I have very exciting news to share, and I hope you will do me the honor of reading to the end of this post to celebrate my good news!
We walk through the valleys and wade through the lows to reach the mountain tops and high points in life!
We watch for the light to come through, but must be careful to not try and rush it.
It's tempting to wish away anything that isn't joyful.
We want to be happy, not sad! But, I believe it is all essential to live a full life.
We need to appreciate the good and the bad to be healthy and balanced.
We need the balance of the two halves in order to be whole.
Remember the old adage, "All work and no play...." It's as dull and incomplete as "All play and no work...." Honey tastes 10 times sweeter after eating something sour. Sunshine feels 10 times warmer after hours of damp rain. Victory makes the celebration 10 times more enjoyable after a devastating defeat.
We need to experience the ordinary to recognize and appreciate the extraordinary!
I've really felt the ups & downs this week as we laid to rest our beloved PopPop. The funeral home was filled with family four generations deep, and friends from many walks of life. He loved us big, and we loved him big! So, now we miss him big! There were tears of sorrow mingled with tears of laughter as we remembered and shared the stories of fun and love and leadership that he exemplified.
We want the good ones to stay with us forever.
It's a crazy mix of emotions. But, we need the mixture.
Highs and Lows
If we only stay in the dark room,
we miss what the light brings.
If we only play in the sunshine, we miss what the rest brings.
We need them both.
TODAY:
High ~ I heard the good news that my friend's husband is going home from the hospital.
Low ~ Then, I received a text that another friend is fighting for his life in the ICU.
TODAY:
Low ~ I read the story of another mass shooting.
High ~ Then, I received a call sharing the good news of a young family turning their lives away from crime and drugs to a better and brighter future.
High and Lows ~ Treasure the Mountains and Endure the Valleys
TODAY:
Low ~ I reflected on my fears in the many valleys along my path.
High ~ I now stand on the mountain top to announce the happy news of my first book being published this Fall !!!
I find it fitting that after experiencing many dark nights of uncertainty,
my first book will be published by Sunrise Press !!!
I heard God's call and took a leap of faith
to focus on writing full time. He has called me to share the Good News, and I trust Him to reach the hearts of all who read my work.
So, keep climbing! Keep trusting! Keep living!
Get through the dark nights to embrace the bright days!
Slow down when the way is rocky and murky,
to enjoy the ride when the path is smooth and clear!
Enjoy the moments filled with goodness,
so that you can endure the loss that will visit your doorstep.
Take your time and work through the necessary valleys to climb the treasured mountains!
Trust and believe! Love big!
It's worth it every time!
Be sure to visit Sunrise Press, a subsidiary of Dogwood Press, to see my new book, Advent Reflections for This Day
Sometimes the bottom of the valley becomes a gully then a gulch then a canyon so deep you need not only faith but friend to help you find a way back to the beauty of the mountains.
Love is bittersweet. Those who love much deeply feel the pain of loss. You capture the journey of the peaks and valleys with a spirit of joyful wisdom. B
Congratulations! This will be my high for the day! I leave for retreat with our church here today. Long list of prayer request (lots of valley prayers) but this will be a peak prayer.