Random thoughts and life

I listened to a message by Andy Stanley last week and oh how it has changed my perspective....to sum it up: Joseph (not the one married to Mary), but you know...the one that could interpret dreams, was sold to the Egyptians, was mistaken for rape, thrown in prison...that one. I loved it when Andy reminded us that God was silent to Joseph for many, many years but that God was with him. And even as I read through the story this past week, I too was reminded that even in the midst of His silence and my own confusion and sadness of life....that He is with me....with my family.



I'm also reading "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp....two sweet friends recommended it and I'll be honest, the timing of me reading this book couldn't have been more perfect....I'm only in the second chapter....but oh my goodness how it has blessed me. I have to share a few of the most beautiful, meaningful lines:

That's what I was struggling out of nightmares to reach, to seize. Joy. But where can I seize this holy grail of joy? I look back down to the page. Was this the clue to the quest of all most important? Deep "chara" joy is found only at the table of the "euCHARisteo"--the table of thanksgiving. I sit there long....wondering...is it that simple? Is the height of my "chara" joy dependent on the depths of my "eucharisteo" thanks? So then as long as thanks is possible...I think this through. As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. "Joy is always possible. Whenever," meaning-now; wherever, meaning-here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be--unbelievably-possible! I whisper it out loud, let the tongue feel these sounds, the ear hear their truth. "Charis. Grace. Eucharistea. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy." A triplet of stars, a constellation in the black. A threefold cord that might hold a life? Offer a way up into the fullest life? Grace, thanksgiving, joy. Eucharisteo. A Greek word....that might make meaning of everything?


Why I like this book? I think because I appreciate the beautiful language, the honesty, that it appears as though she wrote the book out of pure thought....and that she says things like " A triplet of stars" and "the holy grail of joy." Definitely enjoying it.

oh and here are a few pics of our sweet Julia