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Saturday, July 6, 2013

Especially in Summertime

Sometimes I don't feel well. At all. Sometimes I am misunderstood or feel left out. Sometimes I let stress creep into my life like a plague. But this is the life we live, in all its imperfection, in all its wonder. And yes, it is beautiful. Especially in summertime.

There are fireflies and pink skies at dusk. Flea markets in all their dusty, rusty glory. Used books with bent covers and marked-up pages, treasures waiting to be claimed at yard sales and thrift stores. There are colors, a kaleidoscope of living green, burning gold, and sea blue. Family and love and prayers around the table. Whippoorwill's call and cicada's hum.

This is the summer of crafty projects and checked-off booklists. But not just any books complete my list--life-changing, convicting, beautiful stories do. A few of them true stories, and so beautiful it almost hurts. Such as A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken.
Project-wise, I have decoupaged three tins with lids, made a t-shirt quilt, sewed an embroidered Loch Ness Monster pillow and two pillowcases, painted numerous picture frames and a small bookcase, completed a scrapbook of last year's senior trip, transformed an old drawer into a keepsake shadowbox, made one necklace, and completed several small embroidery projects.

But most of all, there are true encounters with God. In the stillness of my room at night, with the three fans rustling the sheer white curtains and the soft porch light gently glowing in my window. Moments of prayer after my nightly reading of a spiritually convicting book when God makes His presence known to me and the tears flow at the realization of His grace. The same grace that reached mighty Christians of the past extended to someone so unworthy and unclean.
Circumstances may be daunting, but God's presence makes them bearable. I am richly blessed. Even those who suffer unthinkable hurt can say the same. Those who seek the truth with all of their hearts and truly experience God's saving grace in all of its wonder--they know. I have thought deeply recently about how each person must have that real salvation experience. No one can experience it for anyone else. And the following after God daily in every area of life must follow. That is the outward evidence of true salvation. With God, life is beautiful, even in its messiness and sorrow. Especially in summertime.

2 comments:

Cody said...

Encountering God-- the greatest blessing of summer. I love it! Speaking of books, I discovered C.S. Lewis' Beloved Works (Surprised by Joy, The Four Loves, Reflection on the Psalms, and The Business of Heaven) for $10 yesterday!

Emily said...

You did not!! Not fair! Haha I'm looking for his books for a good price, I plan to read every one this year and next year! The book I mentioned in this post, A Severe Mercy, has letters from him in it--the author was his best friend :)