always in control and he always has a plan.
Maybe instead of asking people what they think of a current situation or issue, we should be asking them if they care at all. I don’t mean to be callous, but let’s face it, some may have big life things they are dealing with. Those things may be bigger to them than the information seekers’ agenda. Maybe they already decided, and it’s over for them. Maybe they need to get back to their life.
Is this you?
Maybe there is a crisis of epic proportions you are dealing with. Financial craziness, sick family members, aging parents, and workplace stress are a few things that tend to take precedence over choosing a side. After all, you have a life to live. There are responsibilities and accountability to your family. There is a calendar with obligations, kids’ activities, and grocery shopping. There is also personal wellness to be considered.
For some of you, choosing a side just isn’t your jam. There are days when the side you choose must be your own. Choosing to deal with your own life is not a bad thing- it’s a biblical thing. You have to take care of your own house first- when I say house I mean your personal wellness, family, or the actual home.
You choose not to be so involved in the politics of the places and people around you. You have an opinion, but you choose to keep it to yourself and move on. You choose to focus on Jesus and what he expects of you. Here is a good start, in Galatians.
He says to be still. Sometimes, you don’t have it in you to fight in a situation, because you are already hanging by a thread.
He says to love one another, so when sides are chosen and fights get picked and rooms become awkward, you choose to stay back, away from the chaos.
He says to build his kingdom, spreading the gospel. When choices must be made to move forward with his plan, you move forward, because going backward is not biblical and doesn’t make any sense. You do it quietly because all you can do is be obedient to the Holy Spirits’ voice and part of that is living.
He says to give it all to him, so you give it all to him- your children, your family, your spouse, your time and your money, because nothing is more precious than Jesus.
If this is you, and you are tired of the drama which surrounds making a choice or choosing a side, be done with it. Make your decision quietly. Ask your questions of educated, considerate people. Ignore the negative, choose to look at the Bible first, the physical facts next. Find out where your faith lies. Cast your decision. Lay it down for Jesus and he will show you the way.
XOXO,
All Things Beautiful
You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of us.
This song pricks my heart every time I hear it. I know God has a plan. But sometimes I get frustrated with it. I want to know all the details so I can prepare myself and others. I want to be in the loop. The truth is, I couldn’t handle it, and He knows it.
So, I hum this tune in my head, over and over on repeat until my nerves calm a little. I realize what I need is peace about the current circumstance, not information.
Peace which surpasses all understanding.
Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Is it asking too much for God to provide what He has already promised? I want the peace. I want the heart guarding and mind shielding peace. I want the peace, but I still want to understand.
Surpassing all understanding. The peace is supposed to be enough. I pray it is. I want to be faithful to the hope this scripture brings me. I want to have this kind of peace so I can move forward with whatever His plan is for me.
I know I have to let go of this need for information. I know I must learn how to quiet my mind and turn things over to Him, not snatching them back the minute I second guess His plan. Who am I, to second guess the Creator of the Universe? I am His, and he expects this. He has a plan.
I quiet my heart, rest in this verse, and meditate on it once again. My anxiety subsides as tears fall down my face. My inner peace is warm. For a few moments, I know what it’s like to be content. I know what it is like to be still and be held. I know God’s plan is a mystery. I know, I am not supposed to know. He shields me from it because I am not Him.
And this is ok.
Xoxo
