July 2015 – A Seasoned Journey

I opened my eyes and my heart lit up!

He knows me…not the woman I was or had become but the woman I am!

They are just a simple pair of shoes, right?

However, you have to admit they’re pretty cool and PINK!

My Labor of Love, my dear husband, surprised me with my new shoes at dinner last night. He had me close my eyes tightly and when I opened them…my heart smiled. If a heart can smile – and I believe it can – then my heart literally smiled. There’s hope!

It was a simple gift. No fancy wrappings. No fanfare.

Yet, the gift was lovingly given. I was on his mind when he picked these for me.

Just the right size. Just the right color: PINK!

That makes me smile even more…why? Because I was on his mind.

You see my L.O.L (and no, this does not mean laughing out loud) of almost 30 years…knows me! He has been by my side through the good, the bad and the downright ugly growing seasons of my life. He has patiently endured much as the process of cleansing the deepest wounds of my heart took more time than either of us care to admit. Healing and restoration did happen and continues to happen…and my heart smiles. Anyone else would have walked away but he stayed…why?

Because he knows me… and through the knowing, he loves me.

Again, my heart smiles.

He knows me…not the woman I was or had become through hurt but the woman I am!

He knows my struggles and yet is my biggest fan.

He has seen my pain…yet has given distance for grace to heal.

He listens…when no words are needed.

You see, it really wasn’t the shoes that made my heart smile, it was his thought of me.

In this world of chaos and confusion, he took notice of me. In the busyness of a daily schedule…he was being my labor of love.

A simple truth learned:

It is the simple and unexpected things of life that are able to produce in us the most enduring joy.

I once opened my heart to a simple truth and unexpectedly my eyes lit up to Truth…HE knows me. John 3:16 (MSG)

A simple birth…an unexpected arrival and yet…HE thought of us.

It was a sacrificial gift wrapped in a precious baby boy and YES, there was fanfare: A Heavenly Host sang Hallelujah!

Yet, the Gift…JESUS, was lovingly given to us…we were on HIS mind.

It was the perfect Gift to make a willing heart smile and why?

Because…

In this world of chaos and confusion, HE took notice of us. In the busyness of our daily schedules HE knew exactly what was needed to restore relationship with HIM.

He remains constantly by our side through the good, the bad and the downright ugly growing seasons of our lives. He has patiently endured the separation as HE continues to love us and provide cleansing for the deepest wounds of our heart. Anyone else would have walked away but HE stayed…why?

Because He knows us…and through the knowing, He loves us.

HE loves us…simple and and sometimes unexpectedly

Again, my heart smiles.

HE knows us…not the person we were or have become but the person we were created to be! Psalm 139 (MSG)

HE knows our struggles and yet is our biggest fan.

HE has seen our pain…yet has given distance for grace to heal.

HE listens…when no words are needed.

I am enamored by His presence,

…by His extravagant grace,

…by His unending mercy; and

…by His unconditional love!

My deepest joy? He knows me!