Lest We Forget

In Church today I watched a Remembrance PowerPoint. It was very thought provoking and as I watched many different images of war I was led to think of the way in which conflict ripples out and touches such a vast amount of people and places. Over the years people have had to endure such terror which I cannot even begin to comprehend. Images show homes being ripped apart and for some people their lives will never be whole again.

I am grateful that each year we remember. To take time to consider those who have served to enable me to live as I do today. To think of those who have lost and of those whose lives have been forever changed.

To be honest I would like to remember more and to be prepared to spare more thoughts and thank yous for those who have served and who are serving now. Often I will see a headline about current conflicts and my eyes will skim over it because I would rather not face the reality of what is going on in the world around me. It all seems too horrible and instead of reading on, I tell myself there is nothing I can do about it.

However there is something I can do. Instead of choosing the 'easier' headline to read I can choose the harder one and I can spend some time thinking about situations other than mine. I can pray for those involved and know that my prayers will be heard. I should not limit my prayers just because I am praying for an unfamiliar situation that is happening half way around the world.

I am also able to do my part. With every sun I can choose peace over conflict. Love should be my motive and my words should build up rather than knock down. As I do each day the ripples that flow out from me should be bringing unity rather than discord.

Today has been an opportunity to remember and I hope that when tomorrow comes I will not forget and instead I will do my part.

Day One

There are times when songs go round and round my head. When it is the random song that we were listening to at the children's disco on Monday that's not quite so good. However when it is a phrase from a particular song then, I begin to wonder if there is something I should be thinking about...

Recently, one line from the chorus of a song keeps playing in my mind. It is not one of my favourite songs and I have only heard it on the radio two or three times. The line is 'It's day one of the rest of my life.' (If you would like to listen to it too it is called Day One by Matthew West!)

I am seeing that this line is really quite a positive thing to be saying as I begin each new day. Today is brand new, it is an adventure to be had - who knows where my steps might take me?!?!

As today begins, I should be excited about the opportunities today has in store.

Why should I feel so positive? Because I am held. The more I get to know God, I realise more and more the depth of His love for me. I feel the strength of His arms holding me and I see the goodness in His plans for me.

There are many days when I still get it wrong, I worry and fix on the wrong things. Yet God is still there, patiently waiting. God is not reprimanding me for getting it wrong, instead I can picture Him there, cheering me along, saying "Go on Ruth, let's do this, because today is going to be more than good!" #TrustMe

Press Play

Press play...I know that life can hurt. People can hurt us. I react to this hurt and life gets messy.

Stop.

Rewind... to the point where life hurts. Something unexpected or even something expected comes along and it hurts like hell. 

Pause...I can react or I can respond, it is my choice. I am learning that a response is more thoughtful, more considerate, gentler than a reaction.

Take a moment to think - why? It is not possible for me to get into someone else's head and work out the whys and wherefores, however there is something I am able to consider which is...

If God can look at someone and it causes His face to shine then they must be rather special. Therefore I can choose to look past the pain and the hurt that I am feeling and take a better look to see what it is about that person that causes God's face to shine. 

I believe it has got something to do with love. 

Loving come what may.

Loving more.

Loving without expectation.

With every sun comes a new day, I press play and I hope to look past the mess and the hurt. I will try to look with love and search for what it is that shines. 

Right Here, Right Now...

Right here, right now, I would like to do things differently. I am going to count my blessings. It only takes one moment for me to realise that I have so, so much to be thankful for.

Wonderful family and friends who make my life a better and brighter place. People who give me the strength to stand and words of encouragement.

My beautiful three who bring joy in so many different ways and the opportunity to love with a depth that I did not know was possible. Even though being a parent is the hardest thing I have ever done, there are many blessings in the new experiences and new discoveries that parenting brings.

Our home, a sofa to snuggle up on, the table where we sit and share #OneGoodThing. Water from the tap, a whole variety of different foods - the latte and dairy milk that are next to my computer right now!

I could go on and on because my life is blessed and for that I am thankful. With every sun comes a new day and the opportunity to take a good look around me and see blessings. As I wake each morning I can be thankful that I am able to get out of bed even if it is after I have pressed snooze once or twice!

As I sit here and write this I am listening to a song (music, another blessing) and the words say, "'Cause when I fall to my knees You're the One who pulls me up again".

Unfortunately life can bring me to my knees and today I would like to respond differently. Here and now I can look up and look around and see so much to be thankful for. I am certain that in any moment I can look and find so many blessings.

I shall not let being on my knees define who I am. Instead I shall let the One who pulls me up define me and be thankful for ALL that I have around me as I rise up.

How Do I?

With every sun comes a new day and in that day there are things to do, people to see, words to be said, thoughts to be thought, moments to be shared and opportunities to be taken. 

However things, people, words, thoughts, moments, opportunities do not always go as planned and do not always happened as hoped. 

I get it wrong and at times I completely mess up. I do not do the things I should do, my words are not as kind as they could be, people might see the wrong side of me, my thoughts are not thoughtful, moments are spoilt and opportunities are wasted.

In these times I can react and cover up my mess by heaping the blame on to someone else. Or I can choose to do things differently and consider why I messed up, why I chose reaction over response. It is not always easy to speak the good and right things into the lives of the people we have the privilege of sharing. However it is my responsibility to press into what is good and right and make every effort to uphold truth and show worth. 

Today I would like to try and be someone who tries to do, see, say, think and be in a better way. I hope I can give myself a bit of slack when I get it wrong. I pray that when I fall, because I inevitably will, I can dig deep to hold on to what I know is true as I get back up. 

So today, as I do, see, say, think and be, I hope that I can find the strength to pause a moment and then, as I continue on make the better choice and respond with love.

In This Moment

When the waves keep crashing down and I know that I am still a long way from the safety of shore. I sit here knowing that I could very easily sink, then I know that in this moment I have a choice to make.

So in this moment instead of saying, "I cannot do this," I am going to say, "God, please show me how to do this."

I will keep on and as I do I will lift my gaze and keep my eyes above the water. I will do today covered with the truth that I AM LOVED.

And when tomorrow's sun brings it’s new day I hope to be able to lift my gaze once again.

All Things New

Life is not always straight forward. The path can be bumpy or smooth, there may be unexpected corners and sharp bends or the road might be long and monotonous.

Life is a journey and as I continue on, I have been learning that God makes all things new. I have been challenged to look for the newness in my circumstances. To see things afresh rather than approaching them with fear.

This time of year is often thought of as a time of new beginnings, particularly if life involves school or college or university. For me, today was a new day just simply because it was! However, it was also the very first page of another chapter.

A first page that required choices...anxiety or calm...doubting or trusting. Life does not stand still and as I face each new day, am I going to make the better choice?

Well today, that choice was made for me!

I went outside into the garden to hang out the washing (somethings will never change!) and I noticed the colours of the sunrise reflected in the morning sky. Then I saw a beautiful rainbow yet it was definitely not raining.

So where did the rainbow come from? Scientists might tell me different, although I believe that it was there for me, to remind me that God is Faithful and He will use whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. He will use them for good and in ways I could never hope for or imagine.

Each day and whatever comes with it, is an opportunity to step into newness. As every sun brings a new day and new circumstances, I hope to be faithful too.

'...all things have become new.'

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New King James Version)